Vydubychi monastery 1958

Yuriy Khymych painted Vydubychi monastery in watercolor with the fluidity of water itself. Look at how Khymych lets the watercolor do its thing. The colors are transparent, luminous. It’s all about the wash, the layering of color, and the way the pigment settles into the paper. The bare branches in the foreground are like delicate brushstrokes, dancing across the surface, and the dome of the monastery is so ethereal. The details suggest this is a real place, but it's painted so the scene feels as if it could evaporate into the sky at any moment. This kind of approach to painting, letting the medium guide you, reminds me of the later watercolors of John Singer Sargent, who was also fascinated by light and atmosphere, but Khymych’s work has a quiet, contemplative quality all its own. Art is a conversation, isn't it? Each artist listening and responding in their own way.