Juhan Nõmmik 1902–1975 Dordogne Landscape. 1955

Juhan Nõmmik managed to escape from Estonia and while living abroad he was able to develop a much freer and more expressive style of painting than would have been possible in Estonia. While living in Sweden, Nõmmik was repeatedly drawn to France, where he painted in various locations. He visited Dordogne several times in the 1950s, depicting anonymous houses and the rhythms created by their roofs and walls amidst a cascade of impulsive brushstrokes. In this painting, Nõmmik is more luminous and airy than usual, which gives a sense of space and momentum. Strong colours no longer look threatening, but fresh and precise.