Bouquet in blue vase 1916

Martiros Sarian probably made this bouquet in a blue vase with watercolors, judging by the translucence of the colors. I wonder what it was like for Sarian to build up these flower shapes, layer by layer? The painting feels like an act of feeling out form, through color. The brushstrokes build up the image organically; it’s like Sarian is feeling his way through the canvas. The blue vase grounds the composition, a solid, unwavering presence. I love how each flower head is rendered differently. The one on the lower left is particularly interesting, with its spiraling petals. Sarian probably knew what Van Gogh knew, that painting can be a way of seeing and feeling the world. He reminds us that artists are always in conversation, picking up where others leave off and adding their own unique voices.