The Harvest 1914

This is Boris Kustodiev's "The Harvest", an oil painting. Look at how the colours melt into one another, like a sunset made of sherbet. It's clear he’s not trying to capture reality, but more of an emotional truth. I'm drawn to the texture in the sky. See how the brushstrokes swirl and blend, creating this almost dreamlike effect? It's like he's using the paint to conjure a feeling, a memory. The way he layers the colours, from those peachy oranges to the soft blues, gives the sky an almost edible quality. It reminds me of some abstract painters but filtered through a very personal lens. It's loose, free, and so full of feeling, especially in the way it catches and reflects the light. Kustodiev is in conversation with artists who embrace ambiguity, and explore the emotional power of the medium.