Eastern interior 1918

Martiros Sarian made this painting of an interior, we don't know exactly when, but it is made with oil on canvas. Look at the way the colours are applied with a broad brush; it’s so playful, almost as though painting is a game. The texture is wonderful, especially in the way he renders the soft furnishings, it looks so tactile! The painting feels almost flat but there's a real sense of depth created with colour. The teal colour of the walls contrasts beautifully with the ochres and reds of the floor, the furniture and patterned wall hangings. Note how these colours are all subtly echoed in the details of the painting above the bed, which draws the eye. I'm reminded of Matisse, who also uses colour and flatness to great effect to create these immersive interior scenes. Painting to me is about mark-making, colour, texture; it’s an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas. Like this, art embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations.