Painting Grabar “March Snow”


Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar is known not only as an artist, but also as an art historian and critic. Grabar’s creative path was very difficult and contradictory. His works were characterized by two picturesque genres – landscape and portrait. And one of the main themes of landscape painting by Grabar was the theme of Russian winter and snows. This topic particularly attracted him, which was reflected in many works.

Igor Emmanuilovich himself wrote that he always aspired to “objective truth in painting”; set a goal “to convey nature to a complete illusion, to the impossibility of distinguishing where nature, and where the canvas with painting.” In 1903-1908 the main early landscapes of the artist were created. Particularly important and significant in his work was 1904.

It was this year that the most famous paintings were created, among them “Rook’s Nest”, “February Azure” and “March Snow”. At the

exhibition “Union of Russian Artists” in 1904, these works attracted the attention of the public. Grabar’s paintings were called “almost the best at the exhibition.” The audience noted that it is very rare that “like his transfer of nature.” Landscape “March snow” was created in the village of Churilkovo, which is located next to the estate of Dugino.

In this picture, not only the theme of nature is revealed. The figure of a girl with buckets is a lyrical motif, which, according to the artist himself, is one of the most typical for the Russian village. The name of the picture appeared thanks to the March snow, the texture of which occupies almost half of the picturesque surface. For the image of the March snow, the artist uses dense volumetric strokes. In the foreground of the picture is snow.

The artist depicts the snow in the whole space of the canvas. The figure of a girl with a yoke as it were “tears” the snow field. When depicting a girl’s figure, the artist used all the colors used in the picture. The figure of the girl seems alive,

movement is felt in it. The figure of the girl testifies to the strength, flexibility, plasticity. We do not see her face. But you can imagine that this is a real Russian beauty. She is tall and slender, her gait unhurried and majestic. The girl is the only character in the picture.

But the main thing in the work is still not it, but snow. It is no accident that the picture is called “March snow”. In this case, snow becomes a symbol of the outgoing winter and the approaching spring. The snow in the picture is amazing. It is impossible to determine what color the snow is. In different areas the color of the snow differs. In the foreground of the picture is a snow of a bluish tinge. There, where the shadow of trees falls on the snow, it is bright blue. The snow is sparkling, poured. It seems amazing, multicolored. In the background of the picture, snow seems monotonous, it does not strike the eye with an abundance of different shades.

The author painted a bright, sunny day. However, the picture does not depict the sky, so we do not see the sun. But the presence of a sunny color is felt due to the snow. The rays of the March sun fall on the snow, so it acquires such interesting colors and shades. On the snow, shadows fall from the branches of trees. It seems as if they are trembling and moving. This creates a very special feeling of movement, of life. A special rhythm of the picture creates an amazing feeling. It seems to viewers that they are inside it. And now you can touch your hand before this amazing snow, loose and dense. His time has passed. The March sun shines brighter and brighter. Soon the snow melts, giving way to a new season. IE Grabar entered the history of Russian painting as a poet of Russian winter.

Even according to the picture “March snow” we can pay attention to what emotions the artist depicts the last days of winter. Everything around shines and shines. And in this you can feel the joyful mood of spring. The last snow is melting, the winter is coming to an end. All nature and people together with her rejoice at the onset of spring.


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Painting Grabar “March Snow”