Baptism in the Japanese Style

About this work

This picture looks like a busy, dreamy scene with odd shapes and textures. Two owls sit on a branch, staring straight ahead. Below them, a tree with bare branches leans over a small house with a window. The sky is dark and swirly, while the ground shows scattered leaves and small animals. Tiny birds fly in the top left corner, and jars sit on a shelf. The artist mixed rough, sketchy lines with smooth areas, giving it a strange, mixed-up feel. The owls and jars might hint at Japanese prints, which were popular with some French artists at the time. If you like this style, check out Impressionism for more paintings with loose brushwork and everyday scenes.