First Snow 1940

Pyotr Konchalovsky painted “First Snow” with oils, and what strikes me is how he makes the sensation of cold almost touchable. Konchalovsky isn’t afraid to let the paint do its thing. Look at the rooftops, heavy with fresh snow. The surface has a wonderful granular texture. You can see he applied the paint thickly with a palette knife to create a sense of depth and volume. It’s not just white; there are hints of blue and gray mixed to give a real feeling of crispness. In contrast, the golden hues of the tree in the center are like a memory of summer warmth, achieved through shorter, directional brushstrokes. Konchalovsky reminds me a little of someone like Courbet, who also embraced the materiality of paint. Both artists suggest that painting isn't just about representation, it's about exploring the potential of the medium itself.