Murmansk. Schooner. 1937

Pyotr Konchalovsky made this watercolour painting of schooners, likely en plein air, somewhere in Murmansk. It’s all about the water, really. You can see the way he’s dabbed the paper with horizontal marks to suggest the movement of the water. And the way the light catches the boats, reflecting back into the water. The paint is thin and transparent, but the colour is still strong, especially in the dark shadows under the boats. I like the way he’s used colour to create depth, the hills fade into the distance because the colour is leached out to almost nothing. The overall effect is one of tranquility and peace. It reminds me a little of some of Boudin's beach scenes, but with a Russian twist. It’s interesting to see how artists from different cultures and time periods approach similar subjects. It's a reminder that art is a conversation, and we’re all invited to participate.