Flowers in a high vase. 1908

Pyotr Konchalovsky’s ‘Flowers in a high vase’ is a vibrant still life, probably made with oil paint in front of the subject itself. I imagine the artist staring intently at this bouquet, moving around it, maybe snipping off a leaf here and there, trying to get it just right. Look at that intense blue background, how it contrasts with the yellows and pinks of the flowers. You can almost feel the weight of the paint, applied with bold strokes, thick and juicy. And see how Konchalovsky captures the light reflecting off the vase, giving it a subtle glow. It reminds me of Van Gogh’s flower paintings, where the energy and emotion of the artist are palpable in every brushstroke. These painters are all in conversation with one another, aren’t they? Thinking about how to depict the world, how to make paint come alive. Each artist is constantly borrowing, building upon, and pushing back against the ideas of those who came before. Like a game of telephone, where the message gets more interesting with each retelling.