Novgorod 1922

Konstantin Gorbatov made this painting, Novgorod, with oil on canvas. The texture of the paint is important here; Gorbatov applied it quite thickly. See how the brushstrokes catch the light, especially in the sky and water? This impasto technique gives the scene a vibrant, almost palpable quality. It also brings out the material quality of the paint itself. Oil paint, ground from pigment and linseed oil, was becoming a common, relatively affordable material for artists at this time. The scene depicts everyday life, with workers unloading goods. It is tempting to see the hard labor represented in the painting as a mirror to the physical labor of the painting itself, where the artist’s work, and the worker's toil, are both visible. This piece shows how even a traditional medium like oil paint can be used to capture the gritty realities of work and life. It reminds us that art doesn't just represent the world; it's made from it.