Chestnut Tree with Snow, My House

Snow rests on a chestnut tree outside the painter's own house, a rare winter morning in a Greek yard.

The tree stands slightly off-center, a vertical anchor against the low horizontal of the house tucked into the middle ground. Branches lean across the sky, guiding the eye toward the modest dwelling and the open white field beyond. Cool whites and soft grays carry the snow and overcast air, while muted browns and ochres mark the bark and weathered terracotta warms the house wall. Smooth washes shape the sky and snow, then thicker touches build the rough trunk and the small ridges of snow caught on the roof. Light comes diffuse and even, with shadows kept gentle and low. A held quiet settles over the yard, the kind that follows fresh snow at home.