borisov-musatov autumn song 1905 Viktor Borisov-Musatov (1870-1905)

Description of Victor Borisov Musatov’s painting "Autumn Song"

Boris Musatov, in addition to portraits, loved to paint natural colors. He was especially successful at capturing the mood of a certain time of year. The author loved autumn, for its juicy hues and bright spots on the grayish earth. Some critics think all his canvases are filled with sadness and gloom. It’s just that he knew how to convey the carefree and habitual way of life of the people who lived on the huge estates. To a greater extent, he painted portraits of his entourage, especially the ladies came out skillfully.

The artist loved to walk around the countryside and make sketches of nature. It was as if he drew with his soul, putting all his skill and talent. The birches lean over the lake, their yellow leaves lying neatly on their branches. The blue sky heralds a change, winter is coming soon.

Musatov managed to convey the autumn song, transferring it to the canvas.

This is what this time of year looks like in his presentation. It is as if he pulled back the thick foliage and saw still greenish hills and fields. The greenery flows smoothly into the blue sky, the details of the landscape are a little blurred. It is a special technique, like a dream that exists but can quickly dissolve into nothingness. The sky and clouds are reflected in the water, this gives the picture a special liveliness. The leaves seem to quietly rustle in the wind, and somewhere high up flies a wedge of cranes to the south.

This is the Russia the artist admired, the colors of autumn soothed and a little bring melancholy thoughts. A true artist is a very mysterious person, so was Boris Musatov. He loved his family and the nature around him. It’s hard not to admire the perfect birch trees, peaceful water surfaces and endless fragrant meadows.

The true beauty of autumn is conveyed in this painting. At first glance, the canvas doesn’t seem to carry any intricate details. Perhaps it does. But it has the infinite soul of the author and his immeasurable love for his native expanses.