Novgorod. Anthony the Roman. 1925

Pyotr Konchalovsky made this painting of Novgorod's Anthony the Roman, we don't know when, but it looks like he worked fast. You can see that Konchalovsky applied paint with a loaded brush, creating a textured surface. The interplay of light and shadow across the architecture is achieved through a nuanced palette of greens, whites, and blues. The brushstrokes are visible everywhere, recording the movement and decisions of the artist. Look at the way he rendered the domes; these are not smooth, idealized forms, but rather palpable, almost sculptural shapes built from layers of colour. The painting has kinship with Cézanne in the way it captures a sense of volume and space through colour and form. It’s as if he’s asking: How can a painting evoke the weight and presence of a building? The painting is an ongoing investigation, where each mark contributes to an ever-evolving understanding.