Pisces 1907

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this untitled painting, Pisces, using tempera on paper. Just look at those layered blues and browns, evoking the vastness of the cosmos. You can almost feel the artist layering each color, one on top of the other, carefully searching for the right balance. Imagine Ciurlionis stepping back, tilting his head, and then adding another layer, scraping, and adjusting, until finally he has this ethereal vision. Those two fish suspended in the sky, with that constellation above, create a surreal effect, don't they? The sun-like sphere in the middle radiates light, creating this focal point which draws your eye around the whole image. It reminds me of other visionary painters, like Kandinsky, each pushing the boundaries of representation to explore mystical and spiritual ideas. Ultimately, painting is a conversation. Each artist builds on the ideas of those who came before, transforming and reinterpreting them for a new era. There's no one way to understand it. It's all about opening yourself up to possibilities.