Troas 

Vasily Polenov painted Troas using oil on canvas, a pairing of material and method very familiar to us. However, his technique is far from generic. Look closely and you’ll see how he manipulated the paint, loading his brush and dragging it across the surface to suggest the rough textures of the landscape. The brushstrokes themselves become expressive, almost like a form of gestural drawing. This directness is key to the painting’s meaning. Polenov wasn’t interested in a photographic likeness, but rather in capturing the immediacy of his experience. In this respect, he wasn’t so different from a potter throwing a vase, or a weaver at the loom. The labor of his process is evident in the final product. So, next time you see a landscape painting, don’t just think about the scene represented. Consider the labor and intention that went into its making.