Windows and Plants 1958

Boris Nicolaevich Ermolaev made this sweet, warm picture of Windows and Plants and it just oozes comfort. The color palette is like a hug – soft yellows, pinkish-oranges and greens that make you wanna curl up with a book. I can imagine Ermolaev carefully building up the layers of color, maybe in his own cozy home. The simple, almost folksy style reminds me of a Matisse cut-out, but with a Russian twist. I wonder if he was thinking about the light outside, longing for springtime? The paint looks applied in blocks, each one carefully considered as part of the whole, it’s as if he’s piecing together a memory. The window frames the world outside, but the real story is happening right there on the windowsill, in those potted plants. Painters have always looked to each other, riffing on ideas, and Ermolaev's picture feels part of that ongoing conversation. It’s a reminder that painting is all about feeling, looking, and sharing a bit of yourself with the world.