Paris, Port des Orfèvres, l'hiver, avec la Seine gelée 1910

Fernand Combes made this drawing of Paris, Port des Orfèvres, in winter, with the frozen Seine, with graphite pencil and maybe some charcoal. I see a process here of slow looking and quiet mark-making. There’s a kind of subdued atmosphere created by the limited tonal range and soft textures. The graphite is layered and smudged to create a hazy effect, like the scene is viewed through a mist. The lines defining the boats are delicate and precise, yet blurred, which gives the composition a dreamlike quality. Look at the smaller boats in the foreground, how the reflection of the water almost merges the two vessels into one. This feels almost like a Turner painting, where the scene emerges from an atmospheric haze. The focus on capturing a fleeting moment in time is definitely Impressionistic. But the restraint and emphasis on line also reminds me of Whistler. Ultimately, art is about capturing a feeling. This drawing beautifully renders the melancholic feeling of a winter day.