Nativity 1910

Natalia Goncharova created this painting of the Nativity with oil paints, though we don't know when. There’s a kind of angular grace in the way Goncharova lays down these colours. Not too bothered about blending, more interested in the push and pull of reds and blues. The thin paint means the surface of the painting has a real presence. I keep coming back to the Madonna figure in the bed on the left. There’s something so simple and direct about the way her face is painted. It’s like an icon, but not precious. Look at the single brushstroke that defines her nose. It's a summary, a fact. The scene has a flatness, like early Italian painting, but it also has a Russian folk-art feeling that reminds me of Marc Chagall. With the mix of folk art and early renaissance, the painting becomes a conversation between traditions. This painting reminds us that art is always an ongoing dialogue. There are no final answers, just more questions.