Начало Весны. 1912

Vitold Byalynitsky-Birulya made Начало Весны with oil on canvas. Imagine him outdoors, trying to catch the very particular light of a fleeting moment. I think he was after the in-between feeling of a thaw, not quite the dead of winter, not quite spring. I bet he was shivering while he painted this! The surface is smooth and creamy, and he’s used a limited palette of whites, browns and grays. Those vertical strokes are key – they give the whole scene a feeling of melting, dissolving, of being unsure and unresolved. There’s something both still and serene about the painting. The scene reminds me of Corot's landscapes, those quiet, unassuming scenes of the French countryside. But this is clearly Russia. It’s like Byalynitsky-Birulya is in conversation with other artists, picking up on a shared feeling, a universal experience, but making it his own. It’s a subtle painting that invites you to slow down and contemplate the quiet beauty of nature in transition.