The Autumn 1974

Aurel Cojan made this watercolor, titled 'The Autumn', sometime in the 20th century, and it looks like it was made very quickly. See how the colors are very pale, and the strokes are really loose, almost like he was sketching. The first thing that strikes me is the color palette, kind of muted pinks, blues, and grays. It makes me think of falling leaves and overcast skies. There's a really interesting mix of thick and thin paint here. Look at the dark swooshes of grey near the top, then at the figure at the bottom left, whose form is just barely suggested. There's a real sense of movement in the way the paint is applied, like Cojan was trying to capture the feeling of wind or the changing seasons. It puts me in mind of Cy Twombly, or maybe even some of the abstract expressionists, though I think Cojan has a style all his own. I like how he leaves so much open to interpretation. "The Autumn" is not trying to tell us what to think or feel, but rather to invite us into a conversation with the painting.