The Thundershower c. 1916

Here’s Henry Lyman Saÿen, probably painting away in the early 20th century and conjuring “The Thundershower” with what looks like gouache or maybe tempera on paper. I see bold geometric shapes and a colour palette that’s both vibrant and muted. There’s this wonderful interplay between abstraction and representation; the human form is suggested but broken down into simplified shapes. I imagine Saÿen experimenting with form and composition, pushing the boundaries of what a painting could be. He’s probably got some cool music on, maybe he's thinking about Picasso and Braque. Look at the way he juxtaposes the flat planes of colour with decorative patterns, creating a sense of depth and movement. The layering and the texture invite you to consider the painting’s surface as a dynamic and active space. What I like here is the dialogue between the artist and the canvas, an exchange of ideas that unfolds through the act of painting itself. You can see how one artist inspires another, it's an ongoing conversation across time.