How long have you been looking at the picture? It is on a drawing made with a brush and paints? The painting âWinter Eveningâ by landscape painter Nikolai Petrovich Krymov is a seemingly simple thing with a straightforward plot. But she makes you think.
We are used to taking hundreds of photos with both professional equipment and cameras installed in our phones. We practically do not pay attention to whether the storyline is built, how the composition is composed and the objects are distributed, what the lighting is ... Most often, we have no time to think about it. The main thing is to take a photo, share it on social networks with friends and get their feedback.
And how surprised and amazed at the smallest details of the paintings! How I want to consider them and try to understand the mood of the artist and his thoughts at the time of writing the canvas!
Nikolay Krymov
The artist Krymov may not be as popular as Vasnetsov or Malevich. But his contribution to art is difficult to overestimate. Born in the family of the artist P. A. Krymov in 1884, the boy received drawing skills already in childhood. Father gladly showed his son the basic techniques of painting and talked about composition, color and lighting. All this was reflected in the worldview of Nicholas and his life aspirations.
Krymovâs painting âWinter Eveningâ is the clearest illustration of his ideas about fine art. Studying in the landscape workshop of A. M. Vasnetsov at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, the young artist tried himself in different directions: both as a designer, and as a graphic artist, and later as a stage designer. But literally from the first brush strokes, he sided with symbolism, believing that the picture should convey mood with its color scheme.
Simple landscape
Quite so - simply - wrote N.P. Krymov. The painting "Winter Evening" is a landscape of a village outskirts. Several buildings, a church dome and a couple of sleighs with firewood - that's almost the whole picture. Of course, there are trees on it, and birds on the bushes, and people going about their business. But all this is not drawn in detail, not highlighted in bright color.
And at the same time, one glance is enough to understand that there is severe frost in the yard. And twilight is already coming. This is the time of day when the windows still let in sunlight. When you sit in a hut, it seems that it is not so cold outside. He is so warm and comfortable, sunlight.
Russian Winter
The painting âWinter Eveningâ is snow. Looking at it, it creates the feeling that it was important for the artist to show the ubiquity of snow. After all, this is one of the main signs of the Russian winter. Snow lies everywhere: the roofs of houses are dusted with it, the earth is densely covered, under it are covered bushes, which are depicted in the foreground.
It shimmers in the rays of the setting sun, and the shadows cast by the heaps of the paths, accurately speak of the height of snowdrifts. It immediately becomes clear that winter did not come yesterday, it had long since entered into its own rights.
And even the muffled color does not interfere with determining the beauty of a snowy Russian winter. The sun hiding behind the horizon changed the bright daylight of the snow to a bluish flare. But even this shade conveys fluffy snow cover. And in those places where there is still sunlight, we see a transparent pink snowball that we want to pick up.
Homecoming
What else was able to convey to the viewer Krymov? The painting âWinter Eveningâ, the description of which occupies us today, is not overloaded with objects. And yet, in the center we see people returning. We donât know what drove them outside on a winter day, but the fact that they move to warmth and home also sets us up for cozy memories of winter evenings.
Having looked at how the family moves with the child, we understand that the paths are trodden for a long time. They are quite wide so that you can disperse with oncoming passers-by. So, people are accustomed to such difficult conditions and have learned to resist them.
Horses and sledges drawn by horses are also driving home . Before the eyes of the animals appear, which will be fed in a couple of minutes. Somehow you calm down yourself from this even way of life and understand that no adversity in life (like this high snow) can change the obligatory course of things. The painting "Winter Evening" is quite suitable for meditation and relaxation. Soft colors and plenty of room for thought. It only remains to turn on unhurried music.
Fuzzy images
The Krymovâs picture âWinter Eveningâ shows us and people not painted. The description of warm clothes fully justifies this, because fur coats, felt boots, warm scarves and hats do not leave room for sophistication and grace. Peopleâs figures are more like specks of paint in general, but the artistâs talent is to convey not only the intended image, but also his mood, without details and clear brush strokes.
N. Krymovâs painting âWinter Eveningâ glows with warmth and comfort. Looking at how human figures are slightly inclined forward, you understand that people are rushing into the heat of the hut. And looking at their heavy clothes, you just feel how hard it is to walk in the snow. Let on trodden paths.
Similarly, fuzzy, bird figures are highlighted in the foreground. They didnât hide under the roofs of houses, they werenât afraid of the cold, but sat right on the snow. But the feathers were fluffed up and scruffy - they save power, and from this they became more like lumps of something alive than fluttering light birds.
Little village
Krymovâs painting âWinter Eveningâ (its description is our today's task) shows the village. It seems that this is just a small cluster of several houses. Not even the outskirts of the village, because massive trees rise behind the houses.
Of course, the artist is well versed in the proportions, he has a developed sense of proportion. But take a closer look at how he arranged the objects in the picture: even in the background, houses are many times superior to people, as if indicating their solidity and significance. And at the same time, we understand how small they really are. It is enough to compare trees and huts.
One involuntarily wonders what the painting âWinter Eveningâ symbolizes. After all, Krymov professed symbolism in his work. And now, looking at the accumulation of huts located in the middle of the snowy expanses, you understand that only proximity to each other will make us warmer and kinder, and our world - more comfortable. Indeed, even in proverbs we find indications of this: in cramped conditions, but not in insult, for example.
And the fact that everyone - both people and sledges with hay - are heading towards the houses, is also of great importance. Only in our home will we receive the coveted warmth and peace. And the bell tower, located far away, is a symbol of hope for good and bright future.
Forest
In the background of the canvas is a forest. Now it is completely unclear exactly which trees grow in this area - oaks, poplars, lindens ... Only one thing is clear: such a landscape is typical for central Russia. Indeed, in the north such tall trees do not grow, and in the tundra or taiga there is no such amount of empty space.
And again, involuntarily, you think about what Krymov is telling us. The painting âWinter Eveningâ, the description of which reveals the meaning of each symbol, conveys the security of man. Endless expanses of snow turn into warm and solid (albeit not rich) houses. And the huts from the winds and blizzards are protected by centuries-old trees.
Looking more closely, we will see the desire for life, transmitted by the artist. Moss and small shrubs in the foreground perfectly symbolize this. They make their way even through so much snow to reach the winter sun.
Sunset
N. Krymovâs painting âWinter Eveningâ is an absolutely accurate reproduction of color nuances. Take a look at the sky It is immediately evident that it is low, heavy in winter, but clean and transparent from frost.
The greenish color of the sunset sky is somewhat unusual for our eyes. But this is a very accurately noticed feature of the evening pore. By a few overflows of pink in the snow and in the sky, as well as by a glint of sunlight in the window of the hut, it becomes clear that the sunset will be pink and calm.
And a clear cloudless sky does not portend any disaster or surprise. Again, from one glance at the picture it becomes calm and understanding comes: everything goes on as usual.
Color spectrum
Krymovâs painting âWinter Eveningâ is another confirmation of the artistâs skill and professionalism. He expertly uses the color palette to convey all the shades of trees, sky, snow ...
After all, what do we usually see when going outside in winter? Black silhouettes of trees and white snow. But all is not so! The shadows from people are dark blue, the roofs of houses are covered with pure white snow, and the transitions of blue and pink tones in the foreground of the picture accurately convey the lightness and the sunset time.
And here's what is surprising: it would seem that the painting âWinter Eveningâ should convey cold and dusk. But in fact, when you look at her, it becomes warm and cozy. This effect is also created by the color scheme. Black trees are actually dark brown. Warm pink reflections run through the cold snow. The dome of the bell tower is almost shining with yellow light.
And a few more words about the author
Sometimes, looking at such landscapes, one involuntarily wonders: why is such a simple picture as âWinter Eveningâ (the description of it can consist of just a few phrases) makes you stop and literally freeze in front of it? And itâs not a matter of appeasement, not of a winter kind familiar to every person.
Most likely, it is necessary to say that the artist added notes of life to the landscape: walking people, sledges drawn by horses. This gives the picture a dynamic, it becomes an illustration to any poem that celebrates the Russian winter.
Many believe that Krymov is lucky: a rare artist has the honor of being represented in the Tretyakov Gallery during his lifetime. But it is also a huge work on oneself, the development of talent and the desire to show the world the simple and majestic beauty of nature surrounding us.
Picture composition
The presented description will help you get acquainted with the wonderful work of Russian painting, as well as write an essay on the picture. Pupils get acquainted with Krymovâs âWinter Eveningâ in the sixth grade. In their work, the children need to describe the picture and the feelings that it aroused in them.