Yvonne Canu – Egypt Sotheby’s

Here we see a coastal scene rendered in a distinctive pointillist technique. The composition is divided into distinct horizontal bands: sky, water, and land. This layering creates a sense of depth while simultaneously flattening the perspective, emphasizing the surface texture of the paint itself.
The sky occupies a significant portion of the canvas, dominated by pinks and yellows that suggest either dawn or dusk, or perhaps a hazy atmosphere. The application of dots here is dense, creating a shimmering effect reminiscent of heat rising from the ground. A few birds are sparsely dotted within this expanse, adding a sense of scale and movement.
The water reflects the colors of the sky, but with an increased intensity of blues and greens. The pointillist method breaks down the surface into countless tiny dots, giving it a vibrant, almost restless quality. A small sailboat is depicted in the distance, its form dissolving into the pattern of dots, suggesting both tranquility and the vastness of the sea.
The landmass occupies the right side of the canvas. It’s characterized by rocky cliffs and vegetation, including several palm trees that punctuate the skyline. The artist has used a warmer palette here – oranges, browns, and yellows – to distinguish it from the cooler tones of the water and sky. The cliff face is rendered with a rough texture, achieved through varying dot sizes and colors, conveying a sense of natural erosion and age.
The overall effect is one of serene beauty tinged with a subtle melancholy. The repetitive application of dots creates a visual rhythm that is both calming and slightly unsettling. Theres an intentional detachment from direct representation; the scene isn’t depicted realistically but rather as a collection of optical sensations. This suggests a focus on the subjective experience of seeing, rather than simply recording what is observed. The sparseness of human presence reinforces this sense of isolation and contemplation.