Forest 1918

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin made this oil painting, Forest, at an unknown date. The scene seems to emerge from a flurry of brushstrokes, an optical jumble of blues, yellows, and reds that feels like squinting into the sun-dappled woods. It’s how the light both reveals and conceals, an experience of being immersed in nature rather than observing it from afar. There's a lovely passage where the trunks are rendered with vertical strokes of blue and grey, giving a sense of the cool, damp undergrowth. The paint isn’t overworked; it’s laid down with an immediacy that speaks to the artist’s direct response to the scene. This wasn't about perfection, it was about capturing an atmosphere, an emotional truth. Korovin reminds me of other painters like Monet, who were also interested in capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. Ultimately, this painting isn't just about trees; it’s about how we see, how we feel, and how painting can capture that messy, beautiful experience.