Landscapist Props 1940

Vasile Popescu made this painting of his artist props, probably in the early 20th century, with oils on what looks like canvas. The dark background really makes the colours of the still life pop. I like the way he’s arranged the composition so that the suitcase is sitting on a stool. It's got the air of a stage set, a makeshift theatre for his paint tubes and rags. You can almost smell the linseed oil! Check out the thickness of the paint around the edges of the suitcase; the brushstrokes there have a real physical presence. I wonder what kind of brush he was using? Did he mix the colours on a palette first, or did he apply them directly to the canvas? I bet he knew how to make mud, that’s for sure! This reminds me of Giorgio Morandi's still lifes, but with a more personal, lived-in feel. It’s like Popescu is saying, "Here's my world, plain and simple."