Horses in the storm 1918

Boris Kustodiev’s ‘Horses in the Storm’ is a painting bubbling with thick swirls of emerald, cobalt, and pale gold. I can imagine Kustodiev building up the clouds, laying down brushstrokes, and then smudging and blending them to create a feeling of depth. The painting has a raw, almost urgent quality, like it was painted quickly to capture a fleeting moment. I can imagine Kustodiev, with his palette in hand, trying to keep up with the horses. The paint is applied in a way that captures movement—look at the way he’s used broken brushstrokes to suggest rain! It reminds me of some of Constable’s cloud studies, but with more drama. There is a real sense of collaboration with other painters. It’s as if Kustodiev is in a dialogue with artists across time, picking up ideas. Ultimately, painting is about being in the moment, embracing the chaos, and letting the artwork emerge through a process of trial, error, and intuition.