Funerary Composition II 1962

Yiannis Moralis made this painting, Funerary Composition II, with oil on canvas, though the exact date is unknown. What strikes me first is the color, a range of earth tones that feel somber, yet warm. The brushstrokes are visible, almost blocky, building up the forms in layers, a process that feels both deliberate and intuitive. Looking closer, you can see how Moralis uses the texture of the paint to create depth. The thick, opaque strokes define the figures, while thinner washes suggest shadow and atmosphere. There's a real physicality to the medium here; you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the canvas. Notice the zigzag of black and white near the bottom left, it seems to vibrate against the brown ground, creating a tension that keeps the eye moving. It reminds me a little of some early work by Philip Guston, but with a more classical, almost melancholic feel. Art is like a conversation, always echoing and transforming what came before. What does it remind you of?