ostroukhov golden autumn c1887
Ilya Ostrouhov – ostroukhov golden autumn c1887
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Painter: Ilya Ostrouhov
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We are faced with a rather bold decision by the artist to depict autumn in the forest, almost through a tangle of branches - in the picture there are no rivers, no clouds, no rain (the usual signs of autumn) - only barely discernible, among the golden leaffall, the blackening trunks of trees. The sun, obviously, has not risen long ago; in the picture, judging by the shadows and the liveliness of the two forks on the forest path, it is close to noon, but it is still the first half of the day.
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Description of the painting "Golden Autumn" by Ilya Ostroukhov
We are faced with a rather bold decision by the artist to depict autumn in the forest, almost through a tangle of branches - in the picture there are no rivers, no clouds, no rain (the usual signs of autumn) - only barely discernible, among the golden leaffall, the blackening trunks of trees. The sun, obviously, has not risen long ago; in the picture, judging by the shadows and the liveliness of the two forks on the forest path, it is close to noon, but it is still the first half of the day. A very rare in its sophistication, the landscape is in golden tones.
A few reds can be discerned among the leaves, and forty black and white "tailcoats" can also be seen, but the golden, sun-soaked glow of the leaves prevails over the entire gamut. Somewhere and there are islands of grass, still green in summer, and between the branches and falling leaves you can discern a dim blue sky - but it is not this that fascinates Ostroukhov on his canvas, but the way he managed to convey the "dance" and the whirling flight of the falling leaves.
The picture is all filled with some kind of joyful movement and - it is a very "talkative" picture for the sophisticated viewer. "We are joyfully spinning!" - informs the rustling of the leaves, "now we’re going to fly away too!" - cheerfully warns the perky magpies. The trunk of the oak tree in the background, which is braided by smaller trees, on the contrary, as if telling the viewer of the forest’s resilience: "we will survive this autumn too!" And, as a result, a citizen who has glanced even in the dank autumn at the museum will leave this picture with a sense of joyful amazement. And with a desire to get out on nature. Or at least to sit "In Abramtsevo Park", as Ostroukhov’s second famous autumn landscape is called.
The picture is full of wonder: it’s rare to see a picture of an early autumn forest "rejoicing" in a landscape. And this is all the more surprising, because Ilya Semenovich Ostroukhov never trained as a professional artist, he took only private lessons in painting. And it is a pity that his landscapes are less known than paintings by Shishkin, Levitan or Polenov.
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An island in the colorful layers of autumn -
Solid birches, and there is purple:
Byzantium, yet its one of the last years:
The power has crumbled, the news has faded.
Such an island amidst the Oka River
Will evoke associations – just look.
There, the trees are like domed churches.
Approach. Does your heart tremble?
The water is cold; it plays
With a gray, olive wave -
The island touches you as it ripens.
The island will not lose its peace.
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A path, barely discernible beneath the fallen leaves, leads the eye into the depths of the forest. Its presence suggests an invitation to explore, yet its obscured nature hints at a certain ambiguity or even a sense of being lost within this opulent landscape. The light source is not explicitly defined; instead, it appears diffused and internal, as if emanating from the colors themselves. This contributes to the painting’s dreamlike quality, blurring the distinction between reality and perception.
The composition lacks a distinct focal point. Rather than directing attention to a single element, the artist seems intent on capturing the overall atmosphere of the forest – a feeling of melancholy beauty and transient abundance. The density of the foliage creates a sense of enclosure, suggesting introspection or solitude.
Subtly embedded within this visual richness is an undercurrent of transience. The very essence of autumn lies in its inevitable decline, and the profusion of golden leaves serves as a poignant reminder of mortality and the cyclical nature of time. While the scene exudes warmth and beauty, theres also a quiet sadness inherent in the knowledge that this splendor is fleeting. The painting doesn’t offer a narrative but instead evokes an emotional response – a contemplation on the passage of time and the bittersweet beauty of decay.