Paris, Les Bords De Sein 1923

Alexis Gritchenko painted "Paris, Les Bords De Sein" with oils, and judging by the title, likely *en plein air*. It's a scene of the Seine with thick, expressive brushstrokes, and a palette of grays, blues, greens, and earth tones. There is something about the way Gritchenko layered the paint that speaks to me about the physicality of the medium. Look at how the brushstrokes create a sense of movement and energy, particularly in the water. The artist uses short, choppy strokes to define the surface of the river, but he also lets some of the underlying layers peek through. It reminds me of the way that Cezanne built up his forms with small, parallel strokes. I'm reminded of Van Gogh, whose use of thick impasto and expressive brushwork similarly conveys a sense of emotional intensity. "Paris, Les Bords De Sein" invites us to appreciate art as an ongoing dialogue across time.