Homeland is one of the numerous landscapes painted by prominent, yet little-known, artist Nikolay Dubovsky. This is quite an unusual painting with its own backstory.
In the 1890s, many landscape artists sought to create an all-encompassing epic canvas conveying the image of Homeland. While Isaak Levitan was working on his famous painting The Lake. Russia, Dubovsky turned to the creation of a large-scale landscape called Homeland. The displayed painting marks an important stage in the process of the artist’s exploration of the theme.
The final version of the painting was completed in 1904, receiving an enthusiastic comment from Ilya Repin: “Oh, that”s quite something! This is the best landscape at this whole international exhibition in Rome! Never before have you been so magnificent and powerful. An original, lively and most beautiful painting!!! “.
The chosen perspective — a panoramic view of the valley unfolding from afar and above — imparts monumentality to the painting. In contrast with the bright green of the meadows, the cold stormy sky, the artist”s favourite and so skilfully conveyed motif, creates a tonal tension and adds particular expressiveness.
Nikolay Dubovsky is one of the outstanding representatives of the Russian school of landscape painting of the turn of the 20th century, a public figure and educator, the last leader of the Society for Itinerant Art Exhibitions, an academician of painting, a member of the Governing Council of the Imperial Academy of Arts, professor and holder of the greatest ever number of Silver and Gold Medals awarded at international exhibitions. During his lifetime, the artist created almost 1,500 artworks. Unfortunately, his creative legacy is almost irrevocably lost.
During his lifetime, he was referred to as one of the greatest landscape painters of Russia; in 1898 he was named academician of landscape painting and in 1900 became full member of the Academy of Arts.
It is Nikolay Dubovsky who is deemed to be one of the founders of the “mood landscape”. His main idea was not to accurately reproduce nature but to create a special mood of the landscape, an impression, human emotions. The artist’s work captures and conveys the psychology of human soul, in which all the secrets of nature, its grandeur and beauty blend together.
In the 1890s, many landscape artists sought to create an all-encompassing epic canvas conveying the image of Homeland. While Isaak Levitan was working on his famous painting The Lake. Russia, Dubovsky turned to the creation of a large-scale landscape called Homeland. The displayed painting marks an important stage in the process of the artist’s exploration of the theme.
The final version of the painting was completed in 1904, receiving an enthusiastic comment from Ilya Repin: “Oh, that”s quite something! This is the best landscape at this whole international exhibition in Rome! Never before have you been so magnificent and powerful. An original, lively and most beautiful painting!!! “.
The chosen perspective — a panoramic view of the valley unfolding from afar and above — imparts monumentality to the painting. In contrast with the bright green of the meadows, the cold stormy sky, the artist”s favourite and so skilfully conveyed motif, creates a tonal tension and adds particular expressiveness.
Nikolay Dubovsky is one of the outstanding representatives of the Russian school of landscape painting of the turn of the 20th century, a public figure and educator, the last leader of the Society for Itinerant Art Exhibitions, an academician of painting, a member of the Governing Council of the Imperial Academy of Arts, professor and holder of the greatest ever number of Silver and Gold Medals awarded at international exhibitions. During his lifetime, the artist created almost 1,500 artworks. Unfortunately, his creative legacy is almost irrevocably lost.
During his lifetime, he was referred to as one of the greatest landscape painters of Russia; in 1898 he was named academician of landscape painting and in 1900 became full member of the Academy of Arts.
It is Nikolay Dubovsky who is deemed to be one of the founders of the “mood landscape”. His main idea was not to accurately reproduce nature but to create a special mood of the landscape, an impression, human emotions. The artist’s work captures and conveys the psychology of human soul, in which all the secrets of nature, its grandeur and beauty blend together.
