Mount Kepez 1961

Vajiha Samadova painted this mountain using oil on canvas, and it's amazing to think of her, brush in hand, capturing this scene. The light hits the peak of Mount Kepez, turning it into a crown of pinks and purples. I can imagine her, mixing those colors, trying to get that exact shade of light just right. What's especially interesting is how the paint seems almost sculpted onto the canvas. I wonder if she layered it on thick in places, building up the texture to mimic the rough, jagged surface of the mountain? Then, you see the contrast, how she uses dark greens and browns to create depth, pulling the eye back into the landscape. It’s like she's inviting us to climb the mountain, too, to share that same view. Samadova is part of a long conversation that’s been going on between artists for centuries. Each painter, in their own way, adding something new to the mix.