Pskov in Winter 1922

Konstantin Gorbatov made this oil painting in 1922, and it looks like he mixed a cool palette of blues and whites to capture a snow-covered scene. Imagine him standing there, squinting at the bright, sun-drenched snow, trying to mix the perfect shade of icy blue for those shadows. You can almost feel the chill in the air, can’t you? Gorbatov wasn’t just painting a landscape; he was capturing a feeling, a mood, a moment in time. He may have been thinking about how the snow transforms everything, softening the edges of buildings and trees, creating a sense of peace and stillness. The thick paint gives the scene a sense of depth and texture. Each brushstroke is like a little sculpture, building up the layers of snow and ice. Painters are always in conversation with each other, across time and space. Each new painting adds to the dialogue, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We build on their discoveries. It's like a game of telephone, but instead of words, we're passing along colours, shapes, and ideas.