View of St.Isaac's Cathedral 1915

Konstantin Gorbatov made this painting, View of St. Isaac's Cathedral, with oil on canvas using a mix of soft pastels and earthy browns. Right away, you can see that the way the paint is applied is direct and full of energy; this is an artist who’s not afraid to let the process show. I love the way the bridge is constructed from quick strokes that give it a sense of movement. If you look closely, you can see how he’s layered different shades of brown and gray to create depth and shadow, like in the pillars reflected in the water. The colors are pretty muted, but there’s a subtle glow, especially in the cathedral dome, that makes the whole scene feel alive. This way of building up the image out of discrete dabs of colour reminds me of Pissarro and the Impressionists. In the end, the painting feels more like a memory or a feeling than a literal depiction, and in that way, it invites us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the scene.