Over the Dnipro River 1954

Tetyana Yablonska's 'Over the Dnipro River' is awash with cool blues and earthy browns, built with visible brushstrokes. I can imagine the artist building up this scene, one dab of paint at a time. It feels like a crisp day, and I bet Yablonska felt that chill in her fingers as she painted *en plein air*. What was she thinking as she brushed the paint onto the canvas, capturing the essence of the park? There's something so universal about the way the figures are rendered; the texture of the paint almost merges them with the background. I can almost feel the rough texture of the bark on the trees. Look how she uses the color to evoke feeling. The Dnipro River is a site of inquiry for the artist, an intimate portrait of a public space, a place for connection and quiet contemplation. And now, thanks to her, it is for us too.