Description of the painting by Ivan Shishkin “The forest before the storm

Description of the painting by Ivan Shishkin The forest before the storm

This work can rightly be considered the most colorful in the work of the artist. Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin had a weakness for landscapes, considering them as the main inspiration for his canvases. In the future, his paintings will become a kind of symbolism of Russian expanses. The artist himself was called “forest warrior” due to the many canvases on this subject.

Speaking of this picture, the most inconspicuous strokes at first glance are clearly traced here. The whole composition represents the very moment of calm before the raging elements, conveying the deep silence of nature around. The horizon line clearly divided the canvas into two levels, where the top is filled with life-giving moisture, which is about to fall down. The lower level is presented in the form of exhausted nature, so eagerly eager to get that same moisture.

Experts note the excellent mastery over the levels and complexity of color, which

the master has repeatedly used in his works. Here there is an abundance of green and blue hues, so realistically conveying the mood and atmosphere of the painting itself. The viewer is literally transferred to the forest, feeling the approach of a thunderstorm. However, the canvas is not overloaded with unnecessary details, which allows you to enjoy the natural harmony.

Shishkin depicted a smooth transition of celestial colors from a harmless blue to a deep blue, which in this case symbolizes the main idea of ​​the painting – the approaching thunderstorm. Contemporaries noted that when viewing the work, there was a desire to walk along forest paths, feeling the surrounding atmosphere, listening to the silence around, and waiting for the first raindrops.

This effect was achieved by Ivan Ivanovich, carefully focusing his attention on the fascinating serenity of nature in spite of the elements. Today the painting is located in the Taganrog Art Gallery.


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Description of the painting by Ivan Shishkin “The forest before the storm