Book stalls along the Seine (bouquinistes)

by Kees van den Burg

This watercolour painting captures the atmosphere of nineteenth-century Paris as cherished by the French Impressionists. Along the banks of the Seine stand the characteristic green bookstalls (bouquinistes), filled with old books, prints and engravings. Softly filtered sunlight and subtle brushstrokes in shades of blue, green and ochre blend seamlessly together. In the background rises the majestic Notre-Dame, its towers partly shrouded in a light mist that lends the monumental architecture a dreamlike quality.

The loose, transparent watercolour strokes and the vibrant use of colour emphasise the fleeting impression of the moment, entirely in the tradition of Monet and his contemporaries. Pedestrians strolling along the quayside add a sense of life and movement.

The artwork is based on an original photograph taken by the artist, which was carefully edited in Photoshop beforehand to refine the composition, lighting and colour tones. The image was then rendered in an Impressionist watercolour style, preserving the authenticity of the original photograph whilst enhancing the characteristic atmosphere and painterly expression of French Impressionism.