Pears on the branches 1930

Zinaida Serebriakova made "Pears on the branches" in oil paint, at some point we don't know. It's all about how painting can be a process of discovery. Look at how the paint's been applied, thick in some parts, thin in others, kind of rough and ready. The pears themselves feel weighty, each one is distinct, with subtle shifts in color from pale yellow to warm orange. I find myself drawn to the way Serebriakova captured the leaves – a jumble of greens and browns, some lost in shadow, others catching the light. There’s one leaf in particular, right at the front, that’s like a little abstract painting. It feels like she’s not just painting what she sees, but how she feels about seeing. It reminds me of Cezanne’s still lifes, that same focus on simple objects, rendered with such care and attention. It shows the importance of art as a conversation, a dialogue between artists across time.