Palestine 1935

Konstantin Gorbatov made this oil on canvas painting, Palestine, in 1935. I can imagine him outside, squinting in the bright sunlight, trying to capture the scene with brushstrokes that are both precise and impressionistic. Look at how the artist uses color to create a sense of atmosphere and depth. The blues and whites of the buildings and the sky create a cool, serene feeling. The water shimmers and reflects the buildings, making them feel like they’re floating. Gorbatov captures a sense of place through light, color, and form, but also through texture. It is a study of atmosphere and light reminiscent of Impressionist painters. Painters are always in conversation with one another, and I wonder what Gorbatov would have thought of Impressionists like Monet. They are all interested in similar things, and are using their own work to push the boundaries of what painting can be.