Paintings by Apollinaria Vasnetsova: a brief description

The paintings of Apollinaria Vasnetsova occupy an important place in Russian painting. His works are not as vivid and monumental as the canvases of his brother, Viktor, but his landscape sketches and historical miniatures rightfully earned him the fame of one of the talented painters of the mid-19th - the first half of the 20th century. The artist often traveled, worked on archaeological excavations, learned a lot, and this rich experience was embodied in his remarkable works, some of which are described in this article.

The theme of nature

The paintings of Apollinaria Vasnetsova, as a rule, are devoted to historical and everyday subjects, but a prominent place in his work was occupied by landscape painting. One of them is called "Winter Dream". This landscape is deliberately fabulous and decorative, although the composition is very well recognizable. The author depicted the winter forest, the coverings with fluffy snow, and with colors and a special color scheme conveyed the mystery and mystery of this beautiful corner.

A completely different impression is produced by the painting "Mountain Landscape". This work is sustained in a completely different color range: on the canvas the artist painted majestic mountains of green and bluish tint. Between them runs a narrow path leading to small residential buildings. This composition creates the impression of comfort and coziness, but most importantly - emphasizes the beauty and greatness of nature.

Historical genre

Apollinary Vasnetsov's paintings are known, probably, to every schoolboy thanks to history lessons, in which his works are often shown to students as an iconic series in the topic under study. One of these canvases is called "The Court of the Specific Prince". This is one of his most famous works, which demanded from him a huge strain of strength and ability. In the basis of the plot, the author put a household episode from medieval Russia of the 12th century. In the center of the composition is the Russian prince, who takes tribute from the inhabitants. He settled on the background of the tower, on the porch of which the author depicted his family. The courtyard was crowded with servants, servants and simple peasants. Thus, Vasnetsov displayed the main social layers of medieval times. He also showed himself to be a fine connoisseur of ancient Russian architecture, accurately reproducing the tower, the courtyard, the temple, the gate.

Another famous historical painting by the author is the painting "The Moscow Kremlin at Dmitri Donskoi." Thanks to the skill of the artist, we have the opportunity to find out what this fortress looked like in the 14th century. Vasnetsov showed the protective walls, houses, posad, temples, depicted a small river along which the merchants stayed in the capital of the principality.

Household genre

The artist's paintings are characterized by static compositions. He preferred the depiction of everyday scenes or constructions of the past. His work "The Old House" breathes peace and tranquility. On the canvas is depicted an abandoned, empty hut. However, despite the rather dull look of this accommodation, the composition produces a pleasant impression due to the holiday colors of the landscape: green meadow, bright blue sky, sunny air. These light shades seem to shade the gray facade of the hut, which looks even more lonely amidst this feast of nature. So, the paintings of Apollinaria Vasnetsova are an invaluable source for studying Russian history and the life of the people in past centuries.