У Мельницы. 1910

Vitold Byalynitsky-Birulya painted this landscape, called "At the Mill," using oil on canvas. The colours are muted, like a grey day, but the touch of the brush is lively. You can see how each stroke builds up the shapes, like fitting together pieces of a puzzle. I love how the artist captures the texture of the wooden buildings and the little bridge, see how the strokes of paint almost mimic the rough surface of the logs. The dark, swirling brushstrokes in the water create a sense of movement, like the water is alive and flowing. Then notice how the green peeks out from behind the houses. It's not bright, more like the memory of green. That little patch of green is like a tiny burst of hope in an otherwise melancholy scene. This work reminds me of some of the landscapes by Isaac Levitan, who shared a similar feeling for the Russian countryside. It’s all about mood, feeling, and letting the paint do its thing.