My family 1929

Martiros Sarian made “My Family” with oils on canvas, but when exactly, we don’t know. I wonder what he was thinking about when he created this intimate artwork. Look at those broad strokes of blues, greens, pinks and reds. See how they build up a scene that feels both real and dreamlike? It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but also how he feels about his family. The paint is thinly applied in certain areas and layered thickly in others, which creates a textured surface. There's a quietness to those figures and an intensity, too. The gaze of the figure at the front is captivating. It’s like Sarian is saying, "Here are the people I love, captured in a moment, but also suspended in time." I feel like this work relates to other paintings that explore the emotional terrain of family life. He reminds us that artists are always in conversation with one another.