At the Bogoroditsky oak Karl Pavlovich Bryullov (1799-1852)

Description of Karl Bryullov’s painting At the Bogoroditsky Oak

LIGHT JOY. COOLING. COOLNESS.

This is the feeling of every character in the painting coming to pass under the arch of the oak tree, and the feeling of the person looking at this painting. The work by Bryullov presented here is one of the masterpieces of landscape painting. Painted with bright and cheerful colors, one can feel the sun-hot plain through which the pilgrims are reaching their place of worship and the fulfillment of their wishes.

And very vividly visible and at the same time elusive is the transition from sunlit space to benign shade. The play of color also gives you a sense of the coolness of the stones, which paved the ground in front of the oak tree. You can feel the coolness that hovers in the air, under the shadow of the sprawling and lush crown of this oak giant.

The whole tree bears something fabulous with its image, the powerful trunk of the tree is curved and twisted elegantly and impressively, the crown looks like some wonderful magic mushroom, under the cap of which you can take shelter from the sun and rain. The whole environment around this oak tree radiates energy of wish fulfillment. People endlessly go to this place of power for a special ritual under the shade of the tree, they are not stopped either by the scorching sun or the long journey.

Tired figures of travelers are shown. At the same time, the pilgrims already in the shade of the tree are full of vigor and energy. Special attention is drawn to the old man sitting on one of the roots of the tree. His figure is so mysterious and mystical that one gets an impression that the soul of the tree itself is watching every traveler and makes a final decision about fulfillment of his wish, based on purity of his thoughts.

It is not for nothing that the elder sits on the protruding root of the oak, and his whole appearance speaks of thoughtful attention. He seems to be here and now, but at the same time he tilts his head and looks very detached from the situation, like a person who is fully immersed in inner contemplation.

Fabulous beauty of the crown of the tree the artist doubled and strengthened by the sun umbrella of one of the travelers. This detail strengthens the attention on the mesmerizing crown of the tree, which fulfills the innermost desires of the visitors. The beauty of the tree is mesmerizing and very natural - the full effect of presence is created.

The painting serves as a vivid example of Bryullov’s skill as an unsurpassed landscape painter. The light in the crown of the tree plays and sparkles, the feeling that you see moving sunlight when you look at the picture for a long time.