Spring in Italy 1. 1890 Isaac Ilyich Levitan (1860-1900)

Description of Isaac Levitan’s painting Spring in Italy

There are two marvelous landscapes by this painter and they are both dedicated to Italy, and more specifically to spring in Italy.

Actually spring is a beautiful time of year everywhere. But Levitan reveals to us the Italian spring, which means that there is something to it.

Two landscapes, created in the same year and almost in the same place, in the mountains, but how different they are.

On the first canvas, most likely it is already sunset and the flowering trees are gradually sinking into darkness. But the sun is still illuminating the distant snowy peaks, and dusk is gradually descending into the mountains. Is it beautiful? Yes. But we can assume that clouds suddenly appeared in the perfectly blue sky and their shadows began to "run" on the ground. It may be, in this country the weather sometimes changes its temper very quickly, just like the people who live in these parts.

The second canvas is much the same, but only this time the sun has not set, so the landscape is quite bright and sunny. A country road leading somewhere in the distance, green hills at the very top. And of course the snowy mountain, which shines with its snowy whiteness. The riot of colors even on the first canvas, in the dark tones you can definitely see the pale pink and white blooming apple trees. It looks very beautiful from the side, and most importantly wildly romantic.

Levitan stayed true to himself, and even here in Italy managed to exceed all expectations. But still his Russian landscapes are incomparable. What is true is true - native spaces Levitan painted much better and more interesting. But all the same the point is not that, but that even in the Italian provinces he found a riot of colors and was able to convey so beautifully and emotionally with all the colors of warm hues.

That’s what draws our eye - the colors, from dark green to crystal white. And of course, this is his European hymn to Spring, which is always and everywhere, and probably always will be.