Twilight in the Zádiel Valley 1920 - 1930

Ľudovít Čordák made this watercolour of Twilight in the Zádiel Valley, and what strikes me most is the way he’s built up the image in layers, almost like memory itself. The texture here is created by the washes of watercolour, flowing and pooling to create depth, you know? The way the light filters through the trees feels so transient, so fleeting. Look at that cluster of golden leaves, how they seem to glow against the muted tones of the background. It’s like a little pocket of warmth in the cool, grey atmosphere. You can almost feel the dampness of the air. Čordák was working around the same time as the Impressionists, and you can see that fascination with light and atmosphere here. But where they were all about capturing a moment, Čordák seems more interested in evoking a mood, a feeling of quiet contemplation. It’s a beautiful piece.