Isaac Ilyich Levitan, the great Russian artist, became the firstpainter of the Russian scenery, who revealed all its beauty. He is areal poet of the Russian countryside. He continued and developed thetraditions of painters of the Russian realistic school — Savrasov,Polenov, Serov. Levitan found significant meaning and poetry in whatwould seem the most everyday subjects.He is a very individual sort of painter. You can't but appreciate hispaintings, because there is something in his landscapes that reflectsour own moods.He deeply felt what he wished to express and his brush transferredthese feelings to the canvas. It is interesting to note that a master oflandscape, he never introduced figures into it. Though if you look atthe Autumn Day in Sokolniki — everything seems to bring out theloneliness of the figure in the centre: the trees losing their leaves,the remote, indifferent sky, the path going off into the distance. Butthe fact is that it was not Levitan who painted the figure. It wasCheckov's brother Nicolai who did it.His travels over the Volga region influenced Levitan's art, theimpression made on him by the great Russian river was unforgettable. Forhis life and painting he chose Plyoss — a small beautiful town on theVolga. His paintings Evening, Golden Plyoss, After Rain reflect his lovefor nature.Last summer I visited Plyoss and saw the places where the greatpictures were painted. Many people admire his pictures Deep Waters,Evening Bells, Springtime, The Last Snow and, of course, his famousGolden Autumn. All his paintings are very emotional, lyrical andrealistic.In the closing years of his life Levitan made several journeys abroadto France, Italy and Germany where he painted a number of landscapes,although his best works of the period were devoted to Russia. He wasonly 40 when he died in 1900.Levitan's influence on the painters of lyrical landscapes was great.Levitan's feeling for nature, his great love for his native land, hisability to reveal and depict the poetry of the Russian land have won hispaintings the love and gratitude of people.
