Emile Claus Woman in a Rowing Boat Postcard

The dress does the talking here. Stippled in hundreds of tiny violet and rose dots — a technique Emile Claus borrowed from the Divisionists — the woman's pale lavender gown holds more visual interest than the river behind her. She sits in a small wooden boat, an oar resting across her lap, a corsage of pale yellow roses pinned at her chest, her expression calm. Behind her, a cream sail dissolves into mist and reflected light.

Rare among Claus's landscapes for how close and personal it is — a good match for anyone who collects portraits rather than scenery, or for a card sent to someone who rows.