Near pomegranate tree 1907

Martiros Sarian made this vibrant painting near a pomegranate tree with what looks like gouache, or maybe tempera. The colour is so saturated! I'm drawn to the way Sarian layers the colours, especially in the tree. Look at those brushstrokes! They’re confident, almost playful, dancing between representation and abstraction. The paint is applied thinly, allowing the texture of the paper to peek through, adding a kind of luminosity to the darker tones. The pomegranates themselves are little dabs of red, like jewels scattered amongst the leaves. And that figure, so still and stoic, juxtaposed with the wild, almost fauvist energy of the landscape! There’s a tension there, a dialogue between the inner world and the outer. It reminds me a little of Henri Rousseau's dreamscapes, but with a distinct Armenian flavor. Ultimately, this painting isn't about answers, it’s about the joy of looking, the thrill of seeing the world anew.