Salome 1907

Vardges Sureniants created Salome with oil paint, and when I look at the surface, I can almost feel him at work. Just imagine the painting emerging, stroke by stroke, with each touch of the brush building layers of color, light, and texture. See how he’s captured Salome’s pose, her gaze, and the intricate patterns of her garment. What was he thinking as he built up the layers of greens and golds? Did he step back often, adjusting his vision and perception? The paint seems thin, almost watery in places, allowing the light to pass through and catch on the canvas. It reminds me a bit of Klimt, or maybe even some of the Pre-Raphaelites. I imagine all these artists being in conversation across time, each one building on what came before, and offering something new. Painting is such an embodied expression, isn’t it? An embrace of ambiguity, offering multiple interpretations. There’s no single ‘right’ way to read this painting, and that’s part of its beauty.