Vladimirka Isaac Ilyich Levitan (1860-1900)

Description of Isaac Levitan’s painting Vladimirka

Levitan painted his famous "Vladimirka" in 1892. This painting is distinguished by its expressive depth of meaning and its special poetic sadness. Today it is called one of the best landscape paintings of the painter, but immediately after it was painted the critics found the work boring and unassuming and did not pay much attention to it.

With this work, the painter commemorated the convicts who had been sent to hard labor in Siberia along this road until 1890. In front of us a rather gloomy landscape: the end of summer, almost bare steppe, the road leading into the distance, giving way to the forest in front. Overhanging low, the gloomy sky with fleeing scraps of clouds evokes melancholy and sad memories. Endlessly stretched road, running beyond the horizon...

Levitanov’s legendary "Vladimirka" attracts the viewer with its rich historical content and tragic poetic notes. And in terms of picturesque picture is very interesting. It harmoniously combines refinement of drawing with the variety of colorful shades, from pale grayish, representing the sky to greenish - earthy, reflecting the steppe. The anxious mood of the overcast sky that looms menacingly over the winding ribbon of steppe road is also masterly conveyed. The monotonous dismal landscape is slightly enlivened by the light spot depicting the church, which is written out in front and the dark figure of a woman. She stands near a roadside cross in mute expectation. Many bitter destinies this road has seen, evoking bitter feelings of hopelessness and longing...

The entire canvas is saturated with the author’s selfless love for his homeland, his sincere compassion and sympathy for the grief of others, for the poor convicts, mothers, sisters and wives, patiently waiting for them by the road. The artist gave this painting to the Tretyakov Gallery.