Winter landscape 1907

Tadeusz Makowski made this painting with oil, of what seems to be a wintery landscape. The cool blues and greys create a somber, almost melancholy mood. You can almost feel the stillness of a snow-covered village. Look at the surface, how thick and luscious the paint is in places, giving real texture to the snow-laden roofs and the land. The way he layers the paint, especially in the foreground, is remarkable. There is this sort of sun, this ochre circle sitting at the bottom of the picture plane. It grounds the piece, even though it seems completely weightless. It reminds me of Guston’s later work, actually, where the forms are simplified, and the color palette is narrow, creating a feeling of isolation. Like Makowski, Guston wasn’t afraid to leave some things unresolved. It feels like a sketch for something else. I always appreciate it when an artist leaves something for me to figure out.