The Mound from the collection of the Stavropol Krai Museum of Fine Arts was painted by Russian artist Vasily Polenov. Despite its small size, the painting cannot be attributed to the conventional genre of mere landscape — it has a plot and a high symbolic value. Polenov chose a fascia format, i.e. horizontally elongated format with steppe with an ancient mound and a gloomy incumbent sky over it. On the top of the mound, in the center, Polenov depicted a high pine tree, on the left and right — trees grown thickly, two of them covered with scarlet and ochre leaves. At the bottom of the mound, there is green grass.
By choosing a panoramic composition, Polenov added splendor to a motif usual and unobtrusive at first glance, and filled the subject with timelessness. The artist conveyed the epic image of the ancient land and the time passing away, the unchanged mound — witness to distant historical epochs and long gone events. The air is thick with bluish-gray overtones, in its vibration the outlines of the ancient mound and the steppe become palpable. Plein air painting with subtle capture of the changing light and air is combined with the depth and significance of metaphoric generalization of life observations.
The talent of Vasily Polenov gained recognition and appreciation during his lifetime both in the Russian Empire and in the Soviet Union. He was known as a master of serious paintings and big subjects he would work at over a long time — such as his Evangelic Circle. Polenov became the founder of a new direction in the landscape painting — intimate landscape. He received an academic art education, studied national school traditions and was a consistent realist. Polenov became a member of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions in 1878 and participated in 42 exhibitions of the Society.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Polenov further pursued educational activities: ran walking tours around his estate, organized drama clubs and taught painting to peasants’ children. In 1924, the Tretyakov Picture Gallery organized Polenov’s personal exhibition in honor of his 80th birthday, in 1926, he was one of the first to be awarded the title of People’s Artist of the RSFSR.
By choosing a panoramic composition, Polenov added splendor to a motif usual and unobtrusive at first glance, and filled the subject with timelessness. The artist conveyed the epic image of the ancient land and the time passing away, the unchanged mound — witness to distant historical epochs and long gone events. The air is thick with bluish-gray overtones, in its vibration the outlines of the ancient mound and the steppe become palpable. Plein air painting with subtle capture of the changing light and air is combined with the depth and significance of metaphoric generalization of life observations.
The talent of Vasily Polenov gained recognition and appreciation during his lifetime both in the Russian Empire and in the Soviet Union. He was known as a master of serious paintings and big subjects he would work at over a long time — such as his Evangelic Circle. Polenov became the founder of a new direction in the landscape painting — intimate landscape. He received an academic art education, studied national school traditions and was a consistent realist. Polenov became a member of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions in 1878 and participated in 42 exhibitions of the Society.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Polenov further pursued educational activities: ran walking tours around his estate, organized drama clubs and taught painting to peasants’ children. In 1924, the Tretyakov Picture Gallery organized Polenov’s personal exhibition in honor of his 80th birthday, in 1926, he was one of the first to be awarded the title of People’s Artist of the RSFSR.
