Stillleben Mit Chrysanthemen Und Amaryllis 1922

Lovis Corinth made Still Life with Chrysanthemums and Amaryllis with oil on canvas, and what strikes me about it is the way he builds up the painting's surface, almost sculpting the forms with paint. He's not trying to fool you into thinking this is real; it’s all about the materiality of paint, right? The colors, though muted, are rich and complex, like a garden in late autumn. Look at how the thick impasto catches the light, giving the flowers a kind of restless, vital energy. It is really physical, you can see the direction and rhythm of the brushstrokes. There's a sense of urgency, maybe even a little bit of anxiety, captured in the way the paint is applied. Corinth reminds me of Emil Nolde, another artist who wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty with paint. Both artists teach us that art is not about perfection, it is more about embracing the messiness and uncertainty of life.