Isaac Levitan did not often refer to winter landscapes – apparently, he considered this time of year too monochromatic. This is understandable – winter cannot compete with spring or autumn in the abundance of various shades. The work of the Russian landscape painter “March” is one of the few such works, although it cannot be strictly classified as “winter”, because everything in the picture indicates the imminent arrival of spring.
Although the sun is shining brightly, it is noticeable that spring has not yet come into its own: the snow is still a dense carpet. Young birches near the house are flooded with light, but mighty pines in the distance are in the grip of a gloomy and cold shadow, as they routinely want to extend the passing winter. Nevertheless, spring, although invisibly, is present in Levitan’s painting: a clear blue high sky, snow melted in some places, and even a birdhouse on a high birch make it clear that the days of winter are already numbered.
The artist depicted the backyard of some country estate, to which a sleigh drove up. Apparently, the peasant came to the master to discuss the course of future field work. The wall of a solid two-story house greedily absorbs the warmth of the sun – an old horse harnessed to a sleigh also melts under the first warm rays.
The positive and warm coloring of the painting “March” is provided by a combination of green, blue and white shades. Before Levitan, no one wrote such works, so she became a source of inspiration for a whole galaxy of Russian masters.
Description of the painting by Isaac Levitan “March” in English
Love is able to push on feats, love inspires and becomes a muse. Something similar happened to the artist Levitan. Though he was married, but one adorable creature conquered his heart, and this pushed him to a number of artistic compositions. The picture “March” is also the fruit of the artist’s feelings and expressions of emotions, to his neighbor in the country.
The warm spring sun drowns the loose snow. Since the trees are still covered with snow and there are no leaves yet, you can see the presence of the birdhouse on the tree. All this precedes the onset of summer. Soon it will be possible to walk around the forest, with your friends, enjoying the beauty of nature. Friends arrived for a short time, and at the entrance stand horses tired from the road. What a nice picture, how much joy and hope in it.
Only this picture of the artist reflects such bright thoughts and feelings. She is the only one and he will not write anything like that again. Like every artist, Levitan had his own peculiarities. For example, he rarely wrote winter themes, preferring spring or autumn. But the picture March is an exception. The winter landscape depicted by Levitan was a turning point in the history of Russian painting. Surprisingly, he described the winter so beautifully, the radiance of the snow, the trees and the sky, in winter splendor, only this man. Before him, there was no such work, with such a colorful description of winter. In the picture there is no waiting. The horse is heated by the sun’s rays, not expecting their masters. The horse’s eyelids are covered and it enjoys the warmth of the sun’s rays. The difference picture “March” is the accuracy, simplicity and clarity of this picture.
The viewer is immersed in the state transmitted on the canvas. Seeing the lanes of the road, on which the snow thawed, seeing a wooden house in front of you, it seems as if you are also present on the picture itself. The nature of the picture is cozy, and this is its peculiarity. Part of the picture, which depicts a snowy field, divides the canvas into two halves, while making a share of peace and tranquility. The front part of the picture reflects a pleasant languor. For example, the wall of the house, porch, roof, they are heated by the rays of the sun. The horse is languishing under the sun, dearly warmed and thawed. And on the back half you can see a different description.
Trees, gloom, birch with foliage, not dumped in the predzime, and not yet disturbed by the sun snow. We conclude that the idea and the intention of the master. Although there is a period of warmth, but not all survived the winter and gloomy state. That is, the burden and worries, the burden of problems and sorrows, did not leave completely. Meaning is that it is not always easy to prepare for the times of rebirth. The picture depicted in this masterpiece is natural and true, simple and uncomplicated. But still in the picture there is the complete completeness of the artist’s thoughts.
Year of painting: 1895. Size of the painting: 60 x 75 cm. Material: canvas. Writing technique: oil. Genre: landscape. Style: realism. Gallery: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.