Spruce 1914

Zinaida Serebriakova’s “Spruce” is a painting made with watercolor, and what strikes me is how the whole thing feels like an exercise in seeing and feeling the weight of branches against a vast landscape. The paint is applied in these transparent washes, building up the dark greens and browns of the tree against the misty blues and whites of the mountains. It’s so subtle, like she’s barely touching the paper, letting the water do its thing. The trunk of the tree, though, that’s where you see the real confidence, these bold vertical strokes anchoring the whole scene. There’s this one branch reaching out on the left, it's kind of droopy, but it has this incredible sense of depth, like you could reach out and touch it. Serebriakova’s work often captures a sense of intimacy and everyday life, and this painting is no different. It reminds me a bit of some of the landscapes by Emil Nolde, who similarly used watercolor to evoke a deep sense of atmosphere and emotion.