Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1973.
Signature: LEIS 73 / TÕRGE LEIS MALLE 1940 õli, lõuend 100×100 1973

Malle Leis (1940-2017) loved to paint horses and, same as with her flowers and people, to place them on a monochromatic background. One of her most iconic diptychs, “Red Horses” (1972/74, Art Museum of Estonia), is dedicated to this very subject.

This composition, painted on a black background, has only a few objects in it: a female figure approaching from a distance and a dignified animal in the foreground. However, the space between them is cut in two by a purple-red line – a glitch. What does it all mean? There is no single answer here because, as always, good art is ambiguous and associative. Perhaps we should not view it according to the rules of the world we understand but instead follow the advice of art historian Norman Bryson who, when speaking of Caravaggio’s still-life paintings, said: “The reality that is shown to us exists only in the painting itself.”

However, it is clear that we are dealing with a relationship drama, symbolized by the chosen color scheme: black, purple, red. The woman’s purple dress is reflected in the horse’s harness, emphasizing the characters’ togetherness and connection.

Text: Harry Liivrand, Katre Palm