Samarkand 1921

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this oil on canvas artwork, Samarkand, sometime in his life. I see a hushed palette of tans and muted greens, layered on a surface that seems to glow from within. Petrov-Vodkin captures an aerial view of the town with a sensitive eye, and I imagine him, standing at the top of a mosque maybe, sketching and squinting, getting the light just right. I mean, just look at the way the sun hits those walls, how he manages to make something so solid seem so ethereal! He invites us to wander with him, to see how the buildings and the people interact with each other, how everything comes together. Petrov-Vodkin was such a master of perspective and this artwork is just one more example of his genius. His experimentation with color and form reminds me of the work of Cézanne. Like an artist conversing with another across time, pushing the boundaries, and opening new possibilities.