Cóbel Béla Cormeilles 1913 1913

Bela Czobel made this painting of Cormeilles in 1913, but not in the way you or I might. It's like he's feeling his way through the scene, almost drawing with the paint itself. There's such a rawness to the marks and colors here. The paint isn't trying to hide, it is really upfront, unapologetic. Look at the strokes of green that suggests the grassy bank, they are practically glowing with intensity. And how he defines the windows with just a few, staccato strokes of blue. It's a bit like he's throwing paint at the canvas, yet somehow capturing the essence of the place. This work reminds me of Soutine's landscapes, where the world is rendered with a similar, almost manic energy. Painting is about seeing, but more importantly, it's about feeling. This one's got real feeling.