Prince Ukhtomsky in the Battle with Tartars at Volga in 1469 1904

Andrei Ryabushkin made this artwork, Prince Ukhtomsky in the Battle with Tartars at Volga in 1469, and looking at the colours and the brushstrokes, I reckon it was made with watercolour on paper. You can feel the rush of the white horse and the determination of the prince. The way Ryabushkin uses quick, light strokes to suggest movement is incredible. I can almost feel the wind in my face. I bet he stood back and looked at that white horse for a long time figuring out how to describe the essence of a horse in motion! The red boots of fallen soldiers are placed in the lower left, they guide the eye around the painting. Ryabushkin's interest in historical subjects reminds me of other Russian painters like Vasnetsov, but he brings a unique energy to his work. I bet Ryabushkin really looked closely at the work of his peers and predecessors, thinking about how he could learn from them and push his own painting in new directions. Ultimately, painting is a conversation between artists across time, inspiring each other to see the world in new ways.