Gurzuf 1915

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin painted this gorgeous scene, Gurzuf, with oil on canvas, and I can just imagine him right there, taking it all in. The quick brushstrokes give you such an immediate impression of the place – the way the light hits the water, those architectural forms softened by time and weather, the dark accent of the tree. You can almost feel the breeze and smell the sea air, right? The colours aren’t blended so much as they are laid down next to each other, making the whole scene shimmer. I bet he worked fast! There’s something so gutsy about the way he committed the scene to canvas. When you’re a painter you are always trying to capture a moment, pin it down, like a butterfly, and then, share it. Korovin's been gone a while now, but this painting keeps that moment alive.