View from my window 1905

Ivan Grohar made "View from my window" with oil paint, probably standing at his easel, building up colours like memories. He's not showing us how to see a landscape; he's showing us how he feels it. The surface has this amazing, crusty texture, almost like frosting. The paint is thick, not in a showy way, but like it's been mulled over, layer upon layer. There’s a spot in the middle ground, a kind of hazy orange-purple cluster that could be bushes or maybe just the light playing tricks. It’s not precise, which is what makes it so compelling. Grohar reminds me a bit of Bonnard, both of them so good with the pastel hues and seeing the poetry in everyday scenes. Ultimately, it's a painting that understands that the best views are the ones that let you dream.