Mordvinovskie oaks 1891 84h111 Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin (1832-1898)
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin – Mordvinovskie oaks 1891 84h111
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Painter: Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin
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Ivan Shishkin’s surprisingly poetic painting, Mordvinov Oaks, was created near St. Petersburg. The artist’s summer sunny days were fully occupied. Like a worker at a loom, he would come to these oaks and painstakingly paint almost every leaf. Such detail was not typical of artists of his period, but Ivan Shishkin already had his own style and, of course, their own preferences. Most of all, judging by the paintings, the artist loved oaks and pines.
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Description of Ivan Shishkin’s painting "Mordvinov Oaks".
Ivan Shishkin’s surprisingly poetic painting, Mordvinov Oaks, was created near St. Petersburg. The artist’s summer sunny days were fully occupied. Like a worker at a loom, he would come to these oaks and painstakingly paint almost every leaf.
Such detail was not typical of artists of his period, but Ivan Shishkin already had his own style and, of course, their own preferences. Most of all, judging by the paintings, the artist loved oaks and pines. Both trees are powerful in their own way. Oak represents remarkable strength, and pine - unprecedented stature.
The two huge oaks, spreading their branches wide, are illuminated by the generous summer sun, judging by the yellowing tones, it’s after noon, but it’s still a long way from sunset. And what is surprising, this warmth is felt almost physically from just looking at the picture. The impression is that a gentle breeze will blow and the leaves on the giant trees will rustle.
According to his contemporaries, Shishkin used to come to paint these oaks at exactly the same hour so that the light fell on them equally, and at other times of the day he painted several other works in parallel. In the mornings - a field, in the evenings - a pond. That was the secret of the artist’s fertility. He himself believed that inspiration will certainly come during the work, it is only necessary to get out on nature. And in the vicinities of Peterhof nature gives a rich ground for the painter. The main thing is to choose a point and feel the composition.
In this picture behind the oaks you can see a yellow house with green shutters and a canopy over the entrance. The windows are open, the heat is on the street. Behind the house, the crowns are yellowed, probably from the heat. Only two mighty oaks are still standing, their leaves still green. Only bare branches shine through here and there.
In the shade of such a tree you can take shelter from the scorching rays of the sun. But how do you know whether the painter was working in the sun or hiding under a similar oak tree? The shadows at the very bottom of the painting suggest the latter.
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Below the oak stretches a field of tall grass, rendered in varying shades of yellow and green to suggest late summer or early autumn. The ground slopes gently upwards towards the tree, further accentuating its imposing stature. In the distance, partially obscured by the foliage, sits a modest building with visible windows; it appears to be a dwelling, hinting at human presence within this natural setting.
The sky above is painted in soft blues and whites, suggesting a clear day. The brushwork throughout the painting exhibits a degree of looseness, particularly noticeable in the depiction of the grass and foliage, which lends a sense of immediacy and vitality to the scene.
Subtly, the work explores themes of permanence versus transience. The oak, representing enduring strength and resilience, stands as a silent witness to the passage of time, contrasting with the ephemeral nature of the field and the implied human activity in the distant building. Theres an underlying feeling of quiet contemplation; the scene evokes a sense of solitude and connection to the natural world. The artist seems interested not only in depicting the physical appearance of the tree but also in conveying its symbolic weight – perhaps representing tradition, stability, or the enduring spirit of a place.