Apples and Pears 1921

Igor Grabar made this still life of apples, pears, and a teacup with some oil paint. I imagine the act of painting it—layer upon layer, building the forms through small strokes of color, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. Looking at this painting, I sympathize with Grabar, imagining what it might have been like to create this small world of fruit and crockery. The paint is applied in short, thick strokes, creating a textured surface that catches the light. He’s really loading the paint on to describe the scene with small dabs of pigment. The little strokes of white and blue on the tablecloth feel alive and sparkling. Each mark communicates feeling, intention, and meaning. Artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. It's all just an ongoing conversation.