Kornfeld 1907

Christian Rohlfs made this painting, titled Kornfeld, with oil on canvas, and you can see how the dabs of the brush have been used to create the texture of a field of wheat. I imagine him thinking of the way Van Gogh used paint, but wanting to make it his own, thinking, how can I take this and make it new? I know that feeling! You can see it particularly in how he handles the wheat – those strokes of yellow, orange, and brown. Each one seems to stand on its own while also being part of the whole. It’s a tricky balance. That dark green patch in the middle is like a little rest for the eye, a place to pause before diving back into that energetic surface. He makes you feel like you're in the middle of the field, feeling the sun beating down, and the wind blowing through the stalks. It's all about sensation, how paint can make you feel something real.