One piece of art I saw that invoked strong feelings for me was “Dolce Far Niente” by John Singer Sargent. I was captivated by the subtly vibrant pops of color that added life and energy to such a serene scene. One thing I found interesting about this painting is how differently one might perceive it depending on how far away they’re standing. From far away, it looks like a beautiful landscape, complete with water, grass, and other aspects of nature. Much of the painting looked like water at various depths and points of lighting, and I couldn’t even make out that there were human subjects in the painting. I was simply drawn to it by its colors and how they were arranged. After looking closer, I felt a strong sense of calmness and relaxation, as well as community. The painting depicts a group of people engaging in leisurely activities, caught up in their own worlds. For example, some of them are reading, while others are playing chess (from what I could make out). The lack of detail that makes it difficult to tell who they are and what exactly they’re doing speaks to the idea that sometimes we need to detach from ourselves and simply be. It doesn’t matter who we are or what we’re doing as long as we are present in this world, living and taking it all in. Thus, this painting invoked strong feelings of peaceful, ethereal community for me, reminding me that it’s important to stop in life, once in a while, to disconnect and reconnect and let yourself flow in new ways.