Lighthouse 1903

Ferdynand Ruszczyc made this painting of a lighthouse with what looks like oil on canvas, and the scene is steeped in blues and purples that make you feel the coming night. I can imagine Ruszczyc layering thin washes of paint, one over the other, to create a sense of depth, like the feeling of being out on the water. The textures are soft, and the brushstrokes blend gently, which gives the scene a dreamy, almost melancholic atmosphere. The lighthouse, with its tiny red light, is like a punctuation mark in the vastness of the sea, and the way the light reflects on the water is just beautiful. It reminds me that painting is about capturing a feeling more than just an image. Ruszczyc seems to be in conversation with artists like Whistler, sharing a love for moody, atmospheric scenes, and it’s cool to see how different artists interpret the world around them.