Bergamo, Via San Tomaso 1970

Włodzimierz Zakrzewski made this painting, Bergamo, Via San Tomaso, with oil on canvas, and it feels so physical, like I can touch the buildings, feel the street rising up to meet me. The colors here are muted – grays and whites, but with hints of ochre, like the buildings are holding onto the warmth of the day. Look closely at the texture – the paint is applied so thickly, it's almost sculptural. You can see the marks of the brush, each stroke deliberate, building up the surface. It reminds me of Courbet's landscapes, that same love of materiality. The way Zakrzewski captures the light is so evocative. See how it washes over the buildings on the right, creating these soft shadows. It gives the scene a sense of depth, pulling you into the painting, into the heart of Bergamo. It's about capturing a fleeting moment, a sensory experience. It feels like an ongoing conversation about seeing and feeling the world.