“The Dnieper in the Morning”
For today, a beautiful misty morning view…
“The Dnieper in the Morning” is an oil on canvas painting by the Greco-Russian artist, Arkhip Kuindzhi, from 1881. The Dniepr River is a major waterway that runs through Europe. It originates just west of Moscow and runs through Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine before ending its journey in the Black Sea.
In this piece, Kuindzhi is depicting the river way in the very early morning. The scene is serene a quiet. A solitary bird flies in the sky. The air is so thick with mist that the viewer can almost feel the dampness. Wildflowers dot the hills in the foreground. The river becomes almost imperceptible as it oxbows away into the distance. There is no sun, yet it feels bright. The Dniepr River was a favorite subject for Kuindzhi who painted it several times.
Kuindzhi was associated with the Peredvizhniki art movement, a cooperative group of realism and naturalist painters who sought to depict the Russian countryside. Though his paintings are of scenes that are true to life, Kuindzhi added a touch of the sublime, usually through intense skies. He was known for his master for depicting illumination, as seen in this painting, which glows without a sun.
“The Dnieper in the Morning”’ is currently on display at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.
For more on Arkhip Kuindzhi, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
