Running deer 1909

Niko Pirosmani created this painting of a running deer in what looks like oil on cloth, and what strikes me is how alive the process feels. The dark background really makes the ochre and earth tones of the animal pop. You can almost feel the texture of the paint – thick in some spots, thin in others, like he was really working the material. Look at the way the light hits the deer's back; that simple stroke gives it so much form. It's like he's saying, "I'm not going to fuss over details; I'm going to capture the essence." And he does! Pirosmani's work reminds me of Henri Rousseau, who also had this way of simplifying forms and creating these dreamlike, almost naive scenes. Both artists remind us that art doesn't need to be complicated to be powerful. It's more about feeling and seeing the world in a fresh, honest way.