I. Levitan "Spring. Big Water."
Isaac Levitan, the great Russian landscape artist, called his painting “Big Water.” It depicts the spring flood. Water - a flooded river - occupies most of the canvas. It is blue, cold, clean, smooth, like a mirror surface. It reflects the clear blue sky, light clouds and still bare trees - a grove flooded by the river. Thin trees look defenseless and touching. Among them are trees that are almost obligatory for the Russian landscape - birches. Backlit by the sun, they appear pink.
I. Levitan "March"
Nature basks in the warm rays of the sun. On the left we see a forest awaiting spring. The picture here is strikingly different. Coniferous greenery casts dark shadows. It is obvious that winter cold reigns in the forest, the colors are gloomy and dark. The March sunny rays have not yet had time to warm the gloomy blue-green spruce trees, but I really want the sun to illuminate their scowling crowns with bright golden light! This will happen soon, because it’s March!
F. A. Vasilyeva "Thaw" "
The picture is made in gray-brown tones. She emanates coldness and sadness. Despite the shades, we can understand that this is truly the beginning of spring. The snow is melting, as if taking the cold and cold with it. A road washed out by wheels is like the beginning of a new path. Birds flock to the road in search of food after a harsh winter.
V. Kudrevich "Morning of Spring"
The birch grove sparkles with the reflections of the morning dew. Young foliage, breathing a feeling of spring freshness and purity, is permeated with soft sunlight. And around there is a fragrant carpet of green grass and flowers, among which one can discern soft blue snowdrops and bright yellow coltsfoot inflorescences.
The sky is made in gray shades, and the trees in the background are shrouded in a light haze. Because of this, the vegetation in the foreground looks even more voluminous and rich, shimmers and plays with bright colors.
A. G. Venetsianov "On the arable land. Spring"
We see in the picture a plowed field in early spring. Somewhere along the edges greenery is breaking through, it is clearly visible on the front, untouched edge of the field. At the right edge there are several thin trees green near a strange beveled stump. A very elegant woman in a pink sundress and a beautiful kokoshnik easily leads two people along the plowed ground. strong horses, which pull the harrow behind them. A woman walks across the arable land barefoot, stepping very lightly, as if dancing, with a smile on her face.
The change of seasons is one of the favorite themes of Russian landscape artists, and this is not surprising. Catch the unnoticed to an ordinary person transitional states of nature, convey shades of mood, subtleties of one or another color range- all this requires special skill and special emotional sensitivity of the painter. Many artists consider the autumn and spring periods to be the most fertile in terms of material selection, plasticity and expressiveness.
general characteristics
Savrasov and Levitan, Yuon and Vinogradov, Venetsianov and Ostroukhov, Kuindzhi, Shishkin - this is the most modest list of the best domestic masters. Considering their works, let's try to understand: what kind of Russian is he? spring landscape? The paintings “The Rooks have Arrived”, “March”, “First Greenery” and others immerse us in a joyful and enlightened state of the awakening of nature, the melting of snow, the sparkling sun on the first lush greenery. A celebration of life, light, joy, anticipation of renewal not only outside world, but the inner human “I” of the artist - such, for example, is Levitan’s spring landscape. Paintings “Spring. Big Water”, “March” literally radiate sunshine and warmth. We feel the spicy freshness and sweetness of the air, hear the sound of drops and the ringing hubbub of birds. Every encounter with such a painting helps one to relive the happiness of being again and again, to enter into harmony with natural rhythms and laws. After all, we feel the thirst for renewal, hope for the best, our own spiritual youth more clearly and sharply in the spring. Therefore, a spring landscape or an encounter with nature “live”) represents for most people the opportunity to start over, enter a different direction, become better, cleaner, more enlightened. We will try to understand and feel this by analyzing some of the listed paintings in this article.
Savrasovsky "Rooks"
The spring landscape of Savrasov’s painting, which has essentially become business card artist. Written and exhibited in 1971, it immediately became the subject of discussion, approval and recognition of the true talent of its creator. Savrasov’s colleague in the “artists’ workshop” called this painting “wonderful,” “truly spring.” What do we see on it? It seems that there are still boring winter snows, bare trees, unkempt miserable village houses, the silhouette of a church and a gray sky with rare blue gaps. Cold, damp, uncomfortable. And take a closer look! And now other details become noticeable. It was as if a soft breath of a warm spring breeze swept across my face. The pond has melted, and thawed patches are visible here and there in the spongy snow. And, most importantly, the branches of the still bare trees are cheerfully and animatedly inhabited by rooks - the restless messengers of the coming spring. As Benoit notes, in last years Before the appearance of Savrasov’s oil painting, spring landscapes literally filled art exhibitions. But it was “Rooks” that turned out to be marked with that stamp of inspiration that distinguishes true masterpieces from fakes.
March motifs in Levitan's work
Another luminary takes up the spring baton landscape genre- Isaac Levitan. His “March” is a surprisingly bright, light, festive picture. It is saturated with the warmth of the sun, radiates it and with every detail emphasizes the inevitable death of winter. The deep, blue sky, the melted rutted road, the open doors of the house, the shine of birch trunks in the sparse withered leaves of last year, the Savraska peacefully dozing under the rays of the sun that warmed it - all this makes us think about the very soon onset of truly hot days. Levitanov's spring landscape, whose drawings are familiar to us from school, is deeply Russian and national. But it is understandable and close to anyone who is drawn to beauty and loves nature.
Features of children's perception
It is no secret that becoming familiar with works of art requires a lot of intense internal work. Our soul must work - learn to empathize, sympathize, and sympathize. This is a complex process that needs to be taught to a person from an early age. And spring landscape pictures for children can help. Delicate and fragile snowdrop, swaying its beautiful head on a thin dark green stem; an image of gardening and field work, the first rain and the first rainbow, a titmouse on a branch with small sticky leaves - such sketches create a familiar and recognizable experience, help to comprehend the peculiarities of the change of seasons and introduce the child to new world, whose name is Nature and Life.
They write prose about spring, and devote poetry to spring. And, of course, the paintings are dedicated to spring. We bring to your attention a small selection of paintings by Russian artists on the theme of spring.
Poems and spring
“Before spring there are days like this:
The meadow rests under the dense snow,
The dry and cheerful trees are rustling,
And the warm wind is gentle and elastic.
And the body marvels at its lightness,
And you won’t recognize your home,
And the song that I was tired of before,
Like new, you’ll eat with excitement.”
Anna Akhmatova
Berggolts Richard Alexandrovich
Spring Awakening
1911, oil on canvas, 80 x 160 cm, Omsk Regional Museum fine arts them. M.A.Vrubel
“The day was sunny and windy, the kind of day when you can go around the corner of the house, hide from the wind, press your back against the wall slightly warmed by the sun and feel with all your heart the joy of the arrival of spring and warmth... Stand, squint your eyes and smile.”
Evgeny Grishkovets, “Rivers”
Shishkin Ivan Ivanovich
Forest in spring
1884, x. m. 142 x 105 cm, Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum
As you know, Ivan Shishkin often turned in his works to the theme of the life of the Russian forest, Russian meadows and fields; he is improving in conveying the state of nature, the expression of images, and the purity of the palette. This is how the painting “Forest in Spring” (1884) is born, which combines both majesty and warm notes.
Early spring. Thaw
1880s, x. m., 68x54 cm., Art Gallery them. B.M. Kustodieva. Astrakhan
In his work, Savrasov paid a lot of attention to the theme of the seasons, and especially loved spring. In his paintings, the artist knew how to see beauty in the most ordinary and prosaic landscape.
Alexey Kondratyevich Savrasov
The Rooks Have Arrived
1871, oil on canvas, 48.5x62 cm, Tretyakov Gallery
The painting “The Rooks Have Arrived” is the most famous work Savrasova. The subject of the painting was taken by the artist in the ordinary village of Molvitino. Immediately after the show, the canvas was bought by P. Tretyakov for his collection. And over time, the painting, the very name of which already conceals the joyful arrival of spring, became an example of simple beauty in Russian landscape painting: the whole landscape is filled with warm spring air, as joyfully chirping birds and all nature are looking forward to the imminent arrival of sunny and warm days.
Isaac Ilyich Levitan
Spring. Big water
1897, oil on canvas, 64.2x57.5 cm, Tretyakov Gallery
Another artist who loves spring, Isaac Levitan, decided to depict in one of his paintings his favorite season during the period of its strongest manifestation. The picture reveals a flood that has captured part of the coastal forest and several village buildings. Since the artist tried to convey the Russian spring as accurately as possible, without embellishing anything, the palette of the painting is unusually modest, but truthful and realistic. And nature does not need decorations.
Kuindzhi A.I.
Early spring. 1890-1895
Calendar spring has already come into its own. More and more often, walking down the street, we feel the warmth of the sun's rays, we increasingly notice puddles in the courtyards and know for sure that the roads will soon turn into stormy spring rivers. Spring gives each of us its own impressions: while some are afraid to get their feet wet and complain about the dirt and slush, others exchange their fur coats for light raincoats and put on colored rubber boots.
What can I say, we all experience spring in our own way. Let's turn our attention to the classics - immortal paintings, let's try to see this extraordinary time of year with our eyes famous artists. Great poets who sang so different poems spring days, will help us penetrate into the intentions of the authors of paintings!..
Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi (1842 – 1910)
Undoubtedly, it is worth starting with the outstanding innovator in the field of painting and talented teacher A.I. Kuindzhi. He is rightly called the “master of light”. Colorful, impressive, living canvases dedicated to Russian nature have become a real event in art. The poems of M. Lermontov very subtly and accurately convey the mood of his paintings:
When the ice is broken in spring
It flows like an excited river,
When among the fields in some places
The bare earth turns black
And the darkness lies in clouds
To the hollow fields...
M. Lermontov
(fragment of the poem "Spring", 1830)
Early spring, 1890-1895
Alexey Kondratyevich Savrasov (1830-1897)
Another outstanding painter, master of Russian landscape – A.K. Savrasov. His canvases very subtly and soulfully convey simplicity, touching sadness and deep essence native nature. But the best thing about the artist was said by his no less famous student, I. Levitan: “With Savrasov, lyricism appeared in landscape painting and boundless love for his native land.”
Songs of the larks again
They rang in the heights.
“Dear guest, great!” –
They say spring.
The sun is already warmer,
The skies have become more beautiful...
Soon everything will turn green -
Steppes, groves and forests...
A. Pleshcheev 
The rooks have arrived, 1871 
Thaw, 1874 
Spring day, 1873 
Early spring, 1868, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Isaac Ilyich Levitan (1860 – 1900)
You all know the commandment: “You shall not make yourself an idol.” Alas, I cannot resist and note that since childhood, the work of I.I. Levitan gave me no rest. This outstanding painter studied with no less famous artists and teachers: A.K. Savrasova, V.G. Perov and V.D. Polenova. The depth of spaces, the movement of air, the fullness and “sound” of the river - all this is physically felt just by looking at his paintings. The poem by the classic of Russian poetry F. Tyutchev perfectly conveys the mood of the spring paintings of I. Levitan:
The snow is still white in the fields,
And in the spring the waters are noisy -
They run and wake up the sleepy shore,
They run and shine and shout...
They say all over:
"Spring is coming, spring is coming,
We are messengers of young spring,
She sent us ahead!
F. Tyutchev
(fragment of the poem " Spring waters", 1829)
March, 1895 
Spring. Big water, 1897
Stanislav Yulianovich Zhukovsky (1875 – 1944)
Another talented student of V.D. Polenova, V.A. Serova, S.A. Korovina, I.I. Levitan, who rightfully received the title of master - S.Yu. Zhukovsky. With large strokes, elaboration of details, color nuances, contrasts of light and shadow, he perfectly conveys the feeling of spring, impending changes and the awakening of nature.
Wave after wave rolls
Into the immeasurable ocean...
Winter gave way to spring,
And the hurricane howls less often;
Merciless time does not wait,
It is in a hurry to meet a deadline;
The fields and fields of the rich are a burden,
The white snow has disappeared...
ON THE. Nekrasov
spring water 
Spring 
Spring 
Early Spring (Gazebo in the Park), 1910 
Spring bubbling stream, 1913 
Spring evening, 1904 
Spring, 1913 
Spring
Ilya Semenovich Ostroukhov (1858 – 1929)
Another phenomenon of Russian painting is the canvases of I.S. Ostroukhova. This extraordinarily gifted man, with an excellent education and erudition, who had played the piano since childhood, became interested in painting by the age of twenty, which did not prevent him from achieving extraordinary heights in his new field. In the paintings of I.S. Ostroukhov combines a soft impressionistic style of writing and the poetics of a lyrical landscape, close to the paintings of I.I. Levitan. Very accurately the mood of his works dedicated to spring is conveyed by A.T.’s poem. Tvardovsky:
The snow will darken blue
Along country roads,
And the waters will go low
Into the still transparent forest...
A.T. Tvardovsky
(fragment of the poem "The snow will darken blue")
In early spring 
Early spring
Witold Kaetanovich Byalynitsky-Birulya (1872 - 1957)
An outstanding painter, student of S.A. Korovina, V.D. Polenova, I.M. Pryanishnikova, I. Levitan. Under the influence of artists, he became interested in landscapes and reached extraordinary heights. Subtly feeling Russian nature, its mood and some naivety, he conveyed these sensations to the viewer through his paintings.
Across the river the meadows turned green,
The light freshness of water emanates;
More merriment rang through the groves
Bird songs in different ways...
I. Bunin
(fragment of a poem, 1893) 
Spring, 1899
Konstantin Fedorovich Yuon (1875 – 1958)
K.F. Yuon is rightfully considered an academician of lyrical landscape. Paintings Everyday life depicted on his canvases show everyday life and mood Russian people. In his characteristic manner, combining the technique of impressionism and elaboration of fine details, the artist created bright and memorable paintings. Cloths by K.F. Yuon on the theme of spring, to enhance their expressiveness, we will “illustrate” with a poem by A. Fet:
More fragrant spring bliss
She didn’t have time to come down to us,
The ravines are still full of snow,
Even before dawn the cart rattles
On the frozen path...
A. Fet
(fragment of a poem)
Sunny day. Spring, 1876 
March sun,1915
Isaac Ilyich Levitan 
Spring in Italy, 1890 
Spring. The last snow, 1895 
Spring. White lilac. 1890s.
Alexey Kondratyevich Savrasov 
Rural view, 1867, Tretyakov Gallery
Stanislav Yulianovich Zhukovsky 
Spring (The River Opened Up), 1903 
Old manor. May. 
In May
Window to the forest 
Window to the forest
Konstantin Fedorovich Yuon 
May morning. Nightingale place. Ligachevo, 1915 
Spring in the Trinity Lavra, 1911
Wave after wave rolls
Into the immeasurable ocean...
Winter gave way to spring,
And the hurricane howls less often;
Merciless time does not wait,
It is in a hurry to meet a deadline;
The fields and fields of the rich are a burden,
The white snow has disappeared...
ON THE. Nekrasov
(fragment of the poem "Spring", 1839)
Ivan Avgustovich Velts 
In spring in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, 1896
Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin 
Last snow 
Early spring
Victor Elpidiforovich Borisov-Musatov 
May flowers, 1894 
Spring
Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar 
Last snow 
March snow, 1904 
May evening, 1905
Songs of the larks again
They rang in the heights.
“Dear guest, great!” –
They say spring.
The sun is already warmer,
The skies have become more beautiful...
Soon everything will turn green -
Steppes, groves and forests...
A. Pleshcheev
(fragment of the poem "Spring", 1861)
Konstantin Yakovlevich Kryzhitsky 
Breath of spring, 1910
Turzhansky Leonard Viktorovich (1875-1945) 
Last snow 
Spring in the western region, 1910 
Spring. Moscow courtyard
Before spring there are days like this:
The meadow rests under the dense snow,
The dry and cheerful trees are rustling,
And the warm wind is gentle and elastic.
And the body marvels at its lightness,
And you won’t recognize your home,
And the song that I was tired of before,
Like new, you eat with excitement.
A. Akhmatova
Venetsianov Alexey Gavrilovich (1780-1847) 
On the arable land. Spring
Endogurov Ivan Ivanovich 
The beginning of spring
Bryullov Pavel Alexandrovich 
Spring, 1875
Vasilkovsky Sergey Ivanovich 
Spring
Bashkirtseva Maria Konstantinovna (1860-1884) 
Spring
Dear children and dear parents, hello! It's spring, nature is gradually awakening from sleep. As Fyodor Tyutchev noted,
Nature hasn't woken up yet,
But through the thinning sleep
She heard spring
And she involuntarily smiled.
It was not only poets who loved spring. Russian landscape painters often depicted spring motifs; they liked to paint on canvas the first rays of the sun and the melting waters of March, the first young grass and the blue sky.
Today our material is on the topic of art, because we will look at paintings by Russian artists about spring, look for the beauty of Mother Nature in them and talk about it with the artist’s brush.
Lesson plan:
What did artists see in the Russian spring?
Early spring is often seen in the paintings of famous Russian artists. This is always the hidden tenderness awakened after winter sleep nature, when in the melting March snow sunlight is reflected. Landscape painters such as Alexei Savrasov, Isaac Levitan, Konstantin Yuon, Sergei Vinogradov, Arkhip Kuindzhi are true masters of the artistic brush who were able to convey the joyful spring mood.
You don’t need to be somewhere in the middle of a field or forest, just look at the pictures and feel the fresh wind or spicy air, or hear the murmur of a stream. Each canvas painted by Russian artists helps to find harmony with nature in anticipation of the new life that spring brings. Even the titles of their works already speak of the arrival of spring.
And now I offer from general description works of famous Russian landscape painters go to specific canvases.
Savrasovsky rooks
The most famous, probably, of all the paintings about spring, the name of which “The Rooks have Arrived” is heard by every second person. When we were schoolchildren, we also wrote about this work by a Russian artist. Why is she so eye-catching?
So, the main theme is the beginning of spring, which the landscape artist managed to convey with unusual precision. The gray-brown range of colors tells us that spring is just waking up from its winter sleep. A simple and at first glance unprepossessing landscape begins with melting dirty snow and bare birch trees in the foreground.
But you just have to take a closer look! On the right, the snowdrifts have long turned into thawed patches, indicating that a little more and it will be warm, thereby filling the picture air with spring freshness. The sky also says that winter is giving up its rights. Blue is visible through the clouds.
If you look carefully, you will certainly notice the temple visible through the birch trees. What is noteworthy is that the sketches were written by the author from life in the Kostroma province, and the Church of the Resurrection today stands in the same place.
Savrasov finalized the painting he had already begun in Moscow; the finished canvas appeared in 1871. The presentation of the work turned the whole world of painting upside down at that time. Called “a hymn to Russian nature,” it immediately attracted the attention of art connoisseurs. Everyone famous amateur art Tretyakov immediately purchased it for the collection, which is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Well, and of course the main harbingers are the arriving rooks, which cling to the bare branches of the birch trees. There is no longer any doubt: spring is on the doorstep!
This is interesting! Savrasov’s painting impressed art lovers so much that already in 1872 the author was ordered replicas - that’s the name given to copies that the artist painted, changing the size somewhere, the brightness of the colors somewhere, and adding details in some. In 1997, a canvas with rooks and a portrait of the artist settled on a Sberbank commemorative 2-ruble coin.
Rural spring of Levitan
Isaac Levitan, a well-known lover of landscapes, will take over the baton. His painting is known called “Spring has come,” which is one of his most lyrical works. The canvas was painted in 1896 while visiting friends in the Moscow region.
The plot of the picture is quite simple - the artist tried to convey to us one of the warm days of early spring in rural areas. Its main part is land that has just been freed from snow. The first grass has already appeared in some places, but the trees are not ready to come to life after winter sleep and stand not dressed in greenery. The village huts stand gloomily in the corners in anticipation of the spring warmth, between which a gusty wind blows.
In the background, behind the fence, endless fields and forests lie in a turquoise haze. The sky is still cold, not yet warmed by the sun. The author collected all this in one landscape, trying to show that winter is about to give way, even though spring is just beginning to step on its heels.
The uniqueness of this work by Levitan lies in the fact that he used different techniques - drawing with gouache, filling, shading with a pencil and pen, as well as whitewash.
This is interesting! Over the 20 years of his creativity, having started working with Savrasov, the artist bypassed his teacher and created for Russian art as much as no landscape painter has ever achieved.
Spring motives of Vinogradov
Painting famous artist Sergei Vinogradov’s “Spring” is a real celebration of awakening nature. Surprisingly bright and festive, it all breathes sunshine, and the first warmth of spring is everywhere - in the bright blue sky, almost melted snow and tree trunks stretching upward.
It is already noticeable that fresh greenery is breaking through last year’s withered grass. Although there are still areas of snow-covered land, their days are numbered - the bright sun is about to melt the winter cold. Even an old house already cried with a drop of icicles, drying the roof under sun rays, and exposed his side to the spring warmth. This artist’s work evokes joyful feelings in anticipation of changes in nature.
This is interesting! Famous landscape painter Sergei Vinogradov is considered Levitan's heir. In addition to nature, in 1914-1917 he painted postcards on a military theme.
Yunovskoe “March Sun”
Most famous work Konstantin Yuon entitled “March Sun”, written in 1915, carries a spring mood. Her blue tones, in which the sky is dressed, and the snow that has not yet melted give a feeling of lightness and serenity, as if assuring that everything is behind us - the frosts have been survived, a warm spring is ahead.
The artist tried to convey the feeling of joy of the first days of spring on an ordinary everyday day. Against the backdrop of houses, guys are riding horses along a village street, and it seems that we hear the crunch of snow under their hooves. The dog and foal flirting with each other also rejoice in the spring. The roofs and treetops are illuminated by the March rays, and blue sky Light clouds float slowly.
The picture is permeated with frosty March air, but very soon streams will run through these rural streets, and birds will chirp joyfully in the trees.
This is interesting! In addition to painting, Yuon was interested in artistic graphics and designed theatrical productions.
Spring at Kuindzhi
Arkhip Kuindzhi is considered a master of lighting effects. He skillfully created his landscapes using a combination of light and shadow. His cheerful and lyrical painting “Early Spring” was painted in 1895. At the center of the master’s work is a river, still frozen in ice in anticipation of the spring flood. The first water appears through the cracks, and this means that the warmth is getting closer and closer.
Spring is eagerly awaited by the blue sky, bare branches of trees, and emerging grass. The entire composition of Kuindzhi’s painting suggests that it will no longer be possible to stop it. Bright colors, which the author used, add richness and create a feeling of joy, and the light flooding the entire picture allows you to feel the arrival of spring. The airiness is imparted by the transition of color shades from sky to water.
A lonely birch tree on the river bank, slightly bent towards the water, stretches its branches into the sky. A little more and it will be covered with fresh leaves. ABOUT last breath winters speak and thawed patches are in the foreground.
This is interesting! Kuindzhi learned to draw while being a retoucher in a photo workshop. He bequeathed his entire fortune of 453,300 rubles accumulated from the sale of paintings to the artists’ society. The painting “Early Spring” is on display at the Ukrainian Museum of Art in Kharkov.
There are many other paintings, no less famous, that describe this wonderful time of year. If you are interested, you can independently study the landscapes of other famous Russian artists and try to write mini-essays on them.
That's all for today.
With wishes spring mood, "ShkolaLa"!
