Pythia 1917

Jacek Malczewski made this painting, Pythia, with oil on canvas. Malczewski has a fluid approach to paint handling here. He builds up areas of light and shadow with translucent glazes, see how the color seems to glow from beneath the surface. This gives the picture an ethereal, dreamlike quality. Look at how the light catches the folds of her dress. The paint is applied thinly, almost like watercolor, allowing the texture of the canvas to show through. The folds and drapes of the cloth are so lightly described they are barely there. This contrasts with the thick impasto of the woman's hair. The contrast between these two areas is really lovely. The work of Gustave Moreau comes to mind, another artist who sought to evoke a world of myth and symbol. Ultimately, Malczewski invites us to explore the ambiguities of human experience, and embrace art’s power to evoke mystery.