Winter 1904

Igor Grabar made this painting, Winter, with oil on canvas. The process is so present, so upfront, that it's like a conversation between the painter and the snow itself. I'm really drawn to the way he's built up the texture. It's thick and crusty, almost like the snow itself has been scooped up and slapped onto the canvas. The physicality of the medium is so striking; it's not just an image of winter but a tactile experience of it. Look at the blues and purples in the snow shadows – they're not just colors; they're emotional cues, suggesting the cold, the stillness, and maybe even a little bit of melancholy. In the lower left corner, notice the way the brushstrokes follow the contours of the snowdrift, it gives the whole scene a vibrant, almost animated quality. It reminds me of Van Gogh, actually, that same feverish intensity and commitment to capturing a sensation, not just a scene. Ultimately, Grabar reminds us that painting is a process of discovery, a way of seeing and feeling the world anew.