Boris Kustodiev created the painting ‘Apple Orchard’ in 1918. Despite the revolution and his illness — the artist’s legs were paralyzed, he had severe pain in his hands — that year the painter created 19 canvases, including the famous “Merchant’s Wife at Tea”.

Kustodiev rarely made sketches for his paintings, most often he painted them “straight on the canvas”. Thus, the pencil sketch for the “Apple Orchard”, which is housed in the museum, is of particular interest to art historians. The drawing was made quickly, with a confident hand; the artist masterfully created lines, stippling and shading.

The composition of the painting is multifaceted. A lush apple orchard is depicted in the foreground, with a girl reaching for an apple. On the second plane, a merchant and his wife are about to drink tea. This is the focal point of the canvas, which Kustodiev emphasizes with a bright color accent — the blue dress of the merchant’s wife.

Apple trees on the sides bring balance to the composition and frame the picture, like theater flats. With the open gate, the artist creates a new perspective and shifts away from a constrained composition.

Like other canvases created during this period, the “Apple Orchard” has a bright color scheme, the space is filled with light. The combination of whites and greens is complemented by warm pinkish-red and yellow shades.

The painting reveals a typical scene from the life of Russian province. Since childhood, Kustodiev was familiar with colorful folk festivals over the Volga, magnificent church ceremonies, peasant life and folklore. The artist actively used in his art the traditions of icon painting, Russian painted signs, folk toys. “… It is not for us, Russians to call colorful diversity ‘barbaric’, we can let the Europeans do that. I believe that brightness is very typical of Russian life”.