Pilgrims in the Snow 1925

Albert Bloch’s painting, Pilgrims in the Snow, might have been made with oil paint or tempera, it’s hard to tell, which is part of the fun! The surface is scrubbed, the palette chalky and muted - making the work feel incredibly tender and still. I find myself drawn to the physical qualities, the way he's layered the paint to create these softly contoured forms. Look at the top left corner, how the tree appears almost woven into the background, a dance of light and shadow. The application feels intuitive, like he's finding his way through the landscape, one brushstroke at a time. Bloch’s quiet painting makes me think of Marsden Hartley. Both artists had this knack for distilling a scene to its emotional core, using humble materials to express something profound. It's a reminder that art doesn't always need to shout to be heard, it can whisper too.