Study for the Painting Spanish Motif 1937

Cyprián Majerník made this gouache on paper painting called "Study for the Painting Spanish Motif". I can just imagine Majerník placing these daubs of juicy pinks, reds, and yellows, feeling his way across the surface. Look at the vase, still just a sketch, trying to find the right form for the flower arrangement. The paint is pretty thin, not too fussy, giving a light and airy feel to the whole piece. You can almost see him moving things around, figuring out how the colors play off each other. I wonder if Majerník was looking at Matisse? I can definitely feel a similar vibe in the bold use of color. It is like he's having a conversation with his painting, letting it shift and change until it feels just right. All these artists, they’re always talking to each other through their work, across time and space. It's all one big, messy, beautiful conversation.