Landscape of Attica 

Editor: This is Konstantinos Maleas's "Landscape of Attica", made with oil paints. It feels like such a textured, almost tactile, interpretation of the landscape. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Primarily, the chromatic organization interests me. Maleas masterfully uses colour not merely to depict, but to construct form. Observe the juxtaposition of the ochre foreground with the cerulean sea; the division is sharp. It brings a balance that is, in and of itself, visually appealing. What do you think about that chromatic relationship? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. I see how the earth tones in the foreground contrast, and almost compete with the blues and violets of the water. Is the texture created through brushstrokes or paint application, or both? Curator: An incisive question. Both impasto and the directionality of the brushstrokes play significant roles. The artist applied paint generously, building up layers that create a palpable surface relief. The direction of strokes emphasizes the forms' structure. For instance, look at the land formations -the horizontal strokes there reinforce a sense of breadth, while those dark rocks feature shorter, almost staccato marks, giving them weight. Editor: The way he manipulates the paint seems key to understanding the structure of the whole piece, it wasn't what I initially noticed. Is there anything about this Landscape that breaks with established Impressionistic tradition, and instead speaks to post-Impressionism? Curator: Certainly, that's something we could analyze. Impressionism frequently aims to capture transient moments. Here, Maleas employs techniques aligned with post-impressionist painters like Cezanne and Van Gogh in his emphasis on simplified forms and a structured composition. See the simplification of shapes and solidity of colour. In which respect the style prepares new aesthetical explorations, Editor: That is fascinating! I hadn't thought about how the structure pushed beyond capturing just a fleeting moment. Thanks so much for that. Curator: It has been my pleasure. Analyzing art always enriches our view of our interaction with the visible.