Danse de Moscou 1920

Jean d'Ylen conjured ‘Danse de Moscou’ with whirling strokes of paint. The reds and yellows are particularly gorgeous, a kind of fiery halo around the dancer. I can only imagine d’Ylen at work, totally absorbed, as the dancer emerges from the swirling brushstrokes. The way the figure arches back, surrendering to the dance, I wonder if it was the artist dancing along with the dancer? There’s a kind of fearlessness in the brushwork, like d’Ylen wasn't afraid to just let the paint do its thing. And the energy! The sheer exuberance of color and movement – it’s infectious, right? A gesture of absolute abandon and movement, like something caught in mid-air. It makes me want to pick up a brush and join the dance. Ultimately, this kind of bold painting reminds us that artists are constantly learning from each other.