Midnight Sun 1915

Mikhail Larionov made *Midnight Sun* with paint, though I can’t tell you exactly when. What’s so interesting is how the image seems to emerge from chaos, or maybe it's dissolving into it. The paint handling is wild. Look at the sky, a furious blue, applied with real energy. Is it night or day? Well, it's both. That’s the ‘midnight sun’ of the title, where the sun never quite sets, turning everything upside down. The figures are caught in a frenzy of bright yellows, reds, and oranges. See how the paint is scrubbed on, almost raw? There’s one tiny face near the bottom edge, just a quick sketch, barely there, but grinning away. It's as though Larionov is reminding us that even in the midst of all this intensity, there's still room for a little humor. This painting is kind of like stumbling into a folk festival, a swirling mix of bodies, costumes, and pure, unadulterated energy. It reminds me a little of Ensor, maybe? Anyway, *Midnight Sun* isn't trying to tell you one thing; it’s an invitation to get lost in the swirl.