Chumatsky tract in Mariupol, Kuindzhi – description of the painting
Description of the picture:
Chumatsky tract in Mariupol – Arkhip Ivanovich Kuindzhi. 1875. Oil on canvas. 106×213 cm
Arkhip Kuindzhi specially painted the painting “The Chumatsky Highway in Mariupol” for the 4th exhibition of the Wanderers. The novice painter tried to focus specifically on the realism of the plot, and he completely succeeded.
The plot was familiar to the artist – Kuindzhi portrayed his own native land. Mariupol was a master city for the master, a city of youth, and along the Chumatsky tract, which runs in the southern steppes, he walked to Feodosia. The name of the road was given by merchants, in other words, Chumaki – their wagons scurried between Mariupol and the coastal Theodosia, transporting various products for fairs, especially fish and salt.
The picture shows a busy road along which carts drawn by oxen move. The first word that comes to mind when contemplating work is dampness. Wet road turned into mud, shiny carts and animals shining from rainwater, frowning heavy sky. Seen involuntarily causes compassion and internal protest: only the need to feed their families drives the Chumaks to a wet path.
Despite the apparent monotony of the plot, an attentive gaze will certainly catch the color fullness of the work. Especially if you associate the picture with past paintings of Kuindzhi. Here are complex coloristic decisions, and specifically, the transitions from cool to warm colors. The picture found the introduction of brown, green, snow-white, yellow and blue tones.
As usual with Kuindzhi, the sky stands as a separate hero in the picture. Heavy low clouds with noticeable enlightenment in the middle seem to “press” on the plot participants, make them feel doomed and hopeless.
This work significantly brought its creator closer to the Friendship Wanderer, for whom such a social note was very cute. Kuindzhi, who had found support for a long time, was glad for such a rapprochement. But all of his next work will show that with the accusatory art of the Wanderers, raising acute social issues, the master was not on the way. He wanted to find beauty in the obvious, inspiring in the ordinary, and completely switched to a narrative poetic landscape.
In fairness, I would like to note that the “Chumatsky Tract” was not only a landmark work of Kuindzhi – collecting positive feedback, the picture appropriated the confidence of the master, a native of an ordinary family. Very soon he will become stronger in spirit, believe in himself as a specialist, and leave the Academy of Arts courses to set off for free swimming."