Bouquet in blue vase 1916

Martiros Sarian made this painting of a bouquet in a blue vase with watercolor, sometime around 1916. Look at how the red of the flowers is echoed in the tabletop, and the dark blue of the vase pulls forward. The beauty of watercolor is in the way the colors can flow together, creating soft edges and unexpected blends. The way Sarian has used the medium here, it’s all about immediacy and letting the paint do its thing. See how the petals are built up from circular marks? It’s as if each flower is a little world. The blue vase anchors the composition, providing a solid base for the riot of color above. I'm reminded of Emil Nolde, with that same love for expressive color. But Sarian brings his own distinct vision, a kind of optimistic, radiant energy. It's a reminder that painting is always a conversation, an exchange of ideas that spans generations.