Prelude (The knight prelude) 1909

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made 'Prelude', painted with what looks like tempera, or maybe gouache, given its cloudy, opaque surfaces and the luminous, hazy qualities in the sky. I can imagine Ciurlionis layering thin washes of pigment, allowing the composition to emerge gradually. I imagine he worked on the painting over time, shifting and adjusting shapes until a ghostly city slowly materialised with its soft, ethereal light. The knight and his horse feel like they are about to take off into the sky, and that tower on the right feels like a memory. I bet he was inspired by other artists. There’s something about the dreamlike quality that reminds me of Odilon Redon, yet Ciurlionis has a style all his own. I love the way artists build on each other's work. They are always in conversation with each other, constantly creating new possibilities and ways of seeing the world.