Winter (II) 1907

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this painting, "Winter (II)," sometime before 1911, using a small format. Look at the almost skeletal trees, rendered in thick, chalky white. These shapes are so interesting, a build up of brushstrokes or maybe palette knife marks, that suggests a kind of sculptural process, the way the paint sits on the surface, creating texture. Then there are the fine lines trailing down, like melting snow or rain, a lighter touch against the heavy impasto of the trees. This contrast between delicate lines and dense forms creates a beautiful tension. It’s as if he's playing with different speeds and weights, giving a sense of movement and change. Ciurlionis’s landscapes often feel like dreamscapes, evoking a sense of mystery, not unlike some of the paintings of Odilon Redon. There’s this sense of music, or poetry, transformed into visual form.