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Monastery over the river, Polenov – overview of the painting

Monastery over the river, Polenov – overview of the painting
Monastery over the river, Polenov - overview of the painting - 1

  • Author: Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov
  • Museum: Sevastopol Art Museum. Krositsky
  • Year: 1898

Overview of the painting :

Monastery over the river – Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov. 1898. Oil on canvas. 35 x 45.5 cm

   This canvas evokes associations with the best examples of French impressionism, so close to them in spirit and style of performance. Large and small expressive strokes, bright juicy colors, a feeling of freshness and huge, vast expanses – this is what this picture consists of, on which there is not a single living character, only a landscape.

   The bright, whitewashed buildings of the monastery with beautiful greenish-biryuzovy roofs seemed to hang on a hillside over vast blue expanses. It seems that temples are floating over the whole world, the view that opens from the point where the artist wrote his canvas is so huge. Steep slopes covered with deep ravines are overgrown with thick emerald grass, whose bright and juicy greens cover dense blue shadows. Trees growing on a hilltop with dense mass surround the monastery buildings, which seem drowning in their dark, dense greenery.

   Thanks to the use of cool tones, the viewer seems to be physically feeling the freshness of the air and its crystal purity. It is thanks to the airiness of the image that the picture is perceived as so light, clean and favorable. On it lies the peace of detachment from worldly life.