Admission to the Komsomol (1st version) 1949

Sergiy Grigoriev painted "Admission to the Komsomol (1st version)" with oil on canvas, the date is not known. The way Grigoriev handles paint is interesting here. There's a sense of realism, but the visible brushstrokes remind us that it's a constructed reality. I’m really drawn to the red tablecloth and the way it dominates the center of the piece. It's not just a flat plane of color; you can almost feel the texture of the fabric. Grigoriev's use of color is so expressive. The reds and browns lend a sense of warmth to the painting. Notice how the light catches the faces of the young people, making them seem so alive. This scene reminds me of Ilya Repin, another Russian artist known for his narrative paintings. In both artists’ work there's a feeling that art is a conversation across time, and there's always room for interpretation and ambiguity.