Savrasov painted the painting “Late Autumn” in the last years of his life. To this day, it causes a lot of discussion. The work remains an example for autumn landscapes.
About the artist
Alexei Savrasov is a famous landscape painter, one of the founders of the Wanderers' Society, which included legendary artists from Russia.
He was born in 1830, in the family of the merchant Savrasov Kondraty. He lived and studied in Moscow.
From a young age he showed the makings of an artist. His father did not encourage his studies, but also did not prevent him from successfully passing exams at the capital's school of painting. The famous artist Rabus became a teacher for him.
The first paintings are not considered very successful, such as "A stone in the forest at the spill" or "View of the Moscow Kremlin with the moon."
In the fifty-first year he writes the work “View of the Kremlin from the Crimean bridge in bad weather”. She brings him first popularity. Critics speak well of the picture.
The next year the young artist spends traveling around the southern villages of the Russian Empire.
In 1854, for two canvases lined on the opening day, the artist was given the title of academician. Tretyakov buys art.
Already in the 57th, being famous in narrow circles, Alexei married Sofya Hertz. They had five children. Two of them died at a fairly young age, and the couple could not stand the grief, decided to disperse. The artist began to suffer from alcoholism. In 1876, Sophia left for her sister, leaving her husband.
During this time, Savrasov managed to work as a drawing teacher at a university. In the eighteen sixty-second year, he also traveled to Europe, was in Britain, the Austrian Empire, the Swiss Mountains, and France.
Actively worked on a manual for drawing.
Eclipse period
And in the 82nd he was fired from the school. He drank too much. Lived in need. Pictures became more and more gloomy.
From 1887 to 1888, the artist lived with a certain Kindyakova Vera, which he used as his muse for some paintings. At this time, Savrasov’s painting “Late Autumn” was being written, a photo of which can be viewed further.
And when it was 1893, he began to live with Catherine Morgunova, from whom he had two children.
Savrasov died in 1897, while in a haven for the poor. Last years he spent in such poverty that popular artists of that time stood up for him. One of them even wrote a letter to Tretyakov asking him to help the needy old man. It was also said that he receives a pension from the Writers' Union of 25 rubles, which is not enough to support his wife with two small children.
Despite the dark streak in life, Savrasov remained for most of the inhabitants of Russia, as well as landscape art lovers around the world, a master of his craft, a romantic, with a special outlook on nature. His unusual perception of any natural phenomenon made the picture unique.
Alexei Kondratievich taught Isaac Levitan - the most beloved student, Mikhail Nesterov, Konstantin Korovin, Sergei Svetoslavsky and Lev Kamenev.
Savrasov's painting “Late Autumn”. Description
The artist created his famous work “Rooks Have Arrived” in 1871, when he was at the peak of popularity, did not suffer from alcoholism, and ideas overwhelmed him.
Savrasov's painting “Late Autumn” is quite consistent with its name. It was written in 1887, during the period of hard drinking. His then-roommate Vera Kindyakova wrote a letter to the Tretyakov Gallery, where she reported on two completely new paintings.
It turned out that Savrasov decided to return to painting again. He created two drawings: “Sunset on the Volga” and “Late Autumn”.
The paintings were placed on the Savrasov exposition in the Tretyakov Gallery.
The first creation looked more life-affirming. Most likely, the artist used those images that remained with him from previous works.
Savrasov's painting “Late Autumn” is an image of Moscow from a village nearby on one frosty day. The sun shines brightly. Rays fall on the first snow that covered the earth. All nature subsided in anticipation of winter.
The artist made it, sitting in this village, and drawing from nature. He conveyed the impressions that he had at the time of the creation of the landscape.
Criticism of the picture
Art historians say that Savrasov’s later works are too gloomy, dark. They are much weaker than those that he painted in his youth. Savrasov's painting “Late Autumn” is almost forgotten to this day. Few people know about her.
Style is realism. The foreground is too sketchy and hard. It shows crooked strokes, the weakening hand of the author.
Many believe that the artist did not get the picture "Late Autumn." A photo of which is presented in the article.
In the nineties, Savrasov traced interesting works. Most likely, he was recovering from a severe emotional trauma. However, Savrasov's painting “Late Autumn” still refers to this period.
Another "Autumn"
There is another painting by Savrasov, which describes the same time of the year. It is called "Autumn."
The landscape in the genre of realism, however, evokes more enthusiastic responses. The author finished work on it in 1871, at the same time when he painted "The Rooks Have Arrived."
The motif of the painting is typical for autumn: in the foreground is a group of trees, birds flying to warm countries, still clear, but dark sky. The tones are slightly blurry.
Trees stand alone on a dais. Near a puddle formed from the recent rain. In it you can see the sky turned gray.
The grass on the hill became dark from the weather.
In the distance, sunlight falls on the golden crowns of forest trees. He gets on a small house with smoke from the chimney. Near it is a mill. A small river flows.
Autumn paintings by famous artists
Russian landscape painters were very fond of this time of year. She evoked melancholy associations, gave inspiration. Autumn is very common in artists' paintings. This time could be painted at any time of the day or evening, in different styles.
The versatility of
autumn colors gave everyone the opportunity to prove themselves. The color scheme has always been different. One artist found a saturated green color after rain, another admired the bright red leaves, and the third focused on the gold color under his feet.
Popular works
The most significant autumn paintings by famous artists:
Golden Autumn by Vasily Polenov;
"Autumn" by Efim Volkov;
"Golden Autumn" of the beloved student of Savrasov, Isaac Levitan;
"Indian Summer" by Andrei Gerasimov;
"Autumn Forest" another wanderer, Ivan Shishkin;
“Morning in the Autumn Forest” Sergey Pisemsky;
“To the secret” Andrey Karsakov.
Almost every famous Russian artist who wrote in the style of realism has an
autumn theme : Zinaida Serebryakova, Boris Kustodiev, Alexander Volkov, Arkhip Kuindzhi, Viktor Vasnetsov, Stanislav Zhukovsky, Vasily Polenov.