The Typhoon 1911

Galileo Chini made this image of a typhoon with paint and brush, but when? It's amazing the way he's built up the colour in this painting, he's really gone to town on a limited palette. The painting looks like it was created in many layers, giving it real depth. You can almost feel the weight of that purple storm cloud bearing down, can't you? And the way the rain is rendered in these thick, golden strokes – it’s not just water, it's like solid light, hitting the sea in these intense bars. The paint isn't trying to hide; you see every brushstroke, every decision. It reminds me a little of Turner, the way he captured the sublime power of nature, but Chini's got his own thing going on, for sure. It shows us how art is always in conversation, always building on what came before. It's all about feeling the energy, not figuring it out.