Sunset in the steppes by the sea 1908

Arkhyp Kuindzhi painted this sunset on what must have been a very still day, and it is all gentle brushwork and soft colour. I can imagine the artist's thoughts as he painted it. Perhaps he was fascinated by the play of light on the horizon and wanted to capture the fleeting moment. Look at how the colours gradually shift from warm yellows to fiery reds, and then to cool blues where the land meets the sea. It's a study in colour and luminosity. The paint looks thinly applied allowing for subtle gradations and blends. This approach reminds me a little of Turner's atmospheric paintings. There's that same sense of wonder and awe in nature's beauty. I can imagine Kuindzhi standing before the landscape, brush in hand, trying to capture the essence of the sunset, much like how all artists are drawn to the magic and mystery of the world around us. The painting is a conversation across time.