De veemarkt 1872 - 1931

Willem de Zwart made this watercolour, 'De veemarkt', at an unknown date, and it feels like he dashed it off in one go. The way the light just sort of washes over everything gives it a real freshness. The paint is super thin, almost like he’s just staining the paper, which lets the white of the page do a lot of the work. Look at how he’s done the trees on the right – just a few quick flicks of the brush and suddenly, there’s this whole row of them! The whole scene is built up from these little gestures. There’s a beautiful mark where the cow’s head is resting – this dark splodge seems to carry the weight of the animal. This piece reminds me a bit of some of Boudin’s beach scenes. Both artists share a similar way of capturing a fleeting moment, like a snapshot from life. Ultimately, it’s all about the joy of looking and the endless possibilities of paint.