Skete of Agios Andreas 1932

Spyros Papaloukas painted this view of Skete of Agios Andreas with oil on canvas. The first thing I notice is the process, how the paint is put down, not in a thin glaze but with real presence. I'm fascinated by the texture. It seems Papaloukas built up the image with lots of layers, almost like drawing. See how the paint isn't trying to trick you into thinking it’s a real mountain or building? It’s paint doing its thing, creating shapes. I'm drawn to the sky and mountain at the top of the picture. The blue lines around the clouds, the peach colour bleeding through... it’s like the whole landscape is breathing. And then those gold buildings clustered together, so solid and warm against the cool blues and whites. This reminds me a little of El Greco’s Mannerist landscapes, full of drama and spirituality. But Papaloukas brings his own modern vision, reminding us that a painting isn’t just a picture, it’s an experience, a way of seeing the world anew.