ostroukhov the north wind 1890 Ilya Ostrouhov (1858-1929)
Ilya Ostrouhov – ostroukhov the north wind 1890
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Painter: Ilya Ostrouhov
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The painting belongs to the brush of the famous Russian artist Ilya Ostroukhov. The painting was painted in 1890. The full size of the canvas is 85x119 cm. The work of art is made with oil paints. Nowadays, the canvas can be seen in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. After the painting was completed by the author, it was purchased by Pavel Tretyakov. His collection already included works by Ostroukhov, but it was this canvas that Tretyakov was most proud of.
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Description of Ilya Ostroukhov’s painting Siverko
The painting belongs to the brush of the famous Russian artist Ilya Ostroukhov. The painting was painted in 1890. The full size of the canvas is 85x119 cm. The work of art is made with oil paints. Nowadays, the canvas can be seen in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
After the painting was completed by the author, it was purchased by Pavel Tretyakov. His collection already included works by Ostroukhov, but it was this canvas that Tretyakov was most proud of. In 1891, the painting "Siverko" was first presented to the public at an exhibition held in St. Petersburg.
On the canvas, the artist depicted a graceful river bend. Thanks to the picturesque Russian nature, Ostroukhov had where to draw inspiration. After all, the Russian land is rich in such landscapes. In the foreground you can see the river, carrying its blue waters into the distance. Here and there you can notice the still water surface in which the sky is miraculously reflected. A little later the siverco, a cool north wind, begins to blow, disturbing the still mirror of the water. The river is colored in dark colors. Shades of purple and blue, in some places black colors prevail. Among the water ripples an island can be seen - a tiny piece of land, which is overgrown with green grass. The viewer can see two seagulls very low over the water.
The full-flowing river divides the land into two banks. One of them is sandy with a gentle descent, and the second one, occupying a large part of the picture, is precipitous and overgrown with bushes. From this side, you can feel the cold siverko blowing particularly clearly. The bushes on the shore seem to have become submissive and submitted to the will of the wind. The grass is bowed under its gusts.
The sky is colored in gray-blue tones. The clouds under their weight are floating low over the horizon. There is a feeling of an impending storm. At the same time the viewer feels ambivalent feelings of anxiety and admiration for the power of beautiful nature.
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The water itself occupies a significant portion of the canvas. Its surface is rendered with agitated brushstrokes, suggesting movement and reflecting the overcast conditions above. The color palette here leans towards muted blues and purples, contributing to an atmosphere of melancholy or foreboding.
Along the right edge, a bank rises abruptly from the waters edge. This embankment is characterized by earthy tones – ochres, browns, and reddish hues – which contrast with the cool colors of the water. A sparse scattering of vegetation clings to this slope, appearing resilient yet vulnerable against the implied force of nature. The artist has depicted a solitary figure on this bank, small in scale relative to the surrounding environment; their posture suggests contemplation or perhaps a sense of isolation.
The sky is rendered with thick, swirling brushwork and a palette dominated by grays and yellows. This creates an impression of impending weather – a storm gathering strength. The clouds are not depicted as solid masses but rather as dynamic forms that seem to press down upon the landscape.
Subtly, theres a sense of human insignificance in relation to the natural world. The lone figure serves as a visual anchor, yet their small size underscores the immensity and power of the environment. The overall mood is one of quiet drama – not overtly violent, but imbued with an underlying tension and a feeling of exposure to forces beyond human control. The painting seems to explore themes of resilience, solitude, and the enduring presence of natures raw energy.