Nikolay Nikanorovich Dubovskoy was a landscape painter. He was born in 1859.

In the 1900s, Dubovskoy created a lot of studies on the subject of the sea. They gradually embodied the artist’s concept of the image of nature, which is objective and self-sufficient instead of being consonant with people’s subjective mood. This approach made the artist’s works especially spectacular and emotional. Isaak Ilyich Levitan said about one of Dubovskoy’s paintings,

Dubovskoy’s approach to landscapes is evident in the study titled “The Sea and the Sky”. It conveys the artist’s favorite panoramic view: the smooth, calm sea and the sky filled with clouds, occupying most of the landscape. The study and its simple motif create an impression of the boundless unity of the sea and the sky — two elements coexisting in nature in perfect harmony.

The depth of space is enhanced by the aerial perspective, which influences transitions of tones within the composition. The color palette of the study, while almost monochromatic, is distinguished by subtle transitions of hues, from dark gray to bleached blue.

Dubovskoy’s works, including this study, share one big theme — the contemplations on the natural order of things.

The artist’s achievements in landscape painting received acclaim from the audience and official recognition. His work in the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions was also significant. From 1899 and until the end of his life, Nikolay Dubovskoy was a member of the association board, experiencing great difficulties associated with the general crisis of the Peredvihniki group’s ideals throughout those years.

Dubovskoy’s contribution to art came at the time when the major stage in the development of Russian landscape painting of the 19th century was coming to an end. His works became significant examples of Russian Realist landscape, where he strove to embody a certain aesthetic concept of the harmony of nature.