Self-portrait (in yellow shirt) 1943

Pyotr Konchalovsky's self-portrait, made with oils, is dominated by expressive brushstrokes and a vivid color palette. I can just picture Konchalovsky at work, building up layer upon layer of paint, shifting and refining his image through intuition and trial. Looking at the painting, I can almost feel the texture of the canvas beneath my fingers. The paint looks thick, especially in the face, conveying a sense of weight and presence. Notice the bold strokes of yellow in his shirt – they practically vibrate with energy! I wonder if he chose that color to capture a feeling of optimism during what must have been a difficult year to live and work in Russia. You know, artists are always in dialogue with each other, across time and space. Konchalovsky's vibrant brushwork reminds me a little of Van Gogh, although filtered through a different cultural lens. For me, paintings are a reminder that there’s always more than one way to interpret them, an ongoing conversation between the artist, the painting, and us.