"Moonlit Night on the Dnieper": mystical power and tragic fate of the painting by Arkhip Kuindzhi
"Moonlit Night on the Dnieper": mystical power and tragic fate of the painting by Arkhip Kuindzhi

Video: "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper": mystical power and tragic fate of the painting by Arkhip Kuindzhi

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A. Kuindzhi. Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, 1880
A. Kuindzhi. Moonlit Night on the Dnieper, 1880

"Moonlit Night on the Dnieper" (1880) - one of the most famous paintings Arkhip Kuindzhi … This work made a splash and gained mystical fame. Many did not believe that the light of the moon could be conveyed in this way only by artistic means, and looked behind the canvas, looking for a lamp there. Many stood in silence for hours in front of the picture, and then left in tears. Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich bought "Moonlit Night" for his personal collection and took it everywhere with him, which had sad consequences.

Famous artist Arkhip Kuindzhi
Famous artist Arkhip Kuindzhi

The artist worked on this painting in the summer and autumn of 1880. Even before the start of the exhibition, rumors spread that Kuindzhi was preparing something completely incredible. There were so many curious people that on Sundays the painter opened the doors of his workshop and let everyone in there. Even before the exhibition began, the painting was bought by the Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich.

V. Vasnetsov. Portrait of A. I. Kuindzhi, 1869. Fragment
V. Vasnetsov. Portrait of A. I. Kuindzhi, 1869. Fragment

Kuindzhi has always been very jealous of exhibiting his paintings, but this time he surpassed himself. It was a personal exhibition, and only one work was demonstrated at it - "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper". The artist ordered to drape all the windows and illuminate the canvas with a beam of electric light directed at it - in daylight, the moonlight did not look so impressive. Visitors entered the dark room and, as if under hypnosis, froze in front of this magical picture.

I. Kramskoy. Portraits of A. I. Kuindzhi 1872 and c. 1870s
I. Kramskoy. Portraits of A. I. Kuindzhi 1872 and c. 1870s

In front of the hall of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists in St. Petersburg, where the exhibition was held, there was a line all day long. The audience had to be allowed into the room in groups to avoid the crush. The painting's incredible effect was legendary. The shining of the moonlight was so fantastic that the artist was suspected of using some unusual mother-of-pearl paints brought from Japan or China, and was even accused of having connections with evil spirits. And skeptical viewers tried to find hidden lamps on the back of the canvas.

I. Repin. Portrait of the artist A. I. Kuindzhi, 1877. Fragment
I. Repin. Portrait of the artist A. I. Kuindzhi, 1877. Fragment

Of course, the whole secret lay in Kuindzhi's extraordinary artistic skill, in the skillful construction of the composition and such a combination of colors that created the effect of radiance and caused the illusion of flickering light. The warm reddish tone of the earth contrasted with the cold silvery hues, which deepened the space. However, even professionals could not explain the magic impression that the picture made on the audience with one skill alone - many left the exhibition in tears.

Famous artist Arkhip Kuindzhi, 1907
Famous artist Arkhip Kuindzhi, 1907

I. Repin said that the audience froze in front of the painting "in prayer silence": "This is how the artist's poetic charms acted on the chosen believers, and they lived at such moments with the best feelings of the soul and enjoyed the heavenly bliss of the art of painting." The poet Y. Polonsky was surprised: “Positively, I don’t remember standing in front of a picture for so long … What is it? Picture or reality? " And the poet K. Fofanov, under the impression of this canvas, wrote the poem "Night on the Dnieper", which was later set to music.

Paints have darkened over time
Paints have darkened over time

I. Kramskoy foresaw the fate of the canvas: “Perhaps Kuindzhi combined together such paints that are in natural antagonism among themselves and after a certain time either go out, or change and decompose to the point that the descendants will shrug their shoulders in bewilderment: from what came to the delight of the good-natured audience? In order to avoid such an unfair attitude in the future, I would not mind drawing up, so to speak, a protocol that his "Night on the Dnieper" is all filled with real light and air, and the sky is real, bottomless, deep."

Paints have darkened over time
Paints have darkened over time

Unfortunately, our contemporaries cannot fully appreciate the initial effect of the picture, since it has come down to our times in a distorted form. And the blame for everything is the special attitude to the canvas of its owner, Grand Duke Constantine. He was so attached to this picture that he took it with him on a trip around the world. Upon learning of this, I. Turgenev was horrified: "There is no doubt that the picture will return completely ruined, thanks to the salty vapors of the air." He even tried to persuade the prince to leave the painting for a while in Paris, but he was adamant.

Kuindzhi's painting also inspires contemporary photographers
Kuindzhi's painting also inspires contemporary photographers

Unfortunately, the writer was right: the salt-saturated sea air and high humidity had a detrimental effect on the composition of the paints, and they began to darken. Therefore, now "Moonlit Night on the Dnieper" looks completely different. Although the moonlight still acts magically on viewers today, landscape philosophy of the renowned artist arouses constant interest.

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