Description of the painting by Isaac Levitan “Train on the way”

Description of the painting by Isaac Levitan Train on the way

Isaac Ilyich Levitan was born into a poor but educated Jewish family. Parents gave the child an initial home education; At the age of thirteen, he entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Here his teacher was A. K. Savrasov, who transferred to the student a love of nature and the ability to see poetry in any, even the simplest of landscapes.

In addition, Levitan studied under V. D. Polenov – from this creator, he took the ability to transmit light and air using canvas and paints. Isaac Ilyich, like no other, was able to sincerely convey the emotionality of nature and the subtle correspondence of weather conditions to a person’s mood. Simple landscapes performed by Levitan become truly philosophical works.

The painting “Train on the Road” depicts a freight train, carried along by a steam locomotive. The train moves from the bottom of the picture to the viewer; This unusual

perspective creates a sense of complete ownership of what is happening, the so-called “presence effect”. The hill, on which the train moves, is covered with thick green grass and covered with small flowers, blue and white. Under the embankment along which the rails are laid – a deep ravine; telegraph poles, repeating the bend of the road, give the piece completeness and a special rhythm.

In the background, the forest belt darkens, separating the railway from the field and a small village; the high white bell tower of the local church rises above the forest and a bright spot looms in the distance. In the blue sky float a few clouds, painted pink – it is moving towards sunset. During this period of creativity for Levitan, there is a rejection of small details in favor of generalization, monumentalism. Frozen nature on this canvas is diluted only purposefully moving heavy composition; the locomotive produces a club of white smoke, the wheels knock, life goes on.


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Description of the painting by Isaac Levitan “Train on the way”