“Hunset in the steppe”, Archip Ivanovich Quinji – overview of the painting 
- Posted by Arkhip Ivanovich Quinji
- Museum: Buryat Republican Art Museum
- Year: 1900
Overview of the painting :
Sunset in the steppe – Arkhip Ivanovich Quinji. Oil on canvas 39.5 x 57.5 cm
At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, Archip Ivanovich Quinji addresses the topic of sunset. He was so carried away by the image of the sun that he received the nickname “sunshine”. Quinji depicts sunset at different times and from different angles.
In 2019, an exhibition of his paintings was held in the Tretyakov Gallery. The works of the solar theme were singled out separately. The audience could feel the special receptivity of Quinja to the mood of the luminary: the artist saw how sad it was, leaving his beloved world at night, how he was glad of the opportunity to relax from hourly work.
Among the works collected from all over Russia, there was this one – “Hunset in the Steppe”. Visitors to the National Museum of the Republic of Buryatia lingered with her, enjoying harmony and wondering how this creation brought so far from the artist’s places of life.
The most talented restorers of Russia worked to give the canvas its pristine appearance.
This picture is characterized by color gradation: from dark shades of green to blue striving for transparency. As in many other paintings, there is a main figure that attracts the eyes of an observer. This is the sun, which the scarlet falls over the horizon, staining the sky in golden and pink tones.
The sun has cooled after a hard, complete struggle of the day. Soon the star will go to night rest, gain strength and the next morning will return to the freshened, ready for a labor, or rather, light day.
Among the darkened green grass at sunset, a trail is laid that goes into the frozen blue fog. Pile clouds float against the background of translucent heaven.
The fiery sun, fiery feelings – that’s what filled the life of Archip Ivanovich with. His work still resonates in our hearts.
The transfer of feelings across distances and through times is the main task of art, which Quinji, as a true master of his craft, has performed flawlessly.