The Zavolzhsk Art Gallery named after Vladimir Telin houses a painting by the Honored Artist of the USSR Viktor Nikolaevich Velmozhin — “Still Life with Sickles”. This painting entered the museum’s collection in 1986.

At that time, on the initiative of the Soviet artist Vladimir Nikitovich Telin, a gallery of folk art was opened in Zavolzhsk. Its collection was made up of the works previously housed in the Fund of the Artists’ Union of the USSR. It included 124 artifacts: paintings, graphic works, posters, sculptures, and examples of decorative and applied art. “Still Life with Sickles” by Viktor Velmozhin was among the first ones to arrive.

This picture allows the viewer to feel the end of summer, the time of harvest, the very period when all household chores are forgotten and the entire family goes out into the field. The arrangement and placement of objects in the painting is unusual for a still life — they are depicted on the ground in a field, against a background of straw.

In the center of the composition, Viktor Velmozhin placed a red patterned eye-catching kerchief on which food is laid out. It was prepared specifically for a midday break in the field: eggs, garlic, and apples. There is also a pot of potatoes and a jug of milk.

There are sickles and cut wheat ears around the food; they bring a dynamic element to the picture. The rhythmic structure is complemented by an ax in the dry grass. It creates a feeling of male presence, as when harvesting, people mainly used sickles, which were considered a female tool. The artist also depicted other objects in the space — shawls, cords, a teapot and a mug.

Velmozhin painted the picture vividly and emotionally. Each item boasts juicy colors. The color contrasts and the volume of the fabric create a festive mood. Viktor Velmozhin masterfully conveyed the feeling of space, light, and hot air of a summer day.

It is believed that the inner world of the artist is best revealed in still lifes. Viktor Velmozhin managed to draw the viewer’s attention to simple things that a person would not usually pay any attention to. At the same time, they remind us about our history and origins.