Zádiel 1932

Ludovít Čordák made this painting, Zádiel, with oil paints and a real sense of touch. The canvas shows us a grey cliff, a real presence, the colour handled so carefully it almost looks like it’s breathing, and on the right, the gold of the trees – it’s all so matter-of-fact, not at all showy. The texture's pretty smooth, but you can see the way the brush has moved the paint around, building up the form of the rock, and the trees, and there's real attention to the movement of light. I love the little scrabbly bits of yellow in the trees, they are not at all neat or photographic. Čordák knew, as I do, that painting is a way of thinking, a way of feeling, not just a way of seeing. It reminds me a little of Corot, but with its own quiet, Central European vibe. Like all good art, it leaves plenty of room for us to bring our own feelings and experiences to the table.