Near the entrance to the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky from the side of Moscow is an old estate with century-old lindens and a large house embellished with carvings. This house was built from solid pine beams in 1885. After 30 years, it was inherited by the nobleman Dmitry Kardovsky. He was a famous Russian and Soviet graphic artist, a professor, a full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts, and an Honored Artist of the RSFSR. The painter and his family occasionally lived in the house; once they moved there leaving revolutionary Petrograd behind, another time — to be closer to Kardovsky’s teaching job in Moscow. In the mid-20th century, the estate together with the house was donated to the regional branch of the Union of Artists by Kardovsky’s daughter Yekaterina Dmitriyevna.
The Soviet government built a small hotel and a catering facility next to the estate, leading to the establishment of the Kardovsky Art Center. Unlike Akademicheskaya Dacha — a similar cultural institution for artists located in the Tver region — the Kardovsky center also had workshops for sculptors. For decades, this house served as an excellent creative space for many Russian painters and stonecutters.
Andrey Kurnakov visited this old estate numerous times. He was very fond of the beautiful landscapes of Pereslavl-Zalessky, and many of his friends also worked and spent time there looking for inspiration.
The painting “Studio at Dmitry Kardovsky’s Dacha” depicts a sunny day in early autumn. The foreground shows a meticulously painted eye-catching old birch tree, illuminated by the rays of sunshine. It is the focal point of the picture. The birch’s foliage has already turned yellow, and the yard is strewn with the golden leaves. Poultry is seen walking along the green patches of grass. A little to the left of the center are three lindens that have not yet shed their leaves. The green of the lindens contrasts beautifully with the ocher of the birches. Behind the lindens in the depths of the canvas is a wooden house with a high foundation.
The shaded façade of the house seems gloomy and is only enlivened by three large windows; their frames are divided into small glazed rectangles. The right wall is bright orange in the direct rays of sunlight. The space on the right of the house depicts crimson trees and a yellow bush, painted in sweeping strokes. On the left is a high sunlit brick fence.
The Soviet government built a small hotel and a catering facility next to the estate, leading to the establishment of the Kardovsky Art Center. Unlike Akademicheskaya Dacha — a similar cultural institution for artists located in the Tver region — the Kardovsky center also had workshops for sculptors. For decades, this house served as an excellent creative space for many Russian painters and stonecutters.
Andrey Kurnakov visited this old estate numerous times. He was very fond of the beautiful landscapes of Pereslavl-Zalessky, and many of his friends also worked and spent time there looking for inspiration.
The painting “Studio at Dmitry Kardovsky’s Dacha” depicts a sunny day in early autumn. The foreground shows a meticulously painted eye-catching old birch tree, illuminated by the rays of sunshine. It is the focal point of the picture. The birch’s foliage has already turned yellow, and the yard is strewn with the golden leaves. Poultry is seen walking along the green patches of grass. A little to the left of the center are three lindens that have not yet shed their leaves. The green of the lindens contrasts beautifully with the ocher of the birches. Behind the lindens in the depths of the canvas is a wooden house with a high foundation.
The shaded façade of the house seems gloomy and is only enlivened by three large windows; their frames are divided into small glazed rectangles. The right wall is bright orange in the direct rays of sunlight. The space on the right of the house depicts crimson trees and a yellow bush, painted in sweeping strokes. On the left is a high sunlit brick fence.
