Alexey Kondratyevich Savrasov’s work is closely related to the formation of the Russian landscape painting, that was undergoing in the second half of the 19th century. In a certain sense, artists that worked in this genre were pioneers looking for new means of expression, different from the academic manner that prevailed in the art of that time.
Savrasov became the founder of the Russian landscape school, that in terms of style belonged to realism. The pinnacle of his work is the painting The Rooks Have Come, painted in 1871. Significance of that work can hardly be overestimated; it reflected what the painter had been working on for a long time, while perfecting his skills: a realistic landscape imbued with deep spirituality, sincerity and lyricism.
Creation of that painting was preceded by a series of equally remarkable works, one of which was the Landscape with Hut. By that point, Savrasov had already found his path in art. He persistently searched for methods that would combine simplicity and truthfulness of the image with emotional experience and inner tension of feelings.
The painting makes the viewer feel sincere excitement, although there is no dramatic plot in the landscape. Everything is very simple: a dilapidated hut, a barefoot boy, a dog dozing in the sun and domestic fowl looking for food in the yard. But the picture is imbued with a strong poetic feeling, that arises at the sight of everyday and not too joyful peasant life, filled with hardships of physical labor and poverty.
The artist achieved this effect through the subtlest tints of color and skillful employment of light and shade, so that his paintings seem to be filled with sunlight. Savrasov had to work hard on the composition and details of each painting. Despite the simplicity of the plot, creation of the landscape surely required a great deal of creative work from the artist and took a long time. The efforts resulted in an amazingly integral piece of art that makes a lasting impression on the viewer.
The type of lyrical landscape created by Alexei Savrasov could not appear outside the Society of Itinerants Art Exhibitions. The theme of Russian nature was one of the main topics in the work of the Itinerants, and its very appearance was the result of democratization of the society, that took place in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Savrasov became one of the most significant representatives or in fact the head of the new school of landscape painting. His work was perceived as a paragon by the next generation of Russian artists, among which there were such recognized masters as Isaak Levitan and Vasily Polenov.
Savrasov became the founder of the Russian landscape school, that in terms of style belonged to realism. The pinnacle of his work is the painting The Rooks Have Come, painted in 1871. Significance of that work can hardly be overestimated; it reflected what the painter had been working on for a long time, while perfecting his skills: a realistic landscape imbued with deep spirituality, sincerity and lyricism.
Creation of that painting was preceded by a series of equally remarkable works, one of which was the Landscape with Hut. By that point, Savrasov had already found his path in art. He persistently searched for methods that would combine simplicity and truthfulness of the image with emotional experience and inner tension of feelings.
The painting makes the viewer feel sincere excitement, although there is no dramatic plot in the landscape. Everything is very simple: a dilapidated hut, a barefoot boy, a dog dozing in the sun and domestic fowl looking for food in the yard. But the picture is imbued with a strong poetic feeling, that arises at the sight of everyday and not too joyful peasant life, filled with hardships of physical labor and poverty.
The artist achieved this effect through the subtlest tints of color and skillful employment of light and shade, so that his paintings seem to be filled with sunlight. Savrasov had to work hard on the composition and details of each painting. Despite the simplicity of the plot, creation of the landscape surely required a great deal of creative work from the artist and took a long time. The efforts resulted in an amazingly integral piece of art that makes a lasting impression on the viewer.
The type of lyrical landscape created by Alexei Savrasov could not appear outside the Society of Itinerants Art Exhibitions. The theme of Russian nature was one of the main topics in the work of the Itinerants, and its very appearance was the result of democratization of the society, that took place in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Savrasov became one of the most significant representatives or in fact the head of the new school of landscape painting. His work was perceived as a paragon by the next generation of Russian artists, among which there were such recognized masters as Isaak Levitan and Vasily Polenov.
