Novgorod. Detinets. 1925

Pyotr Konchalovsky made this painting, Novgorod. Detinets, with oil on canvas, using a mix of energetic brushstrokes and a somewhat muted color palette. It feels like he’s inviting us to witness a fleeting moment. Look at the surface: the paint is applied in visible strokes, thick in some areas, thin in others, creating a dynamic surface texture. The ochre, greens, and blues mix together, capturing the light hitting the water and the old walls of the city. I love the way the boats in the foreground are rendered. The strokes here are loose and confident. See how the white sails contrast with the more earthy tones of the hulls and the sky. It’s like Konchalovsky is showing us that painting is about capturing impressions rather than rendering every detail. In that way it feels like Cezanne, with an added touch of Russian soul. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, building on what came before.