Picture "Moscow courtyard" Polenov

"I did not have time to do a more significant thing," Vasily Polenov wrote to Ivan Kramskoy, organizer of the exhibition of the Peredvizhniki artists, sending his painting "Moscow Courtyard" to St. Petersburg for an exhibition. Polenov by that time knew as masters of historical painting. He wrote biblical scenes, worked on sketches of scenery for theatrical productions, and suddenly - an ordinary, nothing particularly not remarkable modest courtyard in the middle of Moscow, which in the old capital was a lot. However, it was this canvas that caused a great success, was credited to the rank of masterpieces and became forever the visiting card of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov. What is the mystery of this wonderful picture?

Feast of Being

The whole space of the canvas shines with soft and jubilant colors, half of it is occupied by a serene sky with clouds melting like sugar candy and triumphantly shining dome of the temple. Here, like angels play hide and seek with sunlight reflected from golden onions with Orthodox crosses. The other half of the canvas is given to the earthly paradise - this everyday, cozy and piercing native. Here the life of God's children, who are all under His wing, is slowly moving. The sun is pouring into the clear air into the whole world of light, filling the soul with an inexplicably joyful feeling.

History of the creation of the canvas

As Vasily Polenov once remarked, "The Moscow Courtyard" turned out to be impromptu. After a long trip abroad, the artist searched for an apartment in Moscow, saw an advertisement on the rental of one of the houses about letting him in and immediately went into the rooms. From the window he opened a view that the painter immediately sketched. It seemed that he himself did not expect that after the colorful landscapes of Europe he would find such a "fresh and original material" in Moscow. This happened in 1877. Polenov's "Moscow courtyard" on the canvas was empty at that moment. Only a year later, the artist finalized the picture, and people and animals appeared on it. This second version of Polenov was sent to a traveling exhibition where the canvas gained wide popularity and was acquired by Pavel Tretyakov for his famous gallery. The first version of the painting the artist gave Ivan Turgenev, with whom he was well acquainted with the literary circle, the organizer of which was a writer. Polenov very much appreciated the Turgenev's "Notes of the Hunter", considering this work a brilliant of Russian literature. The writer presented this collection to the artist with an autograph.

Old-Moscow cosiness

Merchant Moscow was not without reason called a big village. Its buildings were very different from the solemn and gloomy linear prospects of St. Petersburg. The Moscow landscape was not determined by prospectuses, but by courtyards and gardens surrounding the mansions. The village patriarchal way that reigned there conquered the heart of the artist, who lived in the northern capital for a long time and now settles in Durnovsky lane near Arbat Street.

In the same perspective today

The place that the painter portrayed can be found in modern Moscow, although it has changed beyond recognition. Only the Church of Our Savior on Sands has survived. Below you can see how the Moscow courtyard Polenova looks now. There is no longer that courtyard, or the soft idyll that reigned there. Only the street crossroads echoes the one that on the canvas denotes the inner space of the picturesque Old Moscow court.

Where to draw inspiration from

The picture "Moscow courtyard" of Polenov beckons and inspires the viewer. Someone from art critics noticed that the poet's poetry was allowed to poetic love to people and to life. Indeed, the mystery of attraction is related to the personal spiritual qualities of the artist: this picture could only be written by a really good person - sincere and considerate, sympathetic and spiritually rich.

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was a gifted and widely educated man. His talents from early childhood were encouraged in the family. Father Polenov was an archeologist, his mother wrote books for children. The young man graduated with brilliance from the Academy of Arts, at the same time at St. Petersburg University he received a law degree. Vasily Dmitrievich was not stranger to music, he sang in the choir of the Academy and composed music. But in the history of world art, Polenov, an artist, became famous. "Moscow Courtyard" as a mirror reflected the versatility of the personality of its author. In the picture there is a close attention to detail, and melodic harmony. It is enough to peer at the slender smooth lines of buildings and bell-towers, intersecting paths carefully drawn out in the foreground of the grass. Even the yard weeds - burdock, nettle and thistle do not look sloppy, but blend into the overall pictorial symphony.

Favorite images

A detailed analysis of Polenov's painting "The Moscow Courtyard" makes it possible to understand why this canvas immediately became an art event and touches the hearts to this day.

In this picture you want to peer for a long time, plunge into a calm harmonious world, giving the viewer the delight of recognition. The beginning of summer, the fresh grass spreads the earth with a soft emerald carpet, here and there touching daisies grow, there is almost no shadow anywhere, everything is lit by tender sun rays.

The presence of people makes the landscape especially close and understandable. A young woman took out a full bucket from the house, was sent to feed the hens, who busily grains seeds and worms from the ground. Nearby rejoices under the warm sun and softly ears the horse, harnessed in a cart. They started a funny game either with a cat, or with a puppy, two kids, in two steps, sobbing, clapping on her stomach little hands, tied up with a kerchief. Something with fascination is seen in the foreground of the composition of a short-haired girl in a blue skirt with an apron and a white peasant shirt.

Paints, smells and sounds

The "Moscow courtyard" of Polenov gives the viewer the opportunity to enjoy not only the summer colors and the almost tangible heat emanating from the painting. Canvas gives us a whole range of sounds and smells, which immediately arise in the imagination. Grasshoppers chirp in the grass, children chatter, cackling hens, crows and jackdaws scream, the green foliage whispers quietly. The sweet smell of young grass, sun, poplar buds and fresh pastries is accompanied by visual sensations, which gives birth to the picture.

The "Moscow courtyard" of Polenov is also interesting from a coloristic point of view. The joy of being is conveyed in clean, fresh bright colors. There are no dull gray shades, the color is saturated with sunlight and sky azure. Even the shadows on the walls and roofs of the buildings are red, cool greenish, and blue.

With this joyful, deeply lyrical feeling, the picture refers us to the wonderful literary works of the century before last - to the poems of Athanasius Fet, to the novel by Ivan Sergeyevich Shmelev "The Summer of the Lord."