Venice Fishermen 1926

Nicolae Darascu’s, Venice Fishermen, is a painting of water, boats and buildings probably made with oil paint. It feels as if the whole scene is breathing. It’s really the surface of the water that grabs me. The way the paint's applied is so physical; you can almost feel the movement of the water, right? It's thick in some places, thin in others, capturing the light and reflections with short, choppy strokes. Like, look at the little dashes of peachy-pink and pale blue, that together make the whole image shimmer and dance. You get a sense of the place, the smells, the sounds. This reminds me a little of Boudin. But in Darascu, there's an interest in texture and light that's all his own. It’s a conversation across time, each artist adding their own voice to the mix. And, of course, it’s Venice, so there are endless ways to see and paint it.