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

Andrei Ryabushkin made Prince Ukhtomsky in the Battle with Tartars at Volga in 1469, using watercolor in… well, we don’t know exactly when, but I love the way this work reveals the artist’s hand. Ryabushkin’s touch is so present, almost like he’s right here with us, splattering down washes of color. Notice how the pale blues of the sky sort of bleed into the bodies on the ground, and the swift movement of the Prince. The material quality of the watercolor gives everything a feeling of being caught up in a blur. Look at the way the artist applied the paint to the horse; these transparent layers create depth and volume, while the angular lines form a muscular tension. It reminds me of Delacroix's dynamic brushwork. The whole image becomes an act of layering, a conversation between color, line, and gesture, and like, maybe that is the battle itself?