Still life with fish 1930

Konstantin Korovin made this still life with fish in Paris, judging from what he wrote at the bottom. It’s all about darks and lights, grays and creams. The brushstrokes are so present! He must have layered the paint, building up the forms with each stroke. I like to imagine him painting in the moment, responding to what was in front of him. I can almost feel what it was like to be there. I'm really looking at the glistening scales of the fish and their lifeless eyes. It's not easy to paint something dead and make it feel so alive, but he manages it. The greens in the scallions are a nice contrast with the duller colours of the fish. It reminds me a little of Manet in its approach to still life. Painting is a conversation, and painters are always talking to one another, picking up on each other's ideas and pushing them further. And here we are, still looking, still in the conversation.