Winter (II) 1907

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this evocative painting, Winter (II), probably in the early 20th century, with what looks like tempera on cardboard. The painting feels like an experiment in letting the colours emerge from the depths of the unknown; the soft browns and dark blues creating a moody scene. I can imagine Ciurlionis trying to capture a moment of transition, layering wispy white strokes to mimic skeletal trees against the dark. It's interesting how the white paint sits on the surface, almost like it's floating above the underpainting. The thin drippy lines add to the dreamlike quality, suggesting a world that is in flux. The strokes seem to build a fragile barrier between the seen and the unseen. Ciurlionis was a symbolist painter, and I can see traces of other artists, like Klimt or Munch, but he also has a unique way of showing us the hidden music of nature. He is conducting his own symphony.