Autumn landscape 1934

Mikhail Nesterov made this painting of an autumn landscape; it's hard not to fall for those birch trees and their verticality, and the cool palette of greens, browns and silvery whites. I can imagine Nesterov outside with his easel, trying to capture the light as the sun sets. What was he thinking as he painted those trees and the water? Did he rework parts of the painting? I bet he did. I'm drawn to the way the paint seems to almost float on the surface. It's not too thick, but not too thin either. There's a real tenderness to the whole scene. The brushstrokes have a gentle quality, as if he's trying to translate a feeling of peace onto the canvas. I'm reminded of other landscape painters who sought to capture the fleeting beauty of nature, like the Impressionists. It's like artists are always chatting with each other across time, inspiring each other. Ultimately, painting is about searching and experimenting, isn't it? Embracing the unexpected and allowing the painting to evolve.