Southern winter 1934

Martiros Sarian painted this scene of a ‘Southern Winter’ with oils on canvas. I imagine him outside in the snow; the brushstrokes are quick, almost impatient, as if he’s racing to capture the light before it shifts. There’s a freshness to this painting. The white expanses of snow feel like they've been laid down in one go, while the colours are layered with soft pinks, warm yellows, and muted greens; a dance between the cold and the warmth. I love how he’s captured the feeling of winter without making it bleak. Sarian clearly loves colour. The bright hues bring a liveliness to the landscape that transcends realism. It reminds me of the Fauves, those wild beasts of early modernism who weren’t afraid to bend the rules of colour. It’s like Sarian is having a conversation with them, saying: “Hey, I can take winter, and make it sing!” And he does, beautifully.