Roses 1917

Konstantin Korovin painted these Roses with oil on canvas, sometime in the early 20th century. What strikes me is the pure joy in the application of paint; it's like he's not just painting roses but also the very idea of painting itself. Look closely, and you can see how the thick, almost sculptural strokes of red, pink, and white create the illusion of petals without ever really defining them. It's like he's saying, "Here's some paint, now you imagine the rose." And that little patch of blue, peeking through the foliage at the top? It’s a total mood-setter. It gives the whole painting a sense of depth and airiness, like you could almost smell the roses. I think about Manet looking at this; both artists share that interest in capturing the fleeting moment, the impression, more than the precise detail. It’s not about what you see, but how you see it, and how that makes you feel. And isn't that what art's all about?