Description of the painting by Alexei Venetsianov “Barn”

Description of the painting by Alexei Venetsianov Barn

The “barn floor” was completed by Alexei Gavrilovich Venetsianov in 1822. This picture is positioned as one of the first works of the domestic genre, describing peasant life. Especially for work on the canvas the author settled in the province. Every day the artist watched the unsophisticated labor of the peasants. Before us is a wooden shed, where the storage and grinding of bread.

The threshing-room is a wooden structure filled with sheaves of hay for feeding animals, and recently collected grain. The light penetrates the barn from all sides, which illuminates with its warmth the labor of the peasants, some are harnessed a cart to transport grain from the field, others are preparing for field work or resting. We can observe the interior indoors, the artist gently describes the smooth, perfectly stacked logs that make up the framework structure.

There are sickles and scythes for harvesting on the walls. Harnessed horses stand waiting for the start of work.

The picture describes a large room, the eyes can not capture it completely. We are constantly moving from one section of the canvas to another, trying to perceive the entire exhibition as a whole, it is quite difficult.

Too many figures and actions are depicted on the “Barn” canvas, it is literally saturated with activity. Each person here is busy with something, each personifies a particular image, demonstrates character with the help of gestures and facial expressions.

The village of Safonkovo in the Tver province, whose inhabitants are depicted on canvas, is one of the author’s warmest and most penetrating canvases. It is evident that he deeply studied the nature and way of life of the villagers. They are in natural, comfortable postures. They froze only for a moment. It should be the audience to look away, and it seems they will continue their vigorous activity.


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Description of the painting by Alexei Venetsianov “Barn”