“Oak Grove”
“Oak Grove” is an incredible oil on canvas painting from 1887 by the Russian artist, Ivan Shishkin. Shishkin’s art is most closely associated with the Peredvizhniki movement, the Russian counterpart of the Realism movement happening in France at the same time. His favorite subject to depict was always the landscapes of Russia. During his time, he was even called the “singer of the Russian woods”.
Shishkin owned a home in the countryside just south of Saint Petersburg. He would spend long periods of time there, roaming the forests and woods, and studying nature. As he was a realist, his aim was to recreate the natural beauty of what he saw without trying to add his own narrative. Shishkin was particularly fond of pine and oak trees. His paintings are almost portraits of the trees themselves, capturing every minute detail.
Shishkin’s paintings are so realistic that they look like photographs. Much of that is due to his deftness at displaying chiaroscuro, the shadows and light in his paintings. As seen in this painting, the scope of Shishkin’s work often cut off the tops of the trees, adding a strength and immensity to his old forests.
“Oak Grove” is currently in the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
For more on Ivan Shishkin, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
