Novgorod. Peter and Paul Church. 1925

Pyotr Konchalovsky painted this church scene in Novgorod with oil on canvas. It’s so evident that he’s relishing the process, laying down these buttery strokes of color – greens, creams, and earth tones – in thick, juicy layers. Look at the way he’s built up the facade of the church, almost like he’s sculpting with paint, each dab and dash contributing to the overall form. The texture is so rich; you can practically feel the roughness of the stone, the slickness of the dome, and the leafy foliage. The brushstrokes around the perimeter of the structure aren't blended, they are discrete. It’s these little moments that give the piece a real sense of immediacy, of being in the moment. It reminds me of early Cezanne, especially in the way he fearlessly tackles the landscape with such bold, independent marks. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that painting is all about the conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials at hand.