Jericho 1935

Konstantin Gorbatov created this monumental painting of Jericho with oil on canvas. It’s got a real old-world feel, doesn’t it? The colours here really give us a sense of the place; that golden-brown of the buildings and mountains is echoed in the sky, all achieved with an impasto technique. This way of working emphasizes the physicality of the medium, and the way that light catches on the surface. Check out the details in the buildings; there’s a little spot on the wall where the paint is thick and swirly like whipped cream. That singular mark captures the light and gives the whole painting a certain vibrancy. It's a really loose and intuitive way of working. The colour palette and landscape is reminiscent of Russian painter Nicholas Roerich, who also had a similarly mystical approach to the landscape. Isn’t it interesting how the conversation between artists stretches across time and place? Ultimately, art is an ongoing exploration, and there's no single right way to see it.