For the artist Afanasy Osipov, nature is a special world that opens up a whole layer of meanings to those who treat it with respect and love. The author of the painting was inspired by the calmness of the lake surrounded by high rocks of mountain ranges carefully sheltering it from the winds. The rhythm of the composition is due to the amazing symmetry of space. In the blue surface of Lake Kucherla, mountain landscapes and the sky are reflected as if in a mirror. Travelers note that due to such a reflective surface, the lake seems to change its color depending on weather conditions. If dark clouds thicken over the water surface, the lake will absorb the mood of the sky, thus becoming dark and mysterious. The artist captured the mountains and lake gently illuminated by the sun. The color of the landscape is transmitted in azure, sky-blue, golden, and light brown shades. There is the white glacier adjacent to the shore of the lake. Its melt waters fill Lake Kucherla. Afanasy Osipov is a subtle observer of the state of nature able to convey the primordial beauty untouched by the hand of man. The following words belong to the outstanding artist: ‘Not only the origin of the idea, but also its implementation is always a dream and expectation in the creative process of any artist responsible for their vocation. You need to use every moment of life with maximum dedication, thus giving full scope to the imagination. It is very important to start working directly on the canvas on time. Not earlier or later. And paint, only paint without losing a strong-willed creative mood.’ 

Full name: Mirror of Lake Kucherla

Author: Afanasy Nikolaevich Osipov

Date: 2001

Technique: oil on canvas

The artist was born in 1928 in Gorny Ulus in Yakutia. He graduated from high school and technical school, went to Moscow to study at an art school and institute, and then he returned to his homeland. Here, in Yakutia, he taught painting at the Yakut Art School, traveled a lot around the country, for many years headed the Union of Artists of Yakutia, and organized exhibitions. 

The audience got acquainted with the landscapes of Afanasy Osipov at his personal exhibition in Moscow in 1978 opened in connection with the 50th anniversary of the artist. Here, landscapes that were recently painted occupied almost half of the exhibition. They changed the idea of the Yakut painter whose work was perceived in a new light. 

Afanasy Osipov painted the landscape “Off the Coast of Katun” in 2001. Katun (kadyn) means “lady, mistress, madam” if translated from Turkic. However, there is an opinion that its name contains a pre-Turkic word with the semantic meaning “river”. The wayward Katun is a mountain river that enchants with its beauty. Every time of the year, it changes its “outfit”, that is, the color of the water. The river can turn sky turquoise, get a milky hue, or become transparent like a tear. There are many legends, tales, and songs about Katun. 

The painting features a majestic landscape, in the center of which is Katun. It is surrounded by Altai peaks. 

Mountains in the landscape art of Afanasy Osipov are a separate direction. The mountain systems of Yakutia, Altai, the Himalayas, the Andes, Montenegro, and Central Asia have become an integral part of the artist’s work, and the canvas ‘Off the Coast of Katun’ is no exception. All the picturesque qualities of Osipov’s “mountain” landscape are displayed here, namely: snow-covered dazzling white peaks painted in warm colors, sun-drenched hills, and a cold palette of shaded slopes.