Power of the source 1914

Jacek Malczewski made "Power of the Source" in oil, and I can just imagine the breezy brushstrokes coming together to form the figure, the well, the trees. You know, it's like he let the paint breathe on the canvas. I wonder what Malczewski was thinking, though, when he chose these colors. It's not quite realism, but it's not quite dreamland either. And that turquoise dress – it feels like it's almost floating off the figure. It's interesting how the woman is part of the well and the source. There’s something about the way the figure is integrated into the scene, like she’s a guardian, a force of nature herself. I want to get my hands on it, see if the paint is rough or smooth, see where he might have changed his mind. Painters are always in conversation with each other, even across time. Each brushstroke is part of a bigger story.