Ruins of the Ancient Theatre of Taormina 1905

Csontvary painted ‘Ruins of the Ancient Theatre of Taormina’ with oils, and it's like looking at a stage set, with the theatre ruins as the main players bathed in dramatic light. You can almost feel the process in the layering of the paint. The textures are really interesting - thick and opaque in places like the snow capped mountain, almost dissolving into the thin, translucent washes of the sky. He’s not trying to hide the way he’s put the paint down; you can see each brushstroke, each decision. Take a look at the way the light catches the arches, how he uses a slightly different shade of red on each, creating a sort of rhythm. Csontvary, like many artists, was self-taught, and the intensity and originality of the work makes me think of other singular visions like Van Gogh. Art is a conversation, and these are just some of the voices that resonate.