Florian Gate in Cracow from the windows of the Academy of Fine Arts 1903

Leon Wyczółkowski made this painting of Florian Gate in Cracow from the windows of the Academy of Fine Arts. You can just imagine him at the window, in the moment, trying to capture the scene of the snow-covered gate. The earthy browns and greys are laid down confidently and then offset with the white of the snow. It’s as if he’s trying to grasp not just the structure but the feeling of that winter day. Was he thinking about how the gate stood as a barrier and how the snow softened its hardness? Maybe he was thinking about the way the light filtered through the clouds, casting shadows on the gate and the surrounding buildings. The bare tree branches on the right side reach up like they're trying to touch the gate. It all feels kind of raw and immediate to me. I can just imagine him packing up his easel and paints and heading inside for a warm cup of tea. Wyczółkowski, like all artists, had predecessors and peers to learn from and push against.