Blue House 1920

Boris Kustodiev made 'Blue House', though I couldn't tell you when, and most likely in oil on canvas. It's a world made of little dashes, spots and strokes of paint. I love that it looks like it was painted fast and loose, like it was all about the moment. Look at the way he's dabbed the paint on the tree at the right, the pale green next to the blue sky, creating this light, airy feeling. Then there’s the blue house, a riot of cheerful activity – someone on the roof flying a kite, people having tea on the balcony. Each detail, from the samovar to the little figures in the windows, is rendered with this loving touch. It’s like he's saying, "Here’s a world I love, and I’m going to capture it with all its quirks and charms.” Kustodiev reminds me of Marc Chagall in the way he creates a world of memory and imagination. His paintings are really about the joy of seeing, the thrill of making marks, and sharing a vision with the world.