Rustle of the Forest 1904

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this painting, Rustle of the Forest, using oils to conjure up a space that hovers between representation and dream. The vertical strokes suggest a dense copse of trees but there's something else going on here; the composition feels restless, as if the forest is breathing, or maybe singing. Ciurlionis was also a composer, and you can see how he strives for that kind of harmony in painting too. The colours are muted, like twilight. It's easy to imagine Ciurlionis, lost in contemplation, trying to capture that fleeting moment when light and shadow dance together. The textures feel soft and yielding, inviting us to step into this tranquil vision. His other paintings often explored themes of mythology and symbolism, but here he seems to be embracing the sheer mystery of nature. Artists are always borrowing from each other. Ciurlionis probably didn’t know it, but later painters would recognize his kinship with them. Painting has that power; to converse across time through feeling.