What is a picture of nature? Oil Paintings

Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction of nature in all its forms. These are mainly mountains, valleys, trees, rivers and forests. The main feature is the presence of a wide view, as well as its elements located in a coherent composition. There are different types of landscapes, including rural and urban, sea and river, religious and futuristic.

Types of landscape: the essence

The most popular element of any landscape is the sky. The weather in all its manifestations is also included in the composition. Types of landscape in art can be completely imaginary (imaginary) or copied from reality with varying degrees accuracy. If the main purpose of the image is to represent the actual, specific place, especially for buildings, it will be called a topographical (realistic) view.

The concept of "landscape"

In the visual arts, the term "landscape" comes from the Dutch word landchap(a piece of land) and describes any painting or drawing the main subject of which is the depiction of a picturesque view. Examples include grasslands, hills, mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, forests, coastal views and seas. The painting may be a depiction of a real place, or it may be an imaginary or idealized scene.

The recognition of nature and its choice as a specific subject of art is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the 17th century, landscapes were limited to backgrounds of portraits or paintings devoted primarily to religious, mythological or historical illustrations. Today, the beautiful view of the landscape continues to be a major theme in art.

Landscape through the centuries

In creativity artists XVII century of Claude Lorraine and Nicolas Poussin, the landscape background began to dominate the display historical events. However, their interpretation of the landscape was somewhat stylized or artificial. They tried to adopt the landscape views of Greece and Rome, and their work became known as the classical landscape. At the same time, some Dutch artists, such as Jacob van Ruisad, were developing a much more naturalistic form of painting based on what they saw around them.

When the arts were classified by the French Academy in the seventeenth century, landscape was placed fourth in importance among the five genres. Nevertheless landscape painting became increasingly popular in the 18th century, despite the predominance of classical motifs.

Landscape and its position in the hierarchy of genres

Landscape was an established genre in Chinese art by the fourth century AD, but in Western art Landscape painting dates back to the era of Renaissance art in the sixteenth century. Of course, many artists since Roman times and earlier included picturesque landscapes and views of nature in their paintings, but they were auxiliary elements main topic paintings. The main problem with the landscape was that it was very low in the academic distribution of genres.

The hierarchy of types of fine art during the Renaissance was as follows:

1. Historical painting.
2. Portrait art.
3. Painting, that is, scenes from Everyday life.
4. Scenery.
5. Still life.

These rankings were finally set out in 1669 by the secretary of the French Academy, André Félibien. Thus, the art world, including its patrons, teachers and artists, did not take landscape painting seriously and assigned great value to historical works, portraits and genre pictures. Neoclassical and academic schools followed Greek art in giving primacy to the human body, especially the nude.

The Boom of Naturalistic Landscape Design

The nineteenth century saw a veritable surge in naturalistic landscape design, driven partly by the idea that nature was a direct manifestation of God, and partly by the growing alienation of many people from nature due to increasing industrialization and urbanization. As a result, the traditional hierarchy of genres collapsed.

Landscape artists of the 19th century centuries entered into a large-scale romantic movement, it was at this time that landscape painting finally became a worthy genre in the art academies of Europe and became widespread throughout the world. In the second half of the twentieth century, the definition of landscape was questioned. The genre expanded to urban and industrial landscapes, and artists began to use less traditional means when creating landscape works.

Three Types of Landscape Art

A painting or photograph that depicts nature is called landscape art. Although every artist has his own own style, this genre is usually grouped into three broad categories:

• Representational landscape art is the most basic genre. No special colors or filters are used in the details to create an unrealistic effect. In contrast, representational landscape art focuses on the natural beauty of nature and paints realistic picture subject.
• Impressionist landscape art focuses on depicting a realistic scene in an almost unrealistic light. This is achieved through several techniques, including separating the foreground from the background using soft focus, using unusual lighting techniques, or incorporating saturated, bright, or unnatural colors. Impressionist landscape art largely responds to the artist's or photographer's eye and ability to create a stunning natural image.
• Abstract landscape art relies less on environment landscape and more on the representation of the main subject of the image. In an abstract piece, the landscape may be the background, and the foreground may be the focus on one component, such as a tree branch unusual shape or the shadow of a large object.

Each style has its own characteristics, varying colors, lighting and props. In landscape paintings, as a rule, additional elements are added besides the landscape itself. Traditionally these are animals and people. The purpose of a landscape piece is to showcase the natural beauty of nature, be it calming, brutal or surreal.

Natural landscapes

Landscape painting refers to a work of art in which the main emphasis is on the depiction of nature (mountains, forests, rocks, trees, rivers, valleys, etc.). The Earth is a wondrous creation, from barren deserts to lush rainforests, from endless oceans to cloudy sky. Throughout history, artists have found inspiration in the mysterious beauty of nature and the majesty of the Earth's varied landscapes.

Cityscape: types of cityscape

Landscape paintings are not limited to images of land and nature. For example, they may also include images of buildings, streets, bridges. This type of landscape is called urban. His sketches may include various historical or modern objects. The views of the cityscape are determined according to what is depicted in the painting. Some of the most attractive are images of palaces and castles, religious monuments, as well as residential buildings of the 17th-19th centuries.

Rural and park landscape

When the nature and results of conscious human activity meet together, a certain dissonance is bound to arise. But there is an environment where these two conflicting parties are able to come to an agreement among themselves and achieve relative balance. First of all this countryside and landscape parks, where nature is complemented by architectural elements. The rural landscape has been one of the most popular landscape themes at all times. Artists depicted a house on a hill or near a pond, green meadows with grazing sheep, country roads, and so on.

Topographic landscapes

Flat objects differ from three-dimensional three-dimensional objects, which have length, width and height. One of the options for depicting a landscape is that the image is given a more or less clearly defined relief. This type of landscape is called topographical or sculptural.

Documentary landscapes

Another type of landscape painting is documentary landscapes, which depict scenes from everyday life. The included human figures deserve as much attention as the trees or houses. On the one hand, they add life to the composition, on the other hand, they emphasize the size of the surrounding space in comparison with a person.

Landscapes with animals

A distinctive feature of the landscape is that with their help a feeling of peace, contentment and harmony is created. However Live nature- this is a continuous movement. Trees, plants, rain, wind - these are all dynamic and changeable factors; in this regard, it is quite natural to place animals among them as an integral component of all living nature.

The views can be very different: the mood landscape symbolizes the lyrical coloring of feelings, the architectural one is very reminiscent of the city, sea (marina) and river show the endless beauty of the water landscape. The historical and heroic types are associated with great warriors, mythical heroes and gods. The decorative landscape serves as an excellent interior decoration. There is no specific number of species. Depending on the artist’s vision, industrial (city views), epic, romantic or even cosmic landscapes are distinguished.

The main feature of this genre visual arts is that the main subject of the image is nature in its original form or transformed by man.

Speaking about the genre of landscape, it is impossible not to refer to the work of great landscape painters. Now it is difficult to imagine that two hundred years ago such a thing as a landscape did not yet exist. The traditions of Russian landscape painting began to form only in late XVIII centuries. Before this, artists painted under the influence of Italian and French masters, ennobling nature according to the academic laws of construction, which were considered mandatory in painting of that time.

A huge contribution to the development of Russian landscape was made by the Partnership of Traveling Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki) under the leadership of I. N. Kramskoy. Artists sang the beauty of discreet Russian nature, the simplicity of rural landscapes, and the vast expanses of Rus'.

The greatest masters of landscape:

• Alexey Kondratievich Savrasov (1830-1897)
• Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (1817–1900)

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin (1832-1898)

Art I.I. Shishkina is surprisingly clear and transparent. His paintings are a hymn to living nature and its beauty. He created landscape art with coniferous thickets, with vast expanse, with all the simplicity of the northern landscape.

At the age of 12, at the insistence of his father, he was assigned to the 1st Kazan Gymnasium. Full course never finished. In 1852 he moved to Moscow and entered the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Here A. N. Mokritsky became Shishkin’s mentor. After completing the course (1856), the talented student was advised to continue his education in St. Petersburg at the Academy of Arts. His training was supervised by S. M. Vorobyov.

The teachers immediately noted Shishkin’s penchant for landscape painting. Already in his first year at the academy, he was awarded a small silver medal for “View in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.” In 1858, the artist received a large silver medal for the painting “View on the Island of Valaam.”

The successes achieved allowed Shishkin to travel abroad as a scholarship holder of the academy. The journey began in Munich (1861), where Ivan Ivanovich visited the workshops of popular animal artists B. and F. Adam. In 1863, Shishkin moved to Zurich, then to Geneva, Prague, and Dusseldorf. Feeling homesick for his fatherland, he returned to St. Petersburg in 1866, before the expiration of his scholarship.

In Russia, the artist was awarded the title of academician (1865). From this time on, the most fruitful period of the painter’s work began. The paintings “Cutting Wood” (1867), “Rye” (1878), “Pines Illuminated by the Sun” (1886), “Morning in a Pine Forest” (1889; bears painted by K. A) were created . Savitsky), " Ship Grove"(1898) and many others.

Shishkin worked actively in the plein air, often undertaking travel around Russia for artistic purposes. He exhibited his works almost every year - first at the academy, and then, after the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions was established (1870), at these exhibitions.

Ivan Ilyich Levitan (1860-1900)

Born on August 30, 1860 in the Lithuanian town of Kybartai into a Jewish family. My father was a minor employee in the city government. Soon after the birth of their youngest son, the family moved to Moscow. At the age of 13, Isaac was accepted into Moscow school painting, sculpture and architecture, in the class of A.K. Savrasov and V.D. Polenov. From the very beginning of his studies, Levitan made a living by giving lessons and commissioned portraits. He graduated from college with flying colors, but because of his background, he was awarded a diploma as a penmanship teacher.

He painted his first major painting, “The Quiet Abode,” after a trip in 1890 to the Russian North. The canvas was purchased by P. M. Tretyakov for his gallery. In 1892, the artist was forced to leave Moscow, since Jews were not allowed to live in the capitals. He settled in a village located along the Vladimirsky tract, along which convicts were driven to Siberia. The artist captured these places in the painting “Vladimirka” (1892). In the 90s Levitan made another trip, this time along the Volga. There the painting “Fresh Wind” was born. Volga" (1891-1895). An exacerbation of tuberculosis caused the artist to leave abroad, to France, then to Italy, although the efforts of friends helped him obtain permission to live in Moscow.

Returning home, in 1898 Levitan began teaching a landscape class at the school from which he graduated. His health was deteriorating, and in 1899 the artist, at the invitation of A.P. Chekhov, left for Yalta. Having returned, he began teaching again, but his health continued to deteriorate, and on August 4, 1900, Levitan died.

The landscapes of the singer of Russian nature are not just photographic image nature - the artist managed to convey her living breath. No wonder the critic V.V. Stasov called Levitan’s paintings emotional poems. At the same time, Levitan was not only a magnificent landscape painter. His creative heritage They also make drawings, watercolors, and book illustrations.

The city of Plyos is associated with the name of Isaac Levitan. Levitan comes to Plyos for three summers in a row, in 1888-1890. There is not a single corner or path in the vicinity of Plyos, no matter where you have been Great master. Inspired by the magical beauties of Plyos, he paints almost 200 paintings and sketches here! Now famous paintings: “Above Eternal Peace”, “After the Rain. Plyos", "Evening. Golden Reach”, “Birch Grove” and many others have become decorations of the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum and many collections in Russia and abroad.

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (1844-1927)

Born on June 1, 1844 in the Borok estate (now Polenovo in Tula region) in the family of archaeologist and bibliographer D. V. Polenov. After receiving secondary education, Vasily entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (1863), and a little later began attending lectures at the Faculty of Law at the university.

In 1872, Polenov, who completed both courses with honors, was awarded a trip abroad at the expense of the academy. He visited Vienna, Venice, Florence, Naples, and lived in Paris for a long time. The visit home was short-lived; in 1876 the artist volunteered for the Serbian-Montenegrin-Turkish war.

In subsequent years, he traveled a lot in the Middle East and Greece (1881-1882, 1899, 1909), Italy (1883-1884, 1894-1895). In 1879 he joined the Society of Peredvizhniki artists. In 1882-1895. taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

In recognition of his merits, Polenov was elected a full member of the Academy of Arts in 1893. Since 1910, he was involved in the development of provincial theaters, becoming three years later the head of a special section at the Moscow Society of People's Universities.

Polenov is known as the author of works of various genres. He addressed historical and religious themes - “Christ and the Sinner” (1886-1887), “On Lake Tiberias” (1888), “Among the Teachers” (1896); in 1877 he created a series of studies of Kremlin cathedrals and palace chambers; V different time made theatrical scenery. According to his sketches, churches were built in Abramtsevo (in collaboration with V.M. Vasnetsov) and in Bekhov near Tarusa (1906). But it was his landscapes that brought Polenov the greatest fame: “Moscow Courtyard” (1878), “Grandmother’s Garden”, “Summer” (both 1879), “Overgrown Pond” (1880), “ Golden autumn"(1893), conveying the poetic charm of the corners of city life and pristine Russian nature.

The artist spent the last years of his life in the Borok estate, where he organized a museum of art and scientific collections. The museum-estate of V. D. Polenov has been operating here since 1927.

Alexey Kondratievich Savrasov (1830 - 1897)

The artist was born on May 12 (24), 1830 in Moscow, in the family of the merchant of the 3rd guild, Kondraty Artemyevich Savrasov. Contrary to the wishes of his father, who dreamed of adapting his son to “commercial affairs,” the boy entered the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture in 1844, where he studied in the class of landscape painter K.I. Rabus. During his studies, in 1850, he completed the painting “Stone in the Forest near the Spill,” which art critics consider somewhat awkward in composition. In the same year, for the painting “View of the Moscow Kremlin by Moonlight,” he was awarded the title of non-class artist.

Founding member of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions (see Peredvizhniki). IN early works S. romantic effects predominate ("View of the Kremlin in inclement weather", 1851, Tretyakov Gallery).

In the 1850-60s. Savrasov more often moves to calm, narrative images, in some cases marked by a desire for color unity of works ("Losiny Island in Sokolniki", 1869, ibid.), to enhance the emotional sound of chiaroscuro. The result of these searches was the painting “The Rooks Have Arrived” (1871, ibid.), where Savrasov, depicting an outwardly nondescript motif and emphasizing in life natural environment moment of transition (the onset of early spring), managed to show deep sincerity native nature. Savrasov’s subsequent works are also distinguished by their lyrical spontaneity and interest in the plein air (Country Road, 1873; Courtyard, 1870s; Grave over the Volga, 1874, private collection, Moscow).

Alexey Savrasov, one of the largest representatives of the lyrical movement in Russian landscape, had a huge influence on Russian landscape painters of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

A.K. passed away Savrasov September 26, 1897, buried in Moscow, on Vagankovskoe cemetery. The alley where he is buried bears his name. His favorite student was Isaac Levitan

Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi (1841-1910)

Born in January 1841 in Mariupol in the family of a shoemaker of Greek origin. Having been orphaned, he was raised in a family of relatives. He started drawing early and mastered painting mostly on his own.

In 1855, he went on foot to Feodosia to study with I.K. Aivazovsky. The influence of the famous marine painter on young Kuindzhi was undoubtedly. At the end of the 60s. Kuindzhi arrived in St. Petersburg. The artist presented his first works in 1868 at an exhibition at the Academy of Arts and soon firmly established himself as a master of landscape: “Autumn thaw” (1872); " Forgotten Village"(1874); “Chumatsky tract in Mariupol” (1875), etc.

In 1870 he first visited the island of Valaam, where he subsequently painted a lot. As contemporaries believed, it was the landscapes created there that attracted the attention of viewers.

The painting “Ukrainian Night” (1876) simply stunned the public and determined the author’s special path in art. With her, Kuindzhi began his “pursuit of light” - he sought to achieve the complete illusion of natural lighting. IN highest degree this was manifested in the painting “Night on the Dnieper” (1880) with a sparkling moonlit path in velvet darkness.

The painter revealed the possibilities of the landscape in a new way, transforming, purifying and elevating reality. He achieved extraordinary intensity and brightness of colors and new color solutions. He is characterized by numerous “solar” paintings and sketches (including “ Birch Grove", 1879).

Intense contrast of rich tones, lighting effects- all this was unusual for paintings of the 19th century V. phenomenon. Misunderstanding among his colleagues forced Kuindzhi to refuse to participate in exhibitions at the moment of his greatest success. The last time he exhibited his work was in 1882.

The artist lived as a hermit in Crimea, where he created a series of large canvases and hundreds of sketches, continuing to experiment with paints and color. Among Kuindzhi’s later works are his only narrative painting, “Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane” (1901) and “Night” (1905-1908), breathing extraordinary harmony.

In 1909, Arkhip Ivanovich founded the Society of Artists (which later received his name), which provided support to people of art. The painter bequeathed his entire fortune and the works in his studio to this Society.

We are glad to welcome you to the blog about contemporary art. Today I want to talk about painting, so this post is entirely dedicated to landscapes by Russian artists. In it you will find the most full information about the work of Alexander Afonin, Alexey Savchenko and Viktor Bykov. All of them are not just talented, but divinely gifted individuals. Their creativity is multifaceted, original and skillful. They attract the attention of not only citizens of the Russian land, but also representatives and collectors from far abroad countries. Writing about them briefly is quite a difficult task, but we will try to summarize the information in order to present to your eyes only the most interesting and important things from the lives of artists and their work. Well, let's move on to the landscapes of Russian artists?

Landscapes of the true Russian artist Alexander Afonin

The period from 1982 to 1986 became a turning point for the artist. later life. In addition to the fact that during this time period Afonin received his education at the Zheleznogorsk Art School, it was then that he learned professionalism. Today Alexander considers this school one of the best in Russia.

Nature landscapes of different seasons from Alexey Savchenko

Landscapes by Russian artist Alexey Savchenko They take it not by color, but by some capricious northern mood. , maximum color realism - perhaps this is what is very clearly visible in the author’s paintings.

“Forest as if alive” by Russian artist Viktor Bykov

To complete the post, watch a wonderful video about classical landscapes Russian artists:

First of all, it differs in the colors that modern artists use. They are unlikely to use crystals, which have been widely used by all artists since the Renaissance. But, nevertheless, nature in the works of modern landscape painters is still just as beautiful. Modern landscape differs from its predecessors in a more vivid expression of feelings, moods and thoughts. Most often written Contemporary artists, like their predecessors, use this material so that the result pleases the viewer longer.

Artist Yuri Obukhovsky

The romantic landscape of the "Costa Bravo" ("marina") is filled with artist. Actually, this is the “wild” coast of Spain with a length of just under two hundred km.

The painting shows a narrow bay with a rocky shore. The blue of the calm Mediterranean Sea competes with the blue of the sky, as if faded from the bright sun. Snow-white clouds, emphasizing its blueness, echo the white triangular sailboats far out to sea, waves crashing against the rocks with white foam. The blue of the sea is heterogeneous. Close to the viewer it lightens slightly, while far away it becomes rich blue, as if filled with the power of the unpredictable water element. The picture is so full of romanticism that it does not leave the viewer indifferent. The rocks framing the bay are visible in light lilac shades in the distance, and sparkle with gold up close. They were gilded in different shades by the bright sun, which is not visible to the viewer, but its hot rays are felt in everything. In our gray climate, it’s nice to see rich blue and gold tones, and it’s a joy to have such a picture at home that at any time of the year will speak of summer sparkling with all the colors. This picture is good not only at home, but also in the office, when you can look away from the computer and transfer it to the living, calming sea.

The artist does not confine himself to one marine genre. He is interested in everything: the landscapes of Moscow, Karelia, and Crimea. Wonderful corners of Moscow appear before the viewer in the landscapes “Spring on the Patriarchs” and “Courtyard on Tverskoy Boulevard,” which rediscover the familiar to us. These oil paintings evoke constant admiration. Modern artists see and reflect in their paintings a diverse, delightful world.

Artist Kandybin

The painter gave his love to the landscape of Russia. His canvases depict narrow, transparent and clean rivers with banks overgrown with green grass. Bridges and boats show that somewhere nearby people live in such beauty. Powerful trees, descending from the slopes, approach the shores, reflected in the quiet surface of the water. On one of the canvases there is a five-domed church with a white bell tower, and white water lilies bloom along the shore.

Oil paintings by contemporary artists (landscapes) are realistic. All Kandybin’s canvases are full of peace. And only the trail stitches tell us that people live and work here who take care of the world that surrounds them. In the landscape at the beginning of autumn, when the grass along the river is still green, like the whole forest is still green, a bright golden-orange maple stands out, which sensed the approaching autumn days. Several burgundy-red bushes along the river are also signs of autumn. The artist’s gaze lovingly stops at the winter landscape. The clear silhouettes of old branchy trees are especially beautiful against the background of snow. And the white-trunked birches shine silver next to the green pines and fir trees.

Landscapes by Alexey Savchenko

The experienced landscape painter, who turned forty in 2015, never tires of admiring the changing seasons. He is a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia. Abandoned, half-forgotten villages come to life on his canvases. Almost the same landscape, painted both in summer and autumn, conveys a different, but joyfully pensive mood due to its coloring. The country road is dry in summer, but in autumn its ruts turn dark purple, muddy from frequent rains.

Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Alexander Afonin

Born in Kursk and starting to draw at the age of 12, he was educated at the Zheleznogorsk Art School, which he considers one of the best in Russia. The artist paints all landscapes from nature, without copying photographs. And the result is before us living Russian nature in all its discreet charm and poetry. (paintings by contemporary artists in particular) are full of high aesthetics. And Afonin’s works are very romantic.

In one of the paintings, a small green island with a tiny church in the center opens in front of the viewer. And around in the haze the lake and the huge endless sky merge. The painter found a secluded and beautiful corner and showed it to those who, for some reason, cannot get out of the house. The artist's gaze reveals to us a vast unknown world.

Viktor Bykov discovers the beauty of the forest

The painter became fascinated by forest thickets and edges, which city dwellers do not visit as often as he would like. Sun rays, refracting and playing with colors, permeate his canvases. They change the usual gloomy lighting of the forest. It becomes simply magical.

A winter forest, bowed under the weight of the snowfall that has just passed, seems impregnable, but it invites you to make your way through the deep snowdrifts and shake off the snow from the fallen branches, showering all your companions with it. The morning in the painting is sunny and colors it in pinkish-lilac tones.

Sergey Peredereev

He is a member of the Union of Artists of the Russian Federation. His works are full of constant admiration for our material world. He does not relate to nature like Bazarov, who said that nature is not a temple, but a workshop. No, this is a temple that must be appreciated and loved, because the resources of nature are not endless. To need oil paintings. Modern artists admire not only fields, forests, and copses. Sometimes a small village, perhaps a former town, standing on a rising hill can be very interesting. The picture shows its outskirts, and then the forest begins. (paintings) by contemporary artists take the viewer away from the urban world, from huge apartment buildings, from the flow of cars, to quiet corners where everything is full of harmony.

Many people paint in oils. Contemporary artists often fill them with silence and calm. People in small villages live slowly, trying only to plant, water, weed, harvest, and prepare for the winter on time. And when they go out onto the porch in the morning, they deeply inhale the fresh air filled with the aromas of herbs and flowers.

Looking at contemporary landscape artists, you see that in which the accurate representation of nature is important, which has its origins in the 19th century, the work of modern artists continues. If earlier artists set themselves not only genre goals, but for many it was important to show the oppression of the people, now undoubted skill is poured into oil paintings on canvas by contemporary artists, come to life on the canvases and do not leave the viewer indifferent.

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European artists started using oil paint in the 15th century, and since then it has been with its help that the most famous paintings of all times have been created. But in these high-tech days, oil still retains its charm and mystery, and artists continue to invent new techniques, tearing the mold to shreds and pushing the boundaries of modern art.

website chose works that delighted us and made us remember that beauty can be born in any era.

The owner of incredible skill, Polish artist Justyna Kopania, in her expressive, sweeping works, was able to preserve the transparency of the fog, the lightness of the sail, and the smooth rocking of the ship on the waves.
Her paintings amaze with their depth, volume, richness, and the texture is such that it is impossible to take your eyes off them.

Primitivist artist from Minsk Valentin Gubarev doesn't chase fame and just does what he loves. His work is incredibly popular abroad, but almost unknown to his compatriots. In the mid-90s, the French fell in love with his everyday sketches and signed a 16-year contract with the artist. The paintings, which, it would seem, should only be understandable to us, bearers of the “modest charm of undeveloped socialism,” appealed to the European public, and exhibitions began in Switzerland, Germany, Great Britain and other countries.

Sergei Marshennikov is 41 years old. He lives in St. Petersburg and works in best traditions classical Russian school realistic portrait painting. The heroines of his canvases are women who are tender and defenseless in their half-nakedness. On many of the most famous paintings depicts the artist's muse and wife, Natalya.

IN modern era pictures high resolution and the rise of hyperrealism, the work of Philip Barlow immediately attracts attention. However, a certain effort is required from the viewer in order to force himself to look at the blurry silhouettes and bright spots on the author’s canvases. This is probably how people suffering from myopia see the world without glasses and contact lenses.

Painting by Laurent Parcelier is amazing world, in which there is neither sadness nor despondency. You won’t find gloomy and rainy pictures from him. There is a lot of light, air and bright colors, which the artist applies with characteristic, recognizable strokes. This creates the feeling that the paintings are woven from a thousand sunbeams.

Oil on wood panels American artist Jeremy Mann paints dynamic portraits of the modern metropolis. “Abstract shapes, lines, the contrast of light and dark spots - all create a picture that evokes the feeling that a person experiences in the crowd and bustle of the city, but can also express the calm that is found when contemplating quiet beauty,” says the artist.

In the paintings of British artist Neil Simone, nothing is as it seems at first glance. “For me, the world around me is a series of fragile and constantly changing shapes, shadows and boundaries,” says Simon. And in his paintings everything is truly illusory and interconnected. Boundaries are blurred, and stories flow into each other.

Italian-born contemporary American artist Joseph Lorasso (