Valley of the Gipping, Suffolk 1913

This oil painting, Valley of the Gipping, Suffolk, was made by Frederick George Cotman. It's all about these gentle greens and soft blues, like the world is exhaling. You can almost feel Cotman layering the paint, building up this vision of a quiet, rolling landscape. I imagine Cotman standing there, squinting a little, trying to catch the light just right, mixing those greens to get the exact shade of the grass. See how the brushstrokes kind of blend together? It's like he’s inviting you to wander into the scene, right down that path. The paint isn't too thick, but it’s there, giving everything a kind of grounded, earthy feel. And those trees! They're not just trees; they're like characters, standing guard over the valley. There is an understanding of the impressionist approach that recalls the paintings of his peers in Europe. You can see how artists are always riffing off each other, even across time and place. It’s all one big conversation, you know?