Drowned City (Kitezh) 1933

Konstantin Gorbatov made this painting, ‘Drowned City (Kitezh),’ using soft colours, mostly blues, oranges, and browns with gestural brush strokes. It’s like he’s feeling his way through the scene. Looking closely at the textures, the buildings in the distance have the appearance of being submerged with the sky and the lake. This idea is heightened by the application of broad, somewhat translucent brushstrokes. See how they seem to drip down the canvas? It’s almost as if Gorbatov is painting with water itself. Look to the right of the painting and you can see how the leaves are made up of dabs of yellows and oranges and the sky is a pale blue. This painting reminds me of others who’ve played with atmosphere, like Turner. But Gorbatov adds this unique touch, a dream-like quality, making you wonder what’s real and what’s imagined. That's the beauty of art, isn't it? There’s not one, but many ways of seeing.