Lilacs 1915

Konstantin Korovin made this painting, ‘Lilacs,’ with oil on canvas, though when exactly is a bit of a mystery. The paint is applied with a kind of juicy confidence, and it feels very much like a direct response to the subject, like he’s wrestling with the blooms, the lemons, the patterned jug and trying to get a handle on their combined presence. Look how the lilacs are rendered, with these thick daubs of purples, pinks and whites, almost like he's building the flowers out of pure colour. The brushstrokes are so visible, so present, that you can almost feel the energy of his hand moving across the canvas. You can also see the influence of Impressionism, particularly in the way he captures the light reflecting off the surfaces of the glass objects and the tablecloth. It reminds me of Morisot, her touch was so fleeting and yet somehow so grounded. Ultimately, this painting isn't just about capturing a scene, it's about the act of seeing itself. It’s about the process of translating the visual world onto a two-dimensional surface, with all its messiness and complexity.