Miskhor. After the rain 1972

Dmitry Nalbandyan made this 70 x 65 cm oil on canvas painting, titled Miskhor. After the rain, sometime in the mid-20th century. The muted greens and blues are so serene, you can almost smell the damp earth and feel the stillness that follows a downpour. The way Nalbandyan handles the paint is just gorgeous. It’s not about hiding the process but reveling in it. The brushstrokes are visible, like little dashes of color building up the forms, especially in the foliage. Look at the tree trunk, see how the paint is applied in short, choppy strokes. The texture is almost rough, as if you could reach out and feel the bark beneath your fingertips. Then, notice how the light catches the water, shimmering with subtle variations of grey. It reminds me of Corot or maybe Boudin, these artists who were really trying to capture a feeling, an atmosphere. Ultimately, it's about slowing down and noticing the world around us, appreciating the beauty in the everyday, even after the rain.