The painting depicts a rainy autumn day. Three wanderers walk along a washed-out road, sinking into mud. The two on the right side are moving from left to right. The one slightly to the right of the center is moving from right to left. In the background, there is a river and the opposite bank with mountains. Above this landscape, there is a gray, cloudy sky.
The painting was created by Konstantin Kryzhitsky, a landscape artist of Polish descent. He was born into a wealthy merchant family in Kiev. He graduated from a real school and also studied at the drawing school of Nikolay Murashko where Valentin Serov, Mikhail Vrubel, and other artists also began their careers. The training at the school focused on painting from life and was based on the principles of the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions. In 1877, Konstantin Kryzhitsky enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Arts and studied under the guidance of Professor Baron Mikhail Clodt. He graduated with the title of class artist and a small gold medal.
Konstantin Kryzhitsky was considered one of the most talented students in his class. Later, he was awarded the title of Academician “in recognition of his outstanding skills and knowledge as a landscape painter” and was elected a full member of the Academy of Arts. Konstantin Kryzhitsky followed the traditions of academic art. He lived in St. Petersburg and traveled extensively throughout Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries, Germany, and France. Most of his works were demonstrated at the annual exhibitions of the Academy of Arts, while some were showcased at exhibitions organized by the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions.
Konstantin Kryzhitsky was one of the founders of the St. Petersburg Society of Artists. He also co-founded the Arkhip Kuindzhi Society of Artists and served as the chairman of its board in the last years of his life. Konstantin Kryzhitsky has left an impressive artistic legacy. His works are displayed in numerous museums, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, and the Scientific Research Museum at the Academy of Arts. His strengths as a landscape painter include high technical skills, meticulous attention to detail in painting from nature, and an ability to capture the essence of air, light, and mood.
A native of southern Russia, Konstantin Kryzhitsky
loved to paint the nature of other places where the sun was not a frequent
visitor and therefore was especially valuable. He was inspired by the wide
fields of the northwestern regions and the harsh waters of the Baltic Sea. An
example of such a landscape is the small painting “Wanderers”. Wandering was
considered a lifestyle in Russia and perceived as a form of spiritual search.
Wanderers traveled on foot from one region to another, from city to city.
Overcoming hardships along the way was an integral part of wandering.
