The Girl near the Lilac 1943

Volodymyr Bondarenko must have painted "The Girl near the Lilac" with swift, sure strokes, building up a world of soft lilacs and even softer light. You can see that it's all about feeling; he’s used muted greys, pinks and greens, but wow, the way he's dabbed them, almost like building blocks, creates a real atmosphere. I wonder if he knew her, the girl in the painting? The way she’s glancing back, there’s a kind of gentle curiosity in her eyes, isn't there? The texture of the paint gives her such substance! It's like he's not just painting a portrait, but trying to catch the essence of a moment, that fleeting intersection of light, color, and emotion. It’s definitely got echoes of Impressionism but with a tenderness that feels very particular to Bondarenko. When I look at painting like this, I feel I am in communion with other painters.