WINTER LANDSCAPE 1964

Jaroslav Keluc made this winter landscape using brushes loaded with dollops of thick paint. I am imagining the artist outside in the cold. What's it like to try and mix colours when you can't feel your fingers! This feels like a painting made urgently, in one sitting. See how the surface is built up with these buttery strokes, like the artist is sculpting the scene as much as painting it. The sky is hinted at with pinky hues. Notice the contrast between the cool blues and whites of the snow and the warmer tones of the buildings. The loaded brushstrokes suggest the texture of the snow, the rough bark of the trees. The whole thing feels very physical. I feel like this painting is in conversation with painters like Van Gogh and Soutine, who similarly used expressive brushwork to convey feeling and intensity. It's exciting to see how artists build on each other's work, pushing the boundaries of expression.