Old Fisherman 1902

Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary made this painting of an 'Old Fisherman' in, well, we don't know exactly when, and I love that. Look at the way the colours are laid down in small, separate strokes, building up the forms bit by bit. It’s like Csontvary is figuring things out as he goes along, letting the process guide him, which is what I try to do in my own paintings. The colours are earthy, but there are these strange moments of red around the eyes which make him look almost haunted. His hands are clasped, and he holds a walking stick, but his eyes suggest more than just a weary old man. There’s a storm in those eyes, just like the one brewing in the background. Csontvary reminds me a bit of El Greco, who also had this way of seeing the world as full of spiritual intensity. It's like both artists were tapping into something beyond the surface of things. The painting is open to multiple interpretations. Is it a portrait of resignation, resilience, or something else entirely? It’s up to us to decide.