Vanha Cagnes 1921

Curator: Tyko Sallinen, a Finnish artist, painted this cityscape, "Vanha Cagnes," in 1921 using oil paint. It's an interesting depiction of a French town. Editor: It certainly is… interesting. It feels blocky, almost like a child’s building blocks arranged precariously. I’m struck by how grounded it feels, despite the strange angles. There is something very physical and earthy about it. Curator: Sallinen was a master of Expressionism; he didn't shy away from bending reality to reflect inner emotion. Here, the town seems both solid and strangely vulnerable. Notice how he uses brushstrokes almost like chunks of earth and material instead of delicate glazes. Editor: Yes, that’s what I mean! It's all about the materials here. Look at how thickly the paint is applied. It’s as though Sallinen wanted to emphasize the materiality of the oil itself, reminding us of its source and manufacture. Were paints hard to get in Finland at this time? I'm wondering about rationing and availability influencing this sort of raw approach. Curator: That's a very insightful point. There are theories, too, about how the somewhat flattened perspective represents the artist’s… slightly pessimistic worldview. A sort of deconstruction of a "perfect" scene. And while Expressionism is obviously preoccupied with personal emotion, the landscapes are just an excellent reminder that the physical world affects all of our perceptions of ourselves. Editor: Absolutely. And think of the labor involved, not just in the artistic creation but in obtaining and processing the pigments, preparing the canvas. It makes you appreciate the sheer effort baked into this single piece. It also makes one wonder if the “earthiness” I perceive is a function of the palette alone, or also indicative of how the work may respond to a limited color range stemming from scarce resources. Curator: Well, I'm happy that this piece allowed you to contemplate how those material and circumstantial details contributed to the artist’s overall composition, both consciously and subconsciously. Editor: And I love to see those expressive buildings leaning and pressing. Such intense color! Thanks for pointing out Sallinen.