Death of Petronius 1904

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky made this painting "Death of Petronius" with oil paints, though I can't tell you exactly when. Look at this riot of brushstrokes, how he builds the image through color and gesture – artmaking as a process of discovery! The paint here is luscious, dragged and dabbed in a dance of light and shadow. See the yellow robe draped over Petronius? It's not just yellow; it's a whole symphony of yellows, from pale lemon to deep ochre, each stroke alive. The surface shimmers, and you can almost feel the weight of the fabric, the drama of the scene. Look at how Makovsky contrasts that with the swift, almost violent strokes in the background, as if death itself is invading the scene. This piece makes me think of Delacroix, that same love of color, that willingness to let the paint do its thing. But Makovsky brings his own sensibility to the table, reminding us that art is always a conversation, a dialogue across time.