Fedot Sychkov painted ‘Landscape with Geese’ in 1952. He depicted a shallow river with low banks. There is a footbridge with railings spanning the river. In the background, there are groups of trees reflected in the water, while in the foreground are flocks of the swimming geese. Famous white geese of the Arzamas breed and white and gray geese of the Tula breed could be found in Kochelayevo on the Moksha River.
It is interesting that there are very few paintings by Sychkov dedicated specifically to animals. However, they frequently appeared in his genre paintings. In preparation for painting large-scale works, the painter made many sketches of hens, geese, cows, and cats. The painter rendered, with great love, their characteristic movements, poses, and habits. Among his paintings are such works as ‘Horse’, ‘Calf’, ‘Buying Geese’, ‘Cat’ and ‘Bull-calf’. In addition, a selection of photographs of domestic animals and fowl, made by Fedot Sychkov at fairs, in his yard, and on the streets of Kochelayevo, has been preserved. In the museum archive, a funny photo of the painter, sitting at his easel with a kitten on his shoulder, is housed.
Fedot Sychkov’s worldview was deeply influenced by his teachers — Realism painters who sought to reflect the world around them in their canvases. Pavel Kovalevsky, the head of the battle-painting workshop at the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, taught the painter a great deal. The teacher perfectly mastered the skill of an animalist, understood the anatomy and features of different animal species. He was the one who taught the skill of realistically depicting animals to the young painter.
Throughout his whole life, Fedot Sychkov’s creative method was the same: before implementing his idea, the painter made studies, pencil and watercolor drawings, painted picturesque sketches from nature. He worked every day, in winter and summer alike, honing his skills more and more and bringing them to the ideal even when outlining something very quickly.
In the year of the 150th anniversary of Fedot Sychkov’s birth, his small sketch “Hens”, a pencil drawing of which is in the archive of the museum, was exhibited at one of the Moscow auctions. The Moscow Club of Deltiologists published a postcard with this sketch.
It is interesting that there are very few paintings by Sychkov dedicated specifically to animals. However, they frequently appeared in his genre paintings. In preparation for painting large-scale works, the painter made many sketches of hens, geese, cows, and cats. The painter rendered, with great love, their characteristic movements, poses, and habits. Among his paintings are such works as ‘Horse’, ‘Calf’, ‘Buying Geese’, ‘Cat’ and ‘Bull-calf’. In addition, a selection of photographs of domestic animals and fowl, made by Fedot Sychkov at fairs, in his yard, and on the streets of Kochelayevo, has been preserved. In the museum archive, a funny photo of the painter, sitting at his easel with a kitten on his shoulder, is housed.
Fedot Sychkov’s worldview was deeply influenced by his teachers — Realism painters who sought to reflect the world around them in their canvases. Pavel Kovalevsky, the head of the battle-painting workshop at the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, taught the painter a great deal. The teacher perfectly mastered the skill of an animalist, understood the anatomy and features of different animal species. He was the one who taught the skill of realistically depicting animals to the young painter.
Throughout his whole life, Fedot Sychkov’s creative method was the same: before implementing his idea, the painter made studies, pencil and watercolor drawings, painted picturesque sketches from nature. He worked every day, in winter and summer alike, honing his skills more and more and bringing them to the ideal even when outlining something very quickly.
In the year of the 150th anniversary of Fedot Sychkov’s birth, his small sketch “Hens”, a pencil drawing of which is in the archive of the museum, was exhibited at one of the Moscow auctions. The Moscow Club of Deltiologists published a postcard with this sketch.
