View in the Woods c. 1880 - 1923

George Hendrik Breitner painted this *View in the Woods* with oil on panel. It’s a small painting, but its loose brushwork and earthy colors pull you right in. The paint has a real materiality to it. Look at the lower third of the canvas, at the way Breitner renders the water’s surface; the strokes are thick and layered, reflecting light to create a sense of depth and movement. You can almost hear the gentle lapping of the water against the bank. And notice how the trees frame the open space beyond. This reminds me of Corot, another artist who found the poetry in the everyday. Yet Breitner has a rawness that’s all his own. His vision embraces uncertainty. In painting, as in life, it’s often the things we don’t quite understand that hold the most beauty.