Reading in a Garden (Lettura in giardino) 1904 - 1905

Pompeo Mariani made this print called 'Reading in a Garden' using etching and aquatint, with a little bit of watercolor, too. Looking at the woman in the garden, I imagine Mariani gently layering color upon color, almost like he's coaxing the scene into being. What was he thinking about as he made this? Maybe he was trying to capture the feeling of a warm day, the way the light filters through the trees, or the quiet joy of getting lost in a good book. The way the colors blend together, soft greens and blues, it almost feels like a memory, hazy and sweet. You know, it reminds me a little of other Impressionist painters, like Monet, who were trying to capture a fleeting moment in time. Artists are always talking to each other across time and space. This piece makes me want to grab a book and find a quiet spot in the park, soaking up the sun.