ached .” Sometimes , as when his beloved sister died , he found himself unable to compose , but he took solace in painting . That year , 1847 , was also Mendelssohn ’ s last . He poured out his grief in watercolor landscapes , which his nephew , Sebastian Hansel , praised for their “ great freedom of handling , and force and harmony of coloring .” Approximately 300 artworks by Mendelssohn exist today .
“ Landscape with a Fantastic Castle ” George Sand , 1865
The French novelist George Sand ( 1804-1876 ) was famous for her fiction and infamous for her lifestyle . Her real name was Amandine Dupin , but she took a man ’ s name , wore pants , smoked cigars , and had love affairs with both men and women . Her most committed relationship was with the composer Frédéric Chopin , who attempted to cure his tuberculosis by moving with Sand to the Mediterranean island of Majorca . Sand disliked the people of the island but was enraptured by the scenery .
The couple returned to Paris , where Chopin died in 1849 . For the rest of her life , Sand traveled all over France , Spain , and Italy , moving into various houses and apartments . By this time , travelers could get around quickly by rail , and while photography existed , it was still cumbersome and expensive . It wouldn ’ t be practical for amateurs until the invention of the Kodak , well after Sand ’ s death . Tourists still needed a paintbox and the expertise to use one .
Sand ’ s watercolors have a solidity akin to oil paintings , and a rich texture achieved through what she called “ dendrite ” or “ aquarelle à l ’ écrasage .” After dropping spots of color on her surface , she would press another sheet of paper on top . After peeling it away , she was left with a convincing semblance of foliage . She never left unpainted paper to represent white ; that technique would be practiced decades later by Sargent and Winslow Homer .
Today , everyone carries a small camera , both at home and abroad . It is no longer necessary to paint a watercolor as a souvenir . But some contemporary artists , like Megan Perkins of Deer Park , Washington , carry on the tradition . Perkins has been to several exotic locations all over the world , taking her watercolor supplies in a small backpack everywhere she goes .
“ Painting on location is incredibly different than painting from photos ,” she says . “ First off , you get so much more information about what you are painting when you are there in person rather than working from a photo . Cameras also lie about lighting conditions and can warp perspective , but my favorite thing about painting on location is not the analytical things , but rather the experience of simply being there ; soaking up the atmosphere , talking to people , challenging myself to capture the scene and making a memory of a place that will return every time I look at my sketch .”
Perkins has been to Europe , India , Japan , and Central America , and she would like to paint many more exotic lands . Her supplies include a palette , brushes , pens , pencils , markers , pencil sharpener , eraser , paper towels , a spray bottle , a pop up cup for water , and a watercolor sketchbook . While she paints , the natives often get curious and gather around to watch . In Japan , an elderly gentleman gave her a corduroy kerchief to sit on . In India , she attracted a crowd of shopkeepers and school children . One of the shop keepers was so fascinated by what Perkins was doing that he shooed away a customer .
Photography may not have killed painting , but it has threatened an old an honorable tradition that Megan Perkins is helping to revive . With colleagues like Dürer , Turner , Goethe , Mendelssohn , and Sand , she is certainly in good company .
“ Arenal Volcano , Costa Rica ” Megan Perkins , 2017
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