Бялыницкий Бируля. Ранняя Весна. 1902

Vitold Byalynitsky-Birulya captured this scene with oil on canvas, giving us “Early Spring,” a landscape painted with muted colours, mostly browns, greens and whites. Imagine the artist, maybe standing outside in the cold, trying to capture this moment of transition as winter turns into spring. I sympathize with painters trying to capture light, it can be so elusive, but here the reflections on the water are sublime. The surface feels soft and hazy, like a dream. And I wonder if the artist felt a bit like he was dreaming as he painted. The water is calm, but the ice is breaking up. The trees stand tall, their branches reaching up towards the sky as if they are celebrating the coming of spring. This piece has a quiet beauty that reminds me of other landscape painters like Corot or Monet, who were also interested in capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere. It’s nice to be reminded that all artists are connected through time, like we’re all having one big conversation, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.