Valeriy Kokurin’s work “Autumn” is a study that was probably painted outdoors judging by broad vigorous colorful brushworks, fixing an immediate, bright, emotional impression, and conveying sensation of air in the picture.

The author chose a special state of nature that amazes with harmony of cold colors of fresh snow and rich warm colors of autumnal tree crown.

“Study” in the fine arts as a classical term is a preparatory work painted from nature. The aim of study is to explore, to collect necessary material and to verify composition concepts in order to carry out easel painting afterwards.

Since the end of the 19th century in landscape painting a picture and a study started existing with each other on equal rights. Artists painted small-sized paintings and large-sized paintings outdoors. Isaac Levitan’s work “March” (1895) is an example of painting a picture from nature completely for several sessions.

In the 20^thcentury many painters tried to unite thoughtfulness of the picture composition with the immediacy and freshness of the studies painted in the open air. A.A. Plastov (1893-1972), a master of plot-themed pictures was one of them. 

Representatives of Vladimir Painting School continued developing their predecessor traditions. They created a lot of studies of different formats outdoors, then they transferred the image to easel painting in the workshop or right from nature outdoors. They came back to painting of one and the same favorite motive repeatedly.