Šariš Valley 1905

Ľudovít Čordák painted this landscape of the Šariš Valley, and you can almost feel him there, trying to catch the light. The strokes, thick and full of intent, suggest he was wrestling with the scene, not just copying it. I can imagine him thinking about the Old Masters while struggling with the wind and the changing light. I've been there, trying to get it right, smearing the paint, wiping it off, starting again. Look closely, and you can see where the green grass is interrupted by small strokes of purple and yellow. I wonder if he stopped here, stepped back, and thought, ‘Yes, that’s it.’ It’s like he’s saying, ‘This is what I saw, this is how I felt, and this is how I’m putting it down.’ You see echoes of other painters, for sure, but it’s distinctly his own voice, a unique response to a particular place and moment. It’s all part of one big conversation, each artist building on what came before, challenging it, and pushing it further.