Pskov 1905

Konstantin Gorbatov made this painting, Pskov, with what looks like confident, loaded brushstrokes and a really nice, muted palette. It’s the kind of painting that feels like it arrived quickly, but probably took ages. There's something so compelling about the way Gorbatov handles the paint, building up this thick crust of material that feels both representational and totally abstract. Look at the way the buildings are reflected in the water. Those aren't reflections so much as assertive blocks of pigment, dabbed and dragged across the surface. The texture creates this push-pull between the image and the physicality of the paint, which is really interesting to me. I'm reminded of someone like Camille Pissarro, who also used these kinds of tactile strokes to build up his landscapes, or maybe even Chaim Soutine, but with a little less madness. This painting really embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings and interpretations, which is what makes art so engaging and vital.