Ukrainian night Arhip Kuindzhi (Kuindschi) (1842-1910)
Arhip Kuindzhi – Ukrainian night
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Painter: Arhip Kuindzhi (Kuindschi)
Location: The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow (Государственная Третьяковская галерея).
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The painting was created in 1876. We look at this canvas as if mesmerized. The painter was the first to be able to depict a night in the south so magnificent. Such a depiction of nature could show only a person who loves it very much. Undoubtedly, Quindzhi has a great temperament of a true creator, who creates wonderful pictures that impress the audience. Over the world reigns a velvet night, striking magic.
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Description of the painting "Ukrainian Night" by Arkhip Kouindzhi
The painting was created in 1876.
We look at this canvas as if mesmerized. The painter was the first to be able to depict a night in the south so magnificent. Such a depiction of nature could show only a person who loves it very much. Undoubtedly, Quindzhi has a great temperament of a true creator, who creates wonderful pictures that impress the audience.
Over the world reigns a velvet night, striking magic. There is silence all around. A fairy-tale light pours down from somewhere above. You can’t see the moon. It is floating somewhere in the dark clouds. Phosphorous whiteness comes from the walls of the mazanachas. This part of the canvas is illuminated by the moon.
There is a sense of a kind of life here that is incredibly illusory. All other objects are immersed in utter darkness. We can only guess at the silhouettes of the southern poplars and the outlines of the sleeping mill. They seem to be asleep, breathing peacefully. They came to life thanks to Quindzhi’s marvelous skill, which has the power of true magic.
The utter simplicity of the motif is astounding. Where did Quindzhi get such fairy-tale expressive colors? Maybe it was the night itself that gave them to the artist. She decided to gift the artist for the fact that he loved her immensely. Magnificent shades of indigo and exciting ultramarine really impress.
The painting is as poetic as possible, yet realistic. We recognize the nature of the south, the huts, the light of the moon. But everything around changes under the influence of this ghostly light. An ordinary landscape becomes enchanting and conceals some unexplored mystery. The artist saturates the canvas with contrasts of light and shadow. They help to maximize the impression of this solemn night.
Kuindzhi was able to incredibly expressively tell us all how beautiful the southern night. For this purpose, he specially developed the combination and ratio of colors. This skill allowed the author to achieve the full illusion that the picture is illuminated. Everyone is familiar with the Ukrainian night. But here it opens up from a completely different side.
COMMENTS: 2 Ответы
Высочайший мастер свето-тени! Не перестаю любоваться его картинами и испытывать благодарное чувство восхищения.
"Художник как будто хотел сказать нам: для того чтобы отыскивать поэзию, не нужно отправляться за моря и горы – смотрите! И с наших глаз как будто упала завеса: мы действительно увидели искры неподдельной поэзии и красоты в близких нам, тысячу раз виденных предметах..." (В. Шутов "СВЕТ КУИНДЖИ").
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In the painting Ukrainian Night, the artist depicts a rural Ukrainian village under the deep blue of a night sky. The scene is dominated by a cluster of traditional whitewashed houses with thatched roofs, nestled on a gentle slope. A winding path, illuminated by a faint, almost ethereal green light, leads through the village. Tall, dark trees stand sentinel on the left side of the composition, their forms silhouetted against the dark sky. In the foreground, a body of dark water, possibly a river or pond, reflects the dim moonlight and the shadows of the surrounding landscape. A tall, steeple-like structure, perhaps a church or a bell tower, rises above the houses in the background. A few faint stars are visible in the vast expanse of the night sky, and the horizon line suggests distant, rolling hills.
The subtexts of this painting evoke a sense of peace, tranquility, and the quiet beauty of rural life. The darkness of the night, rather than being menacing, is rendered in deep, rich blues that create a serene and dreamlike atmosphere. The illuminated windows of the houses suggest warmth, life, and a protected, domestic sphere within the vastness of the night. The winding path can symbolize the journey of life, or the simple paths of human connection within a community. The water in the foreground adds a reflective quality, inviting contemplation and perhaps hinting at the subconscious or the passage of time. The isolated yet cohesive nature of the village, clustered together under the immense sky, can also speak to themes of community, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Ukrainian people, even in the darkness. The painting captures a moment of stillness, where nature and human settlement coexist in harmonious, albeit mysterious, beauty.