Bandits 1932

Mikuláš Galanda made this painting, Bandits, with oil on canvas and it’s just beautiful. It’s so interesting how the artist uses a limited palette of greens and creams, but with such varied tones that the picture feels very rich. The surface texture is smooth, but there are visible brushstrokes that give a sense of depth. I love how the figures are stylized, almost like sculptures, with their simplified forms and subtle shading. The strong outlines help define the figures, giving them a monumental quality, especially in contrast to the dreamy landscape. The way the figures’ limbs intersect, creating a sort of visual puzzle, is really smart. I’m reminded of Léger, with the way the figures are abstracted into geometric forms. But there’s also something really unique here, a kind of folk-art sensibility mixed with a modern vision. It’s like Galanda is creating his own visual language. It's a quiet painting, but so powerful in its simplicity.