Flowers 1916

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin made this painting of flowers, fruit, and ceramic with oil on canvas. Look at the bold brushstrokes and the symphony of colours, from the deep blues of the backdrop to the delicate pinks and whites of the flowers, to the vibrant red of the fruit. I imagine Korovin standing before the canvas, brush in hand, capturing the fleeting beauty of the scene before him. What was he thinking as he laid down each stroke? Did he agonize over getting the right shade of pink for those flowers? Or did he just let his intuition guide him? The paint looks so thick you could almost reach out and touch it. You can see how each individual dab of paint builds up to create the overall image. Look how a single stroke of green can suggest the curve of a leaf. Korovin is in dialogue with artists like Manet and the other impressionists, who were likewise committed to capturing the transient and changing qualities of life. Painting, like any art form, is a conversation across time and space. Each artist builds upon the work of those who came before, adding their own voice to the chorus. It’s this constant exchange of ideas and inspiration that keeps art alive.