Winter at Cenade 1986

Viorel Marginean made this painting, Winter at Cenade, with what looks like thin oil paint, and the scene is blanketed in snow. It feels like a memory, or maybe a dream. I love the way he's built up the textures, especially in the mountains. See how the paint is applied in these small, quick strokes? It's almost scribbled, which is surprising in this kind of landscape painting. But then, look at the roofs of the houses. They're defined with just a few, simple lines. The painting isn't about perfect representation. It's about capturing the feeling of a winter day. The details are there, but everything’s a little rough around the edges. The dark smudges under the trees and houses are a nice touch. Marginean's work reminds me of Pieter Bruegel, who also had this knack for turning the ordinary into something monumental and magical. And, like Bruegel, Marginean invites us to lose ourselves in the landscape, to wander through the village and imagine the stories of the people who live there. It is really something.