Painting by A. Kuindzhi "Birch Grove": Russian optimism embodied in the landscape

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The next exhibition - already the seventh in a row - of the Wanderers promised, as always, a lot of new products and unexpected artistic solutions. The public was looking forward not only to the works of already recognized masters, but also to the emergence of new names working in the style of realism. The real event of this exhibition was Kuindzhi's painting "Birch Grove".

The biography of the remarkable artist Arkhip Kuindzhi is an excellent example for those who, despite all the difficulties and obstacles, are firmly moving towards their goal. With all his works, the master sought to justify his surname, which in Greek means "goldsmith". Entering the Academy of Arts only on his third attempt, he brought a lot of new things to the compositional construction of the landscape, to giving the paintings brightness and refinement. A perfect example of all this is the work of Kuindzhi "Birch Grove".

A native of Mariupol was far from the first to take up the imagethe unspoken symbol of Russia, but he managed to find such means that made the picture truly spiritual.

Kuindzhi's "birch grove", whose history can be found in almost any major art reference, is an example of the style known as "romantic landscape". This style is characterized by a masterful use of light and shadow, combined with an open composition.

In particular, in Kuindzhi's painting "Birch Grove", the image of light green branches of birches against the background of a dark green thicket of the forest gives the necessary effect. Through the use of this technique, the festivity and brightness of the image are achieved. The sharp contrast between sunlight and shadow creates a joyful, upbeat mood in the viewer. In terms of composition, the most important role is played by the stream, which divides the canvas into two parts, it gives life to the picture, sets the rhythm, encourages life and creativity.

Practically all critics and art historians agree that in Kuindzhi's painting "Birch Grove" the author managed to give significance and brightness to a landscape that is quite ordinary for our country. This is achieved through a combination of richness of colors, bold alignment of the compositional space, as well as through the filigree technique of transition from one color scheme to another. Like no one else, Kuindzhi knew how to show light, even without sunlight.

The liveliness of the picture is given by various small details, to which the author paid very close attentionAttention. In many ways, this is why this canvas creates a “presence effect” for the viewer, forcing them to inhale the aroma of birch trees and listen to the murmur of the stream.

The techniques used by the author in "Birch Grove" were subsequently applied by Kuindzhi in other famous works: "Night on the Dnieper", "After the Rain", "Sea at Night". The name of this remarkable master entered the golden fund of the national landscape, along with such luminaries as Shishkin and Levitan. Currently, the work of Kuindzhi "Birch Grove" is stored in the Tretyakov Gallery, never ceasing to delight new generations of connoisseurs of real art.