Riders on the Seashore 1909

Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary made this painting of riders by the sea with oil on canvas, but when exactly, we don't know. It’s got this fairytale, dream-like quality, with figures and animals dotted across the scene like chess pieces, but there's something unsettling about it too. The paint is applied in thin, washy layers, creating a luminous effect, especially in the sky. There are sections where the brushwork becomes more noticeable, particularly in the details of the horses and figures, adding a sense of movement. Notice how the stark white of the horses stands out against the darker tones of the landscape, creating a kind of visual tension. Csontvary reminds me a little of Henri Rousseau, in the sense of creating a world that feels both familiar and strange, like a memory half-forgotten. Art is like a conversation that keeps going, even after the artists are gone.