The Dunes of Port Blanc near Ile de Quiberon 1908

Maxime Maufra made this painting of The Dunes of Port Blanc, probably en plein air, with oils on canvas. I like how he's built up this whole scene with distinct, almost square strokes of color. It's like each little dab is a decision, a moment of looking and responding, not trying to hide the process at all. Looking closely, you can see how the materiality of the paint really comes alive, especially in the cliffs. The texture there is rough, chunky, with these great jabs of reds and browns that give the rock face its craggy feel. Then, look at how the waves are painted; they're more fluid, with longer, sweeping strokes. The contrast between these different ways of applying paint makes the whole scene more dynamic, like you can almost hear the waves crashing against the solid, unmoving rocks. Maufra's work reminds me a bit of Armand Guillaumin, who also played with color in a way that felt both natural and expressive. It's like they're both saying: Hey, painting isn't just about copying what you see, it's about how you see it, and what you do with that vision.