Overgrown pond. Domotkanovo Valentin Serov (1865-1911)

Description of Valentin Serov’s painting "Overgrown Pond".

Domotkanovo, Tver Province, was conceived by the artist Serov as the setting for a sunny portrait of his cousin. But capricious weather liked to surprise with suddenly cloudy days. V.A. Serov ingeniously got out of the situation, having decided at the same time to paint one more canvas - "An overgrown pond".

Landscape in 1888 came out masterfully deep and detailed. "The Overgrown Pond" we see in silvery, olive and marsh tones. The painter deliberately eschewed bright colors and abrupt transitions.

The palette of related tones soothes, fascinates and even puts you to sleep. The pond is shown as if frozen; not the slightest ripple moved its smooth surface. Leaves of brownish water lilies cover the whole water surface in islands. Lush alder trees grow on the shore, lightly painted in autumnal yellowing.

Late summer can be guessed in the picture. The sun is already fading, shyly hiding behind the cloudy veil. The reflections of weak and tender light on leaves, tree trunks and water make you feel love for the abandoned, but very beautiful in its naturalness landscape.

Valentin Serov painted a picture that looks like a dream, a sweet slumber. Nature has faded and, saturated with the hot sun, is preparing to dive into autumn and winter slumbers, only to awaken anew in early spring, to awaken and, washed with cool rains, to blossom in all its colors.

The artist’s canvas reeks of mystery and significance. As a brilliant psychologist, Serov knew how to paint the souls of people in their portraits. Similarly, with the nature, it is filled with the painter’s deep psychologism, unknown and full of mysteries of life.

The condensed space of "Overgrown Pond" immerses the viewer in the atmosphere of a forgotten forest, uninvolved in the meaningless bustle of the city.

Now the magnificent in its execution and emotional content the canvas is rightfully exhibited in the Tretyakov Gallery.