Genoese fortress 1907

Konstantin Bogaevsky made this painting of a Genoese fortress, probably in oil, at some point in his life. I love how the sun bursts out from the center like an exploding star – it immediately tells you that this isn't just about a place but about a feeling, maybe even an idea. The colours are incredible; he's using these strokes of blues, greens, and reds to build this fortress. It’s like he’s building something solid and dreamy at the same time. Check out the way the paint sits on the surface – you can almost feel the texture, like he’s layered and layered until it’s this thick skin. Every mark feels deliberate, like he’s wrestling with the paint to get it just right. And look at those little dashes of red against the blue in the sky; it just vibrates with energy. Bogaevsky's got a bit of that Symbolist vibe, like maybe Gustav Moreau, using landscape to get at something deeper, something beyond the visual. It's a testament to art’s ability to hold multiple truths at once.