Becoming a disciple of Repin

Author: Yang Yuying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The success of Levitan in landscape painting is mainly due to his infusion of emotional power into his artwork, creating a poetic realm in the paintings. He could perceive the true essence of natural beauty and summarize the natural tones and harmony. Nature, in his eyes, was so vivid that every ordinary corner seemed filled with poetry. Many of his outstanding works drew inspiration from very ordinary scenes, but under his brush, these ordinary scenes transformed into beautiful images. The secret lies in Levitan's skillful use of color. The landscapes created by Levitan were both different from Savrasov's realism and Shishkin's solemnity. Levitan's landscapes could not be summarized as merely "beautiful" or described as "fresh"; rather, poetic expression was the characteristic of his creation. He was adept at capturing the aspects of natural images that resonated with human emotions, expressing the intrinsic emotions of nature. Therefore, even though a painting might depict only an ordinary corner of nature, it could evoke rich poetic associations in people, allowing them to immerse themselves in the artistic realm he revealed.