Monk Christopher with Christ near the river 1917

Jury Annenkov made this painting, Monk Christopher with Christ near the river, using oils, and it's a puzzle of warm colours. The marks are like thoughts, layered and searching. For me, art’s about figuring things out as you go. There's a tactile quality to the surface, a kind of rough tenderness. The reds and oranges aren't smooth; they're built up, like skin, like the earth itself. Look at the way the red outlines the figures, almost vibrating against the background. It’s like the painting is breathing. I love how the green and blue birdhouse and the blue river become focal points of serenity in a sea of passionate reds. That angular form almost reads like text: the letter V. It reminds me a bit of early Kirchner, that same raw emotionality, but Annenkov brings his own spiritual questioning to it. It's a reminder that art isn't about answers, but about the questions we ask along the way.