Landscape in the Kostroma region 1914

Boris Kustodiev painted Landscape in the Kostroma region with oil on canvas. It's funny how the muted colors - drab greens and greys - still make the landscape sing! It's like he's whispering a song about the Russian countryside. The brushstrokes are so loose and free. You can almost feel the wind blowing through the grass and the dampness in the air. Look at the way he's rendered the old wooden barn on the left. The paint is thick and layered, creating a sense of texture and age. It feels solid and worn, like it has stories to tell. Then, see how the path leads you into the distance? It's almost as if Kustodiev is inviting you to take a stroll. I think of Chaim Soutine when I see this painting; the raw emotion, the love for paint, and how art is an ongoing conversation, always open to new interpretations.