Pancake Tuesday (Maslenitsa) 1914

Pavel Filonov made this painting, Pancake Tuesday, with oil on canvas, but we don’t know exactly when. Look at the almost violent way Filonov applies the paint, like he's trying to capture not just what he sees, but how it feels to be there. It’s all about process, each mark contributing to the overall sensation. The texture is intense, a real physical presence. The colors are rich, earthy, with a kind of raw energy. It's as if you can feel the artist wrestling with the material. See how the brushstrokes build up the forms, creating depth and movement. It's not just a picture of a celebration; it’s the celebration itself, captured in paint. This approach links to Filonov's analytical approach, a predecessor of sorts to some of the ideas explored later by the Abstract Expressionists. But in a way, Filonov is his own world, existing outside of any specific movement, embracing the ambiguity of human experience.