Deluge (VI) 1904

Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis made this unnamed painting, Deluge (VI) at an unknown date, using, it seems, tempera on paper. The first thing you see is the colour. It’s this kind of pinkish-orange that reminds me of a sunset, but also, unsettlingly, of raw flesh. The surface has this kind of furry texture, which is the result of dry brushstrokes and delicate layering of paint. It’s not about hiding the process, but rather about laying bare the labour and time that went into it. There's a real vulnerability in that. Look at the way the hands are rendered, clasped together with incredible detail, set against the loose geometry of the forms. These aren’t just hands; they’re symbols of human connection. Those lines of falling rain also look like they are almost erasing these forms, returning them to the ether. Ciurlionis's interest in the spiritual and emotional power of colour feels close to the work of someone like Hilma af Klint, but also, the raw, expressive power here reminds me of Munch.