Temple of Myrrh Bearers 1928

Pyotr Konchalovsky's "Temple of Myrrh Bearers" is a small oil painting, and it feels like it came into being intuitively, almost in one go. I can imagine Konchalovsky squinting at the light, trying to capture it just so, building up the forms of the temple with loaded brushstrokes. The whites and greens are so luminous. The paint is thick and juicy, not blended too much, so you can really see each stroke and how he's building up the structure. It’s almost as if he is trying to assemble a memory. Look at the sky, how it is brushed on with such freedom and confidence. He must have been really feeling it that day, inspired by the architecture and the quality of light. You can feel the history of Impressionism here, and of course the Russian avant-garde, all coming together in one moment. A lot of paintings I like feel like they capture an intensity – like the artist is channeling something, somewhere. They give a feeling of rightness.