Kazbek 

Arkhyp Kuindzhi's "Kazbek" is an oil painting, likely made with brushes on canvas, but it's the artist's striking use of color that truly commands our attention. The canvas becomes almost a stage for a theatrical display of light. The peak of Mount Kazbek is awash in a vibrant, almost surreal red, achieved through layering and blending of the oil paint. This contrasts dramatically with the cool, subdued blues and purples in the surrounding landscape, using the fat over lean technique. The mountain and sky are made from a manufactured product sold in art supply stores, thus connecting this romantic image to industrial capitalism. Kuindzhi's careful handling of the material, building up layers to achieve a luminous effect, invites us to consider the labor, skill, and social context embedded in the making. It also asks us to think about the relationship between the artist's hand and the tools and materials they employ. The finished painting, with its vibrant colors and striking composition, transcends the traditional notions of what 'fine art' should be.