In Winter
1898
- Period Late 19th century – Early 20th century
- CategoryLandscape
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Valentin Serov painted his finest landscapes at Domotkanovo, an estate belonging to his friends in Tver Province. The smooth horizontal grounds, muffled silverochre tones and the calm manner of applying the paint convey the quiet poetry of the dull expanses and the placid mood of a grey day. This effect is intensified by the poetic motif of the sledge being driven out of the gates by a young horse. The landscape is an excellent example of Serov’s masterly command of the paintbrush, particularly in the way the artist conveys the movement of the sledge, the glimmering grey nuances of the shed and the forest in the distance, the snowdrifts in the field and the snow trampled into the road. Russian Museum: From Icons to the Modern Times. Palace Editions, St Petersburg, 2015. P. 242.