Winter landscape with sleigh. Study (1917) Nikolay Feshin (1881-1955)

The canvas presents a wintry scene, dominated by a pervasive sense of stillness and muted light. Here we see a snow-covered landscape, seemingly viewed through a screen of bare branches and encroaching foliage. The palette is restrained; predominantly whites, creams, browns, and touches of faded green suggest the coldness and dormancy characteristic of winter.
The composition directs attention to a small sleigh positioned in the lower right quadrant. Its presence introduces an element of potential movement or narrative, though it remains static within the frozen environment. A weathered wooden structure occupies the left foreground, its verticality contrasting with the horizontal expanse of snow. The rough texture of this construction is rendered through visible brushstrokes, adding to a sense of age and exposure to the elements.
Behind the immediate foreground, a cluster of trees rises, their branches laden with snow. These are not depicted with precise detail but rather as masses of color and texture, contributing to an overall impression of depth and atmospheric perspective. A hint of a building or structure is discernible further back in the scene, its form indistinct amidst the snowy backdrop.
The artist’s technique emphasizes immediacy and observation. The brushwork is loose and expressive, foregoing meticulous detail for a more evocative representation of light and atmosphere. This approach lends the work a sense of spontaneity and intimacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment in time.
Subtly, the painting evokes themes of isolation and resilience. The starkness of the winter landscape suggests hardship and endurance, while the presence of the sleigh hints at hope or anticipation for warmer days. The muted color scheme reinforces this feeling of quiet contemplation, inviting reflection on the cyclical nature of seasons and the passage of time. The overall effect is one of melancholic beauty, capturing a moment of serene stillness within a harsh natural environment.