some sun in the garden

thanks wikipaintings.org. PD

Somewhere around 1880, Mary Cassatt painted this moment: "Lydia Seated in the Garden with a Dog in her Lap." The colors are so fresh you could think this was a watercolor, but it's an oil.  Lush and relaxing as the garden is, what delights me most is the half-asleep contentment of the dog. Notice the dog is the warm brown heart of the piece - no matter where you look, you cycle back round to that face.