Ararat 1923

Martiros Sarian created this painting, Ararat, using oil on canvas. Look at the brushwork! See how the blues in the sky seem to blend right into the mountain? The whole thing feels like a dream, right? Like a memory that’s just slightly out of reach. I wonder what Sarian was thinking, standing there with his brushes and paints, trying to capture this landscape. I bet he felt small and yet totally connected. The way he’s laid down those greens and yellows in the foreground, they almost vibrate. The paint isn’t thick, but you can still feel the energy of his hand, how he loaded up the brush and then just went for it. It makes me think about other painters, like Milton Avery, who also simplified landscapes into these gorgeous fields of color. It’s like they’re all in conversation, these artists, across time and space. Each adding their own voice to the mix. It's not just about what you see, but how you feel it, too, right?