Arkhip Kuindzhi · Dnepr in the morning

1881 – oil on canvas – The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

The son of a Greek shoemaker who emigrated to Mariupol (now Ukraine), Arkhip Kuindzhi (1842-1910) was one of the most important 19th century Russian painters, quite influenced by previous masters like Ivan Aivazovsky. Kuindzhi was a professor in the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts untill he was fired for supporting student protests.

“Dnepr in the morning” (as well as “Dnepr in the night”, executed a year before) is considered as one of the first works finished with Kuindshi’s “mature” style, with stunning light and atmospheric effects. This panoramic view is especially remarkable for its simple but very strong composition.