View of Selemecbánya 1902

Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary, well he painted this view of Selemecbánya whenever he felt like it, and you can tell that it's not about being pretty, it's about being real. The colour palette is all earthy, greens and browns, and they're not just slapped on; they're blended, layered, like he's trying to capture the very essence of the landscape. Look at the way he paints the hills in the background. It's almost like he's carving them out of the canvas. There's a real physicality to the paint, a texture that makes you want to reach out and touch it. But the best part is how he captures the light, he sneaks it through the trees to illuminate the town, it makes the whole scene feel alive. It reminds me of Van Gogh's landscapes, but with a bit more grit, a bit more edge. It's honest, raw, and unapologetically itself, it's not asking for your approval.