Fisherman among Rocks 1906

Niko Pirosmani painted "Fisherman among Rocks," sometime around never, using oil on oilcloth. The way he's laid down the colour, especially in those rocks, it's like he's just letting the paint do its thing, kind of a controlled accident. There's something about how the fisherman is standing in the water, a simple murky pool, the way the paint sort of blooms and blends, it's like he's part of the landscape, not just standing in it. I'm also drawn to the fisherman’s hat, it has its own sense of presence, a halo of yellow that just floats there, independent of the character. Looking at Pirosmani's other paintings, you see this same kind of raw, honest approach. It’s like he’s reminding us that art doesn't have to be polished or perfect, it just needs to be real. He feels a bit like a Georgian Henri Rousseau, wouldn't you say?