Still Life. Tray and vegetables. 1910

Pyotr Konchalovsky made "Still Life. Tray and Vegetables" sometime in the 20th century with oils on canvas. The dark outlines really give definition to the edges of everything. The shapes feel pretty solid, as if it's all been built up gradually over time. I bet Konchalovsky moved things around and experimented, trying out different combinations of color, working out which tones would make it sing. There’s something about the muted colors and chunky forms which makes me think of Cezanne. You can almost see the artist working and reworking this arrangement, trying to get it just right. All painters are always in conversation with one another across time and space, exchanging ideas and inspiring each other's creativity. I like to think about how we build on each other's discoveries and what new insights emerge from that process.