Marusia 1960

David Burliuk made this painting "Marusia" with thick strokes of oil paint in a flurry of intuition. The painting emerges with pinks, blues, and greens. It’s a raw, expressive portrait! I feel like Burliuk was really in the moment, maybe outside in nature, trying to capture Marusia's essence quickly. Look how the brushstrokes dance across the surface, creating texture and movement! I imagine him squinting, trying to capture the way the light hits her face. That bold stroke of green behind her shoulder, it's like a painterly shorthand for the world, right? It reminds me of other painters who were pushing the boundaries of representation, like the Fauves, and maybe even Van Gogh. Painting is a conversation across time, each artist building on what came before, experimenting with new ways of seeing and feeling. It’s not about perfection, but about embracing the mess and uncertainty of life.