Flowering garnet 1947

Martiros Sarian made this painting, Flowering Garnet, with what looks like oil on canvas. It is a landscape with a riotous green bush speckled with these gem-like red flowers. It's so easy to imagine Sarian outside, observing the natural world. I feel that the green is really the star here. It’s applied so thickly and joyfully, like he's not just painting leaves but the very feeling of growth and abundance. The brushstrokes are broad and confident, but also playful, as if he's dancing with the brush. The red of the flowers pops against the green, little bursts of energy scattered throughout the composition. What a thrill it must have been to make! Artists are always building on each other’s work, it's like a big conversation, across time. Sarian's way of seeing and feeling is really special, isn't it? It’s a reminder that painting can be so alive, so full of feeling, and so open to interpretation.