OLD VILLAGE HOUSES 1959

Jaroslav Keluc made this painting, Old Village Houses, with oil on canvas. The colours are earthy, muted greens, browns, and greys, like a cloudy day in the countryside. There's a real sense of artmaking as a process here. It's not about slickness or perfection; it’s about feeling. I love how the texture of the paint becomes the texture of the scene. The way Keluc has applied the paint in thick, visible strokes makes the houses, water, and trees almost palpable. The brushstrokes give the impression of movement, so the whole scene seems to be in flux. Look at how the fence is rendered with quick, vertical daubs of paint. It's not a precise representation of a fence, but it captures the essence of one perfectly. This reminds me a little of Chaim Soutine, in the way he used expressive brushwork to convey a sense of emotion, though Keluc is a bit more restrained. To me, this painting is a reminder that art is not about capturing a perfect image, but about conveying a feeling, an experience, a moment in time.