First Snow 1940

Pyotr Konchalovsky conjured this landscape, “First Snow” with visible brushstrokes, thick in some places, thin in others. Imagine him outside, feeling the cold, mixing browns and yellows to capture the last of the autumnal trees against the stark white rooftops. I wonder if Konchalovsky layered the paint, building up the texture to mimic the way snow settles, each stroke a small decision, a response to what’s already there. The colours! The ochres and russets of the trees contrast with the cool grey sky. It’s a dance between warmth and cold, a visual push and pull. Think about someone like Fairfield Porter, how he captured the everyday. Konchalovsky, like Porter, finds beauty in the ordinary, elevating a simple scene to something profound. It reminds us that painting isn’t just about representation; it’s about feeling, about being present in the world. Painting opens up new ways of seeing. It’s like an ongoing conversation that never gets old.