Bank of the Seine (1887) by Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh’s *Bank of the Seine* (1887) captures the quiet beauty of the river with restless energy. Thick, swirling brushstrokes animate the water, while patches of vibrant green and blue suggest shifting light. A lone boat drifts near the shore, dwarfed by the vastness of nature. Van Gogh painted this during his Paris period, experimenting with brighter colors and looser techniques—his signature intensity already simmering beneath the surface.

The scene feels alive, almost trembling. Trees lean as if caught in a breeze, their reflections fracturing in the choppy water. Unlike his later, more explosive works, this piece hums with a quieter tension. You can almost sense van Gogh wrestling with the landscape, trying to pin down its fleeting moods before they slip away.