Wednesday, January 29, 2014

'Winter Landscape'

            When I had seen the painting “Winter Landscape” by Russian artist Nikifor Krylov I realized his name has not been familiar to me at all, although I know some Russian artists. 


I think the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin's poem goes well to Krylov's painting:
The snow below the azure skies,
As though a magic carpet lies,
And in the light of day it shimmers.
The woods are dusky. Through the frost
The light-green fir-trees are exposed;
And under ice, a river glitters. 


Krylov painted a winter landscape from a high bank of Tosno river near Saint Petersburg and presented a wide panorama of the countryside. The road comes down from hillside to the river, its banks covered with shrubs are visible and the strip of dense conifer forest darkens far away. 
Nikifor Krylov finely felt the nature in a winter day. Bluish shadows lie on the snow, the sky is covered with clouds, objects are clearly silhouetted against the snow. Human figures enliven landscape, people are busy daily chores: two women met on the way to the ice-hole where they rinsed their linen, a high stately peasant woman carries water in wooden buckets on a yoke, a young farmer leads a horse by the bridle.


About the Nikifor Krylov's life is known that in his youth he painted the iconostasis in the Tver province monastery. Also in the monastery Krylov began to draw from nature and to paint portraits. In 1825 he arrived in St. Petersburg starting the drawing classes at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Nikifor Krylov's paintings are too little known. His work “Winter Landscape” (or “Russian Winter”) appeared on the Academy of Fine Arts exhibition in 1827 and made a strong impression on the audience.
There is evidence about this landscape history in the documents of the Company to promote artists. Patrons of art were found when young Krylov intented to fulfill the winter view from nature. He chose a place near the village of Tosno close to Saint Petersburg. There the patrons built a studio for him, the artist were given a cash benefit on all the time of his work.
Working on the landscape, Nikifor Krylov remained faithful to principles derived by the Academy of Fine Arts professors: "nothing else than to depict nature and obey it."





Today the landscape has changed. Near the river a speed railway runs.  Several times a day express trains from St. Petersburg to Moscow and back break the silence of the woods. Now standing on the high bank of the river Tosno you can see and hear the rushing express train.

Do you love winter landscapes or you think they are boring? Thank you!

40 comments:

  1. Certainly not boring when fresh or in a painting/photograph. In real life it may be a different story.

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  2. Thank you for sharing the wonderful paintings! I've never known Nikifor Krylov, but am impressed by his work and the poem. His work has something wormth, despite a winter landscape is drawn. I'm from contryside of Japan, which has heavy snow in winter. So, love the winter landscapes, which always make me calm.

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    1. Yes, it has, Keity. I think his painting has bright and warm light. It's quiet and calm landscape!

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  3. Good morning dear Nadezda!!Great art and paintings!Wonderful winter landscapes!Sure , Nikifor Krylov was a great painter!I admire his work!Wish you a lovely day!
    Dimi...

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    1. I'm glad to know his work as well, Dimi, Although I knew it many years later. Thank you!

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  4. Thanks for sharing the painting, I used to think snow and winter was normal to have 5 months a year – until I moved to London and realised that it was possible to have winters without any snow at all :-)
    I really prefer winters in London and enjoy so much gardening over here and the early spring and late autumn. I am never going back to live in Norway.

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    1. You're lucky, Helene. you have a choice... Your garden is pretty this winter. Thank you!

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  5. I love wintery/snowy landscapes - as long as I don't have to get out in them! ;) But snow makes everything look so clean, and really brightens up a gloomy day. Without it, winter would be much more dreary for people that have to live in such cold weather throughout the winter.

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    1. I agree, Holley. If one live in cold climate the snow makes the winter prettier, clean and is better for plants.
      Thank you!

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  6. Like Helene, I enjoy our green winters but do sometimes miss the beautiful white winters of Alaska. I love winter pictures as they remind me of growing up in the north and bring warm feelings of family and home. This painting is wonderful!

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    1. Oh, this painting is gorgeous, you're right, Peter!

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  7. I really like winter landscapes. I love that expression of beauty in a more serious or austere form. They show that beauty and emotions can exist in many forms and not just during the lushness of summer. Beautiful painting!

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    1. Wise words, Tammy. The beauty exists in many forms. Thank you!

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  8. I absolutely love this painting, thanks for letting me know about its existence and the painter I had never heard of before. I of course know the winter landscapes by Pieter Breugel the best and old as they may be, I do love them as well. I love art and am so glad to see and read you do as well Nadezda.
    Marian

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    1. Pieter Breugel is one of the greatest artists of the world, Marian. I've seen his paintings in Kunst museum in Vienna and they were stunning. And I'm glad to learn about this Russian painter and his work. Thank you!

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  9. This painting is wonderful Nadezda and I think the poem suits it beautifully. Thank you for sharing this and the history too.
    Patricia x

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  10. Such lovely paintings that capture a time from another century. Winter landscapes are beautiful as long as I can be inside and warm!

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    1. I like to watch the life from old times as well. Laurrie. People, their duties, horses, sleighs, etc. Thank you!

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  11. Complain to the Polish winter. U you are more frosts, there is more snow and colder ...
    Beautiful painting showing the winter in your country.
    Greetings.
    Lucia

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  12. Nadezda, these are beautiful winter painting.
    Greetings

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  13. Hi Nadezda
    This painting is wonderful - so calm and peaceful and yet depicting life very well in another era. Thank you.
    Astrid

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    1. I agree, Astrid, it was another era. Thank you!

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  14. Thank you Nadezda for introducing us to this painter. He was very good at depicting the brightness of winter days when there is a lot of snow.

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  15. Such a lovely painting. So many beautiful details. Happy weekend, Nadezda. It's snowing here, how about there?

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    1. Hi, Satu!
      It was very frosty yesterday and today is said the weather is mild and snow as well.
      Thank you!

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  16. Preciosos!!! Buenas pinturas, Al verlos me has recordado la película del Doctor Zhivago, Esas quedan siemtre en el recuerdo;)
    Me gusta ver la nieve en la sierra y en las postales, aunque vivo en la sierra y hace mucho frio,soy de tierra más caliente Cáceres...
    Ahora mismo tenemos +1º y bajando, seguro que esta noche nieva un poco, pero aquí en la ciudad se quita rápido... Yo amo el verano Nadezda. Jajajaaa...Menudo rollo te he soltado;)
    Buen fin de semana!!!
    Un beso.

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    1. Laura, espero que tu invierno va a terminar mas pronto que el de aqui y podras disfrutar el calor del sol! Aqui tenemos que esperar mas de 2 meses hasta que la nieve empieza a quitarse. Gracias!

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  17. I can definitely see the beauty in northern winter landscapes, although I'm starting to get tired of ours. I like this painting very much.

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    1. I'm getting tired of our winter as well, Jason. Want to see green and colorful garden. Thank you!

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  18. This is a painter that I am unfamiliar with. As an artist, I have never taken an interest in painting spring, summer or fall landscapes. They fail to interest me for some reason. I do like winter landscapes though. I think it is the muted colors, the purply-grey-charcoal of the bare trees and the contrast of the white snow that I like.

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    1. I love how you said about the colors in Krylov's painting. You as the artist see many of them! Thank you Jennifer!

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  19. I think winter landscapes are beautiful to look at. But I prefer snow in pictures rather than where I live:)

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  20. Thank you for your visit Nadezda and for introducing me to your blog. I was unaware of this Russian painter, Nikifor Krylov, but love the way he has captured the essence of snow in his painting. Not an easy thing to do - the lovely blue and grey shadows created on the snow by the winter sun being so low in the sky.

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    1. Yes, the colors are stunning in Krylov's painting. Thank you Rosemary for stopping by!

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