The Bridge at Gatchina (Karpin pond) 1923

Zinaida Serebriakova made this pastel drawing of The Bridge at Gatchina, maybe en plein air. It looks like the soft light of early morning or late afternoon. Just look at the subtle blending of colors. The way she's layered the greens and browns to create a sense of depth in the trees, then the pinks and yellows in the reflection of the water... I imagine Serebriakova outside on a day when the light was doing something magical, trying to capture the way the light was dancing on the water. Maybe she felt a bit like the girl leaning on the railing, contemplating the bridge, the pond, or perhaps even the nature of perception itself. And then the way she’s used these loose, gestural marks to create the foliage – like she’s trying to capture the essence of the trees. A conversation between the artist, the subject, and the materials.