Ryby1. 1916 Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin (1861-1939)

The composition presents a still life arrangement dominated by fish and produce contained within a woven basket. The artist has employed a muted palette, primarily utilizing shades of brown, gray, silver, and ochre, which contributes to a somber and weighty atmosphere. A dark background intensifies the focus on the objects themselves, minimizing any sense of spatial depth beyond the immediate foreground.
Several fish are arranged in a dense cluster, their forms rendered with broad, expressive brushstrokes that emphasize texture and volume rather than precise anatomical detail. The silvery sheen of the fish is captured through variations in tone, suggesting light reflecting off scales. Their arrangement appears somewhat haphazard, conveying a sense of abundance or perhaps even excess.
Alongside the fish, several carrots are visible, their orange hues providing a stark contrast to the cooler tones surrounding them. A few scattered red objects – likely apples or tomatoes – add further color variation and contribute to the overall feeling of a harvest or market scene. The basket itself is rendered with an intricate pattern of interwoven lines, suggesting a rough, natural texture.
The painting’s subtexts are open to interpretation. The abundance of food might symbolize prosperity or sustenance, yet the somber colors and dense arrangement could also suggest a sense of burden or even scarcity. Given the year of creation (1916), it is plausible that the work reflects anxieties surrounding wartime conditions and potential shortages. The lack of human presence further amplifies this feeling; the objects are presented as isolated entities, devoid of context beyond their physical existence. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation on themes of provision, loss, and the cyclical nature of life.