The Old Well 1923

Konstantinos Maleas gave us “The Old Well” in 1923 using oil on canvas, and right away I’m struck by how the colours work together, like earthy browns playing with sky blues. The texture’s really something, isn’t it? It’s like Maleas was sculpting with paint, making the well almost jump out at you. He’s not hiding anything here; you can see every stroke, every decision. Look at that little patch of water down below, how the browns and creams swirl together—it’s like he’s showing us how water moves, not just what it looks like. It reminds me of Cezanne with that broken brushwork, but more grounded, more real somehow. It feels like a moment captured, a quiet conversation between the land and the sea.