Roses 1912

Konstantin Korovin made this painting of roses with oil on canvas, and it’s just bursting with light and color! I can just imagine Korovin outside, capturing this scene en plein air, trying to register the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. The brushstrokes are so loose and free, you can almost feel the breeze rustling through the leaves. He’s not trying to give you every single detail of every petal, but rather the overall impression of a summery scene. The roses are pink and white, with touches of red, sitting on a table with some objects; and beyond, there’s a glimpse of sea and sky. The paint application is pretty thick in places, with visible brushstrokes that add to the texture and vibrancy of the painting. I can imagine the artist squeezing paint directly from the tube and blending colors right on the canvas, working quickly and intuitively. It looks like such a fun and sensual act of creation! We’re all just in a big conversation with each other. So much of painting is about feeling your way through, trusting your instincts, and allowing for mistakes and happy accidents.