The painting “Silence” was painted by Isaac Levitan in 1898. It is not widely known, nevertheless, it is a recognized masterpiece of the late period of the artist’s life.
During these years, Levitan was characterized by an appeal to the “twilight” theme, and the painting “Silence” is also dedicated to an amazing time, when the day had already died and the night had not yet begun. The creation of the canvas was preceded by a long work with sketches, and thanks to this, the artist was able to accurately reproduce the mood of peace and silence on the canvas.
Levitan shows the wise silence of nature awaiting the approach of night. The night has not yet fully come into its own. Slowly sinking to the ground, she brings peace and tranquility with her. The river is motionless, reflecting the twilight darkened sky with shaggy clouds and a yellow moon. On the far bank, a village stood motionless, and near it arable land and a grove.
The artist uses a fairly rich color scheme in the painting. The canvas may seem too decorative thanks to the combination of very rich colors: a brown village, red shores and leaden sky and water. The artist uses a free, wide and soft brushstroke, subtle shades and color transitions. Levitan avoids details – they seem to be hidden in the darkness of the night – and strives for simplicity of the motive.
All these artistic techniques help to achieve generalization and express the most important thing in life, in nature. The painting “Silence” is a deep and complex story about the life of nature. It contains the clarity and wisdom of a great artist who realized the beauty and harmony of the world around him.
Year of painting: 1898. Dimensions: 96 x 110 cm. Material: canvas. Writing technique: oil. Genre: landscape Style: realism. Gallery: State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.