Sword-Lillies 1931

Gheorghe Petrascu gave us these Sword-Lillies, made with oil paint, and, looking at the surface, it feels like the painting emerged from a process of layering and building up of marks. What strikes me most is the physicality of the paint, you can almost feel the impasto, thick and luscious. The palette is quite limited, with reds, greens, and blacks dominating, yet within that, there's a surprising range of tones and textures. Look at how the red petals seem to vibrate against the dark background. The brushstrokes are visible, almost gestural, giving the painting a lively, energetic feel. The paint handling is free and expressive, each stroke loaded with intention. Petrascu's contemporary, the French painter Pierre Bonnard, who used similarly thick applications of paint in his still lifes, comes to mind. Ultimately, art is an ongoing conversation, a dialogue across time and space.