Peasant Women from Dolj 1926

Francisc Sirato must have painted these Peasant Women from Dolj with oils on canvas, but sometime between now and then is anyone's guess. Check out the brushwork. It’s so open and breezy, like he’s just throwing down these casual strokes, but somehow it all adds up to a coherent picture. I love how he uses these peachy highlights all over the place, even in the shadows, which gives the whole thing a warm, sunny vibe, even if the women aren't smiling. Look at the way he painted the ground. It’s all these short, choppy strokes of different colors – yellows, pinks, and greens – that create this vibrating texture. It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but also how he feels about it. It reminds me a bit of Bonnard, how he used color to create this dreamy, emotional atmosphere. It makes you wonder what else Sirato was thinking about at the time, and what other paintings might have been on his mind.