Landscape. Ducks 1945

Ivan Generalic made this landscape painting, probably in the mid 20th century, with oil on glass. The colors are muted, almost monochromatic browns and greens, with a threatening grey sky looming overhead, which gives the whole scene a kind of dreamlike quality. I’m really drawn to the way Generalic handles the paint here. It's smooth and precise, almost like he's illustrating a storybook. Look at the way he renders the trees, each leaf carefully delineated. It's so meticulous, so controlled, but there's also a sense of wonder in it, a feeling that he's really looking closely at the world. The way the land is constructed, he manages to create a sense of depth despite the flatness of the picture plane, and he repeats motifs, little spots, again and again. It's hypnotic. It reminds me a little bit of Pieter Bruegel, but with a more intimate, folksy touch. Generalic's landscapes aren’t just pictures, they’re worlds, and the world doesn’t have to make perfect sense.