They write prose about spring, and devote poetry to spring. And, of course, the paintings are dedicated to spring. We bring to your attention a small selection of paintings by Russian artists on the theme of spring.
Poems and spring
“Before spring there are days like this:
The meadow rests under the dense snow,
The dry and cheerful trees are rustling,
And the warm wind is gentle and elastic.
And the body marvels at its lightness,
And you won’t recognize your home,
And the song that I was tired of before,
Like new, you’ll eat with excitement.”
Anna Akhmatova
Berggolts Richard Alexandrovich
Awakening of Spring
1911, oil on canvas, 80 x 160 cm, Omsk regional museum fine arts them. M.A.Vrubel
“The day was sunny and windy, the kind of day when you can go around the corner of the house, hide from the wind, press your back against the wall slightly warmed by the sun and feel with all your heart the joy of the arrival of spring and warmth... Stand, squint your eyes and smile.”
Evgeny Grishkovets, “Rivers”
Shishkin Ivan Ivanovich
Forest in spring
1884, x. m. 142 x 105 cm, Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum
As you know, Ivan Shishkin often turned in his works to the theme of the life of the Russian forest, Russian meadows and fields; he is improving in conveying the state of nature, the expression of images, and the purity of the palette. This is how the painting “Forest in Spring” (1884) is born, which combines both majesty and warm notes.
Early spring. Thaw
1880s, x. m., 68x54 cm., Picture gallery them. B.M. Kustodieva. Astrakhan
In his work, Savrasov paid a lot of attention to the theme of the seasons, and especially loved spring. In his paintings, the artist knew how to see beauty in the most ordinary and prosaic landscape.
Alexey Kondratievich Savrasov
The rooks have arrived
1871, oil on canvas, 48.5x62 cm, Tretyakov Gallery
The painting “The Rooks Have Arrived” is the most famous work Savrasova. The subject of the painting was taken by the artist in the ordinary village of Molvitino. Immediately after the show, the canvas was bought by P. Tretyakov for his collection. And over time, the painting, the very name of which already conceals the joyful arrival of spring, became an example of simple beauty in Russian landscape painting: the whole landscape is filled with warm spring air, as joyfully chirping birds and all nature are looking forward to the imminent arrival of sunny and warm days.
Isaac Ilyich Levitan
Spring. Big water
1897, oil on canvas, 64.2x57.5 cm, Tretyakov Gallery
Another artist who loves spring, Isaac Levitan, decided to depict in one of his paintings his favorite season during the period of its strongest manifestation. The picture reveals a flood that has captured part of the coastal forest and several village buildings. Since the artist tried to convey the Russian spring as accurately as possible, without embellishing anything, the palette of the painting is unusually modest, but truthful and realistic. And nature does not need decorations.
Kuindzhi A.I.
Early spring. 1890-1895
Russian artists were and still are extremely fond of depicting spring landscapes. There are especially many paintings of this kind by the Itinerant artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries. They went out into nature and made sketches from life, which had never happened before in Russian painting.
Today, while studying the theme “Spring” in children’s educational institutions, educators and teachers often turn to reproductions of paintings by famous Russian artists. Nowadays, in the age of photography and the ability to capture any moment of life, watch on video what you can no longer find in reality, it is especially difficult for children to understand why study paintings for a long time past centuries. But the fact is that the paintings do not simply capture a moment from life, as in a photograph: what they saw and experienced is processed by the thoughts and feelings of the artists, filled with love and only then transferred to the canvas. Thus, we see not only the landscape, but also feel the artist’s attitude towards it.
Spring in the paintings of Russian artists is represented in a very diverse way. This and early spring(early March), and the riot of May greenery. The most famous paintings by Russian artists on the theme “Spring” are:
- A. Savrasova “The rooks have arrived”,
- I. Levitan “March”,
- "Spring. Big water"
- A. Venetsianova “On the arable land. Spring",
- K. Yuon “March Sun”.
Paintings by Savrasov and Levitan depict the very beginning of spring. Savrasov’s work presents an unprepossessing rural landscape of the Kostroma region with a church and several houses. There is still snow around, bare birch trees in the foreground, and here and there a ray of sun peeks through the clouds in the sky. It seems that the painting depicts winter. And only rooks nesting on birch trees say that spring has come.
In the paintings of Russian artists, as a rule, we see a field landscape, countryside. This is the best place to watch the arrival of spring. So, in Levitan’s paintings we see a house with a porch, a horse harnessed to a cart; There is still snow, and only the spring-like bright sun and a harnessed horse indicate the arrival of spring. In the painting “Spring. Big Water" - again, fields flooded by a flooded river. Yuon’s painting also depicts March, the work is very similar to Levitan’s “March”: snow-covered fields are also painted, and only on the road from the village under the bright sun do riders ride on horses.
Venetsianov’s painting, unlike the previous ones, shows late spring, when the fields have already been sown and the shoots of the future harvest have appeared. A smartly dressed peasant woman leads a horse across a field under the bright sun. The work breathes warmth, light and the anticipation of a hot summer.
Of course, these are not all paintings by Russian artists about spring. They were created huge amount, and each of them is good in its own way. On our website you can find reproductions of the paintings you need, print them or use them to develop a presentation for a lesson or festive event. Pictures will help make your story about this time of year interesting, colorful, exciting, and will provide an opportunity to present additional aspects.
Paintings by Russian artists not only clearly demonstrate some of the features of spring as a season: these changes can also be observed in nature. They are able to educate the younger generation through the prism of the artist’s perception. Each landscape is filled with love for Russian nature, its gloomy sky, vast expanses, and is filled with light sadness, so characteristic of the Russian landscape. These feelings are subconsciously transmitted to the viewer when he looks at the picture. So, by demonstrating reproductions of paintings about spring in the lessons of literature, language, natural history, reading, etc., you can morally elevate the children, bring them closer to perceiving the world as a living being. This is main task painting.
A selection of the most famous paintings
Vasnetsov “The rooks have arrived”
Levitan "Spring. Big water"
Venetsianov “On the arable land. Spring"
Paintings by other artists:
I. Levitan "Spring. Big Water."
Isaac Levitan, the great Russian landscape artist, called his painting “Big Water.” It depicts the spring flood. Water - a flooded river - occupies most of canvases. It is blue, cold, clean, smooth, like a mirror surface. It reflects pure blue sky, light clouds and still bare trees - a grove flooded by the river. Thin trees look defenseless and touching. Among them are trees that are almost obligatory for the Russian landscape - birches. When illuminated by the sun, they appear pink.
I. Levitan "March"
Nature basks in the warm rays of the sun. On the left we see a forest awaiting spring. The picture here is strikingly different. Coniferous greenery casts dark shadows. It is obvious that winter cold reigns in the forest, the colors are gloomy and dark. The March sunny rays have not yet had time to warm the gloomy blue-green spruce trees, but I really want the sun to illuminate their scowling crowns with bright golden light! This will happen soon, because it’s March!
F. A. Vasilyeva "Thaw" "
The picture is made in gray-brown tones. She emanates coldness and sadness. Despite the shades, we can understand that this is truly the beginning of spring. The snow is melting, as if taking the cold and cold with it. A road washed out by wheels is like the beginning of a new path. Birds flock to the road in search of food after a harsh winter.
V. Kudrevich "Morning of Spring"
The birch grove sparkles with the reflections of the morning dew. Young foliage, breathing a feeling of spring freshness and purity, is permeated with soft sunlight. And around is a fragrant carpet of green grass and flowers, among which one can discern soft blue snowdrops and bright yellow coltsfoot inflorescences.
The sky is made in gray shades, and the trees in the background are shrouded in a light haze. Because of this, the vegetation in the foreground looks even more voluminous and rich, shimmers and plays with bright colors.
A. G. Venetsianov "On the arable land. Spring"
We see in the picture a plowed field in early spring. Somewhere along the edges greenery is breaking through, it is clearly visible on the front, untouched edge of the field. At the right edge there are several thin trees green near a strange beveled stump. A very elegant woman in a pink sundress and a beautiful kokoshnik easily leads two strong horses pulling a harrow along the plowed ground. A woman walks across the arable land barefoot, stepping very lightly, as if dancing, with a smile on her face.
The change of seasons is one of the favorite themes of Russian landscape artists, and this is not surprising. Catch the unnoticed to an ordinary person transitional states of nature, to convey shades of mood, the subtleties of this or that color scheme - all this requires special skill and special emotional sensitivity of the painter. Many artists consider the autumn and spring periods to be the most fertile in terms of material selection, plasticity and expressiveness.
General characteristics
Savrasov and Levitan, Yuon and Vinogradov, Venetsianov and Ostroukhov, Kuindzhi, Shishkin - this is the most modest list of the best domestic masters. Considering their works, let's try to understand: what kind of Russian is he? spring landscape? The paintings “The Rooks have Arrived”, “March”, “First Greenery” and others immerse us in a joyful and enlightened state of the awakening of nature, the melting of snow, the sparkling sun on the first lush greenery. A celebration of life, light, joy, anticipation of renewal not only of the external world, but of the artist’s inner human self - such, for example, is Levitanov’s spring landscape. Paintings “Spring. Big Water”, “March” literally radiate sunshine and warmth. We feel the spicy freshness and sweetness of the air, hear the sound of drops and the ringing hubbub of birds. Each meeting with such a painting helps to relive the happiness of being again and again, to enter into harmony with natural rhythms and laws. After all, we feel the thirst for renewal, hope for the best, our own spiritual youth more clearly and sharply in the spring. Therefore, a spring landscape or encounters with nature “live”) represents for most people the opportunity to start over, enter a different direction, become better, cleaner, more enlightened. We will try to understand and feel this by analyzing some of the listed paintings in this article.
Savrasovsky "Rooks"
The spring landscape of Savrasov’s painting, which has essentially become business card artist. Written and exhibited in 1971, it immediately became the subject of discussion, approval and recognition of the true talent of its creator. Savrasov’s colleague in the “artists’ workshop” called this painting “wonderful,” “truly spring.” What do we see on it? It seems that there are still boring winter snows, bare trees, unkempt miserable village houses, the silhouette of a church and a gray sky with rare blue gaps. Cold, damp, uncomfortable. And take a closer look! And now other details become noticeable. It was as if a soft breath of a warm spring breeze swept across my face. The pond has melted, and thawed patches are visible here and there in the spongy snow. And, most importantly, the branches of the still bare trees are cheerfully and animatedly inhabited by rooks - the restless messengers of the coming spring. As Benoit notes, in recent years Before the appearance of Savrasov’s oil painting, spring landscapes literally filled art exhibitions. But it was “Rooks” that turned out to be marked with that stamp of inspiration that distinguishes true masterpieces from fakes.
March motifs in Levitan's work
Another luminary of the landscape genre, Isaac Levitan, is picking up the spring baton. His “March” is a surprisingly bright, light, festive picture. It is saturated with the warmth of the sun, radiates it and with every detail emphasizes the inevitable death of winter. The deep, blue sky, the melted rutted road, the open doors of the house, the shine of birch trunks in the sparse withered leaves of last year, the Savraska peacefully dozing under the rays of the sun that warmed it - all this makes us think about the very soon onset of truly hot days. Levitanov's spring landscape, whose drawings are familiar to us from school, is deeply Russian and national. But it is understandable and close to anyone who is drawn to beauty and loves nature.
Features of children's perception
It is no secret that becoming familiar with works of art requires a lot of intense internal work. Our soul must work - learn to empathize, sympathize, and sympathize. This is a complex process that needs to be taught to a person from an early age. And spring landscape pictures for children can help. Delicate and fragile snowdrop, swaying its beautiful head on a thin dark green stem; an image of gardening and field work, the first rain and the first rainbow, a titmouse on a branch with small sticky leaves - such sketches create a familiar and recognizable experience, help to comprehend the peculiarities of the change of seasons and introduce the child to new world, whose name is Nature and Life.
Spring time is a wonderful time, every year reminding us that even the most severe frosts cannot resist the warming rays of the sun. It is no wonder that she was so admired and inspired by those who know how to communicate with generations through painting. Let's see what spring looks like for us in painting, and enjoy ten best paintings on this topic!
Spring in painting: 10 most impressive paintings of all time
So, let’s look and enjoy how spring appears in the paintings of artists:
1. S. Botticelli, Spring, 1482.
Here she is depicted in all her glory against the backdrop of awakened flowers and grasses of the outskirts of Florence. Yes, the Renaissance masterpiece will not be satisfied with plants alone. This is where you can use art to train your brain! We will not delve into the mythological and symbolic jungle, but we can wander there until the second coming. Let's just say that this picture was wedding gift, which was supposed to be a parting word for a woman in marriage. 
2. Fr. Boucher, The Seasons: Spring, 1755.
This is a pastoral picture about spring, as young as the main characters of the canvas. 
3. A. Venetsianov, On the arable land. Spring, 1820s
This spring in Russian painting is still recognizable throughout the world. The landscape of the Russian village of those times is not just presented here realistically. There is hidden meaning, indicating cyclical resurrection and native land, and the man himself. You can look at the picture at . 
4. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, Spring, 50s of the 19th century.
This oil painting is not that famous in painting. Moreover, few people saw it at all, because it was kept in the artist’s studio, and then in his brother’s. But it would be a shame not to mention it, because it conveys the image of spring in painting and personifies it. The artist was a famous portrait painter, who knows, maybe he personally met a spring maiden, so blond, crowned with flowers, and he only captured her for less fortunate heirs. 
5. A. Savrasov, The rooks have arrived, 1871
This Russian artist managed to do the incredible: to convey through painting both the smell and sounds of the month of March. No joke, but looking at the picture you can’t help but feel the aroma of the first, timid warmth. And if dirty, melted snow does not evoke elated feelings, then the rooks will not allow you to make a mistake - the spring season has arrived, and with it new hope. This is the author’s early spring painting: very realistic, sad and affirming at the same time. 
6. C. Monet, Spring, 1886
The author’s oil painting of spring turned out to be surprisingly calming and light. A blossoming cherry orchard, a leisurely conversation, sitting on a blanket of grass - this is how landscape painting in spring creates a positive mood. 
7. Vincent Van Gogh, Fishing in Spring, 1887
This is spring in painting, which fills everything around with its colors and play of light. The viewer was given the opportunity to watch the happy moments of a probably successful fisherman through the crown of trees, so take advantage of it! 
8. Hans Zatzka, Goddess of Spring and the Coming of Spring, early 20th century.
The master of fine painting loved this time very much and often painted paintings related to it. But these artist’s paintings deserve all praise! On the left is the Goddess of Spring, on her we again see the beautiful spring goddess herself, accompanied by cupids rejoicing at her arrival. On the right is The Coming of Spring, a light and happy work that evokes the joy of being. 
9. I. E. Krachkovsky, Spring on the Italian lakes, 1914
Spring in the paintings of Russian artists of the early 20th century is surprisingly colorful and lush. It evokes an irresistible desire to run along flowering paths and spin around to the singing of birds. This is how we come to understand how amazing spring paintings are. 
10. Seng Kim, Village Canal, late 2000s.
This modern artist knows how to create landscapes that are as relaxing as a session with a good psychotherapist. It's simple: if you want to relax, look at this painting. This is exactly the effect that painting on the theme of spring should strive for! 
Now you know what spring looks like in painting contemporary artists, and how she was seen before. There is a contrast and this makes you want to delve into the painting even more. Let's enjoy together and share our emotions in the comments!
Do you love spring? Then take a look and enjoy reading!
