Study to 'The End of Hitler ' 1946

Kukryniksy made this oil painting, Study to 'The End of Hitler', with what looks like the bare minimum of brushstrokes needed to depict the scene. The subdued palette and rough, gestural approach make this painting so powerful. It's as if the artists were trying to capture a feeling, an atmosphere, rather than aiming for a polished representation. Look at the frantic energy in the marks around the figure in the doorway; it's almost as if they're trying to escape the canvas. The paint is applied in thick, opaque layers, with visible brushstrokes that give the surface a tactile quality. You can almost feel the weight of the paint, the artist's hand moving across the canvas, wrestling with the subject matter. The influence of artists like Goya and Dix, who also depicted the horrors of war, comes to mind. This piece reminds us that art is not just about beauty, but about bearing witness, grappling with difficult truths, and having a dialogue with the art of the past.