The Riches of Communication 1925

Konstantinos Parthenis painted "The Riches of Communication" using oil on canvas. Parthenis's choice of oil paint allows him to create ethereal washes of color, a hazy dreamscape. The painting is made with very thin layers, almost like fresco - the opposite of the heavy impasto associated with the oil medium. He thins the paint so much that he can create an image where bodies almost dissolve into the background. Consider the extraordinary amount of work involved in achieving this finish; each layer carefully applied to create the overall visual effect. The light tonality and simplified forms create a sense of classical harmony, like a memory of antiquity filtered through a modern lens. It is this very delicate balance of labor and artistry, material and method, that gives "The Riches of Communication" its unique power. It is a reminder that all art is fundamentally about the skilled manipulation of matter.