Southern winter 1934

Martiros Sarian painted this vibrant 'Southern Winter' with oils, and though it is undated, the signature puts it around 1930. Sarian’s painting is all about light, and he uses colour to play with it. See how he takes a relatively simple scene and makes it sing? The snow isn’t just white, it's a field for mauves and blues, reflecting the sky, even picking up the warmth from those terracotta buildings nestled in the background. That dark diagonal slash cutting through the middle feels crucial, like a shadow but maybe also a road, disrupting the idyllic scene, grounding the colours. The paint isn’t overworked, it's direct and confident, each stroke adding to the overall harmony. I’m reminded of Milton Avery’s landscapes, that same knack for distilling a scene down to its essential colours and shapes, making something both simple and deeply felt. Sarian makes something that’s not just a picture, but an experience.