Der Kutscher c. 1905

Giovanni Boldini made 'Der Kutscher' with oil on canvas, and I can only imagine him making those bold strokes with a big brush loaded with brown paint. I wonder what he was thinking, maybe it's not just about the scene but how it feels to be in that moment, capturing the energy and fleeting impressions more than the details. It's so cool how he used thick, gestural marks to create this sense of movement, you can almost hear the clatter of hooves on the pavement. The palette is muted, mostly browns and grays, but then there are these flashes of red in the wheels, like a jolt of energy. It reminds me of Manet or Degas, but with a more frantic, chaotic energy. I like how Boldini isn't afraid to leave things unresolved, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty. Painting is a conversation across time, artists inspire each other.