Lake Ilmen 1925

Pyotr Konchalovsky’s painting of Lake Ilmen is thick with brushstrokes of blues, greens, and browns, a jumble that comes into focus. I can almost smell the water and the earthy bank. You can see the artist squishing the paint, pushing it around to find the forms. He layers the color to build up the scene, the calm of the lake contrasting with the busy work on the shore. I imagine him outside, a little stressed trying to capture it all at once, dabbing and swiping. Look at how he renders the clouds with such freedom. They swirl and blend, echoing the movement of the water. It reminds me a little of some of Cezanne's landscapes, where everything is built from similar strokes, but also stands on its own as a piece of pure sensation. It’s easy to see how artists pick up ideas, and build off each other. Painting is an ongoing, unruly, and beautiful conversation!