Sample 1986

Vudon Baklytsky made this painting, entitled "Sample", in 1986, using oil paints on canvas. Look closely at the paint strokes, and you will notice the ways in which the artist has built up texture through layering. Baklytsky has a distinctive approach to representing the human figure, but here, the material qualities of paint are very much part of the image. Consider the difference between the skin, the sky, and the bottle in her hand – each rendered with a different rhythm and density of application. The flat bold colors, combined with the very visible brushstrokes, create an immediacy that aligns the work with Post-Impressionism. By attending to the surface of this canvas, we might see “Sample” not just as a representation, but as a record of Baklytsky's physical interaction with his chosen medium. This reminds us that the history of art is also the history of skilled work, and thoughtful material application.