Autumn in the works of contemporary artists. Autumn landscapes
Graham Gercken ©
The autumn landscape outside the window is not very pleasing. It rained all September, and October surprised us with frosts and snow. But how much you want bright autumn colors and blue-blue skies. These are the colors I saw in the paintings of Australian artist Graham Gercken. For my taste, the paintings are somewhat decorative, but now the body simply needs some exaggeration and saturation of the color scheme. I am happy to publish bright autumn landscapes on the blog, maybe for someone this artist’s painting will also become color therapy))
Graham Gercken ©
Artist Graham Gercken was born in Australia in 1960. He is self-taught with no art training. I moved from a hobby into a professional activity. Impressionism became the closest style for him.
Graham Gercken painted for 10 years and sold his paintings to numerous tourists. Bright and rich colors immediately attracted attention, the paintings quickly sold out.
Graham Gercken ©
In 2003, the artist went to China, where he met famous masters who shared their secrets with him and helped him improve his drawing technique. He then continued to travel around the world for several years. The artist visited Asia, Europe and America, personally got to know many famous artists, and admits that he learned a lot from them. In his paintings you can often see the nature of Australia and North America.
Graham Gercken ©
He usually works in the studio, moving away from plein air paintings. There are many autumn landscapes in his paintings. Autumn on his canvases is often lush and bright. Apparently, colors do not exist in his autumn landscapes) We could have had such autumn for at least a couple of weeks))
Graham Gercken ©
Today Graham Gercken is a famous artist, his works are in private collections and in many galleries around the world, and autumn landscapes are especially popular in his paintings.
Autumn landscape in painting
Graham Gercken ©
Graham Gercken ©
Graham Gercken ©
Autumn has always inspired creative people. The enchanting beauty of nature, clothed in a golden cloak, was glorified by poets and artists of different eras. The autumn theme occupies an important place in the works of such famous masters as C. Monet, P. Cezanne, V. Polenov, I. Levitan, I. Shishkin and others. Modern artists also strive to convey all the charm of the landscapes of this amazing time of year. For some of them, crimson-yellow landscapes are an inexhaustible source of creative exploration. Many sought-after masters of our day often turn to the theme of the autumn transformation of the world around us, showing all its diversity and beauty. Today we will talk about the most notable artists of our time, in whose work autumn occupies a special place.
Liu Maoshan (China).
Liu Maoshan is a Chinese artist who works in watercolor techniques. The master's paintings are characterized by subtle lyricism, behind which stands the high professionalism of the creator. In China, Maoshan enjoys unquestioned authority. The artist heads the Academy of Chinese Painting in his hometown of Sizhou.
"Autumn"
"Vasilievsky Island in deep autumn"
"Songs of Autumn"
Maoshan's works have an amazing oriental appeal. Thanks to a bizarre combination of traditional Chinese techniques and an impressionistic approach, the artist’s watercolors have gained popularity throughout the world.
"Autumn Waters"
"Excursion to Washington"
"Deep Autumn"
Thomas Kinkade (USA).
Thomas Kinkade called himself the "Painter of Light." Moreover, it was not just an epithet, but a registered trademark. The artist passed away in 2012, but his work forever left its mark on history. The peculiarity of Kincaid's paintings is their wide distribution. Each of us, at least once in our lives, has seen the artist’s tranquil landscapes, if not at an exhibition, then in the form of reproductions.
"Central Park in Autumn"
"Valley of Peace"
"Gingerbread house"
The fact is that Kincaid's works are often used for commercial purposes: for example, they can be seen on puzzles and in the form of all kinds of printed materials. Because of this, many experts criticized the artist, but the public always appreciated the special magnetism of the master’s subjects. Thomas Kinkade created luminous landscapes using rich pastel colors. The artist was a deeply religious person and believed that through his creativity he brought people joy, goodness and bright thoughts.
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"Twilight in Paris"
"Victorian Autumn"
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"Serenity"
Leonid Afremov (Belarus/Mexico).
Autumn occupies a central place in the work of Leonid Afremov. The artist creates paintings using an original technique, using a machitin - a knife for mixing paints. With its help, the master applies oil paints with large strokes, which gives a bright and dynamic effect.
"Autumn rain"
"Saint Petersburg"
"City on the Lake"
Afremov was born in the Belarusian city of Vitebsk, but today the artist lives and works in Mexico. The artist’s works are permeated with romanticism and light autumn melancholy.
"Sunny Autumn"
"Meeting in the Rain"
"Yellow Autumn"
Richard McNeil (Great Britain).
Self-taught Richard McNeil was able to achieve significant success in painting: his paintings can even be seen in the office of the American president. The artist continues to improve his unique creative style, tirelessly working on his technique.
"Walk under the rain"
"In Central Park"
"Flower shop in Paris"
Autumn on McNeil's canvases is always different. The master loves to depict cities of the world, dressed in gilded decoration. Viewing an artist's gallery is a small and exciting journey that leaves a lot of positive emotions.
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"NY"
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"London"
"Venetian Haze"
Evgeny Lushpin (Russia).
The city landscapes of Russian artist Evgeny Lushpin are so realistic that sometimes it seems that we are looking at the work of a photographer. In fact, the secret lies in the high skill of the landscape painter and his special technique, permeated with the play of light and shadow.
"Quiet evening"
"Autumn Evening in Bruges"
"A Streetcar Named Desire"
Lushpin's paintings are filled with nostalgic notes and an amazing feeling of calm and inner freedom.
"Rainy Morning"
"Magic evening"
"Autumn in the Old Park"
Charles White (Canada).
Canadian master Charles White's paintings can be found all over the world. Having become interested in painting in his early youth, the artist has been giving his creativity to a grateful public for many years.
"Autumn Bridge"
"October Ray"
"Autumn Warmth"
The autumn theme in White's paintings is full of bright colors and spirituality. Charles White always strives to show the harmony and special beauty of nature during the changing seasons.
"Window to the Past"
"Autumn forest"
"Change of Seasons"
Mark Geller (USA).
Mark Geller draws themes for his paintings while traveling around his native land. America in the master’s paintings is not skyscrapers and dynamic streets, but a quiet outback, beautiful in its wild desolation and abandonment.
"October Time"
"Valley of the Sun"
"Abandoned"
The autumn theme for the artist is an opportunity to reveal the entire palette of natural tones. Mark Geller continues the tradition of the best landscape painters of the past.
"Call Me Home"
"Morning"
"Heartland"
Evgeny and Lydia Baranov (Russia/USA).
Evgeny Baranov and Lidiya Velichko-Baranova were born and studied in Moscow, but at the dawn of the 90s they moved to the USA. Fate brought the two artists together after graduation. This is how not only a creative, but also a family union was formed, which showed the world many interesting works.
"Golden Tuscany"
"Villa Belvedere in October"
"Quiet Sunset"
It must be said that duets in painting are very rare. In this sense, artists were able to destroy the established stereotype that creativity in tandem is impossible. Masters create landscapes using the classical technique for which the Russian school of painting is so famous.
"Autumn in Bruges"
"In the Sunset"
"Farm"
Gregory Stokes (USA).
For Gregory Stokes, autumn is the main source of inspiration. The paintings of this artist are a unique combination of modern and traditional approaches to painting.
"Silence"
"Inner Glow"
"Airy Autumn"
Stokes's work is represented in many private collections in America and abroad. The artist depicts autumn landscapes with love and trepidation, trying to convey all the variety of colors of nature.
"One Day in November"
"Autumn Conversation"
"Autumn Loneliness"
Autumn in the paintings of Russian artists is the brightest and most touching time, where there are red-yellow, golden and warm colors of the beautiful Indian summer, and where there is a rainy and touching landscape of truly Russian nature in all its beauty of autumn splendor.
Isaac Levitan - Golden Autumn
Isaac Levitan, Golden Autumn, 1895
Autumn was Levitan's favorite time of year, and he dedicated more than a hundred paintings to it. One of the most beloved paintings by the public is this Golden Autumn, although it is not so characteristic of the artist’s work - it is too bright, bold, and majorly executed. It is possible that Levitan himself was not entirely satisfied with it, because a year later he painted another picture with the same name, but painted more softly, tenderly, crystalline...
This autumn landscape is unusually bright and optimistic, despite the fact that in most of Levitan’s paintings the color scheme of sadness predominates - mixed muted tones. In total, the artist has about a hundred autumn landscapes. Their usual theme is the solemn and sad fading of the autumns of Russian nature. However, there is no sadness in this picture! The canvas depicts a deep forest river of rich blue color and white-trunked birch trees in autumn decoration reflecting golden sunlight...
Vasily Polenov -Golden Autumn
Polenov’s Golden Autumn expresses to the viewer a comfortably lived-in corner of vast Russia, with its infinitely charming diversity, giving a person the joy of life, a contemplative mood and peace.
The Oka River winds steeply into the distance, reflecting in its waters some of the autumn trees that have grown densely along the right bank of the river, and a white-stone church is slightly visible in the distance. In the foreground of the picture, a hill descending towards the river with greenish-ochre hues, where a forest path runs along the right bank into the depths of a birch grove. Compared to the birches decorated with the golden color of autumn, an oak stands majestically, showing off its dark green foliage, not yet touched by the approaching autumn time. In harmony with the oak tree, the color shade can be used to mark the small fir trees planted along the path and indicating the beginning of a new life.
In the picture, everything is subordinated to the autumn season, the color scheme emphasizes the variety of foliage on the trees from green-red shades to bright yellow and orange, contrasting with the blue colors of the river and sky. The artist picturesquely reflects the airy atmosphere of the picture, this is evidenced by the shores stretching into the smoky distance of the horizon, above which hangs a cloud-covered sky.
Ilya Ostroukhov – Golden Autumn
The painting by artist I. S. Ostroukhov “Golden Autumn” depicts precisely golden autumn. The painting is not full of red and green leaves. Everything is covered with a golden veil.
The whole picture is filled with some kind of joyful movement and is a very “talkative” picture for a sophisticated viewer. “We are happy to spin!” - the rustle of leaves announces, “now we’ll fly away!” - the lively magpies cheerfully warn. The oak trunk in the background, which is entwined with smaller trees, on the contrary, seems to tell the viewer about the resilience of the forest: “we will survive this autumn too!” And, as a result, a city dweller who visits the museum even in the chilly fall will walk away from this picture with a feeling of joyful amazement. And with the desire to get out into nature. Or, at least sit “In Abramtsevo Park,” as Ostroukhov’s second famous autumn landscape is called.
The picture is full of miracles: it is rare to see in a landscape an image of a forest “rejoicing” in early autumn. And this is all the more surprising because Ilya Semenovich Ostroukhov never trained professionally as an artist, he only took private painting lessons. And it’s a pity that his landscapes are less known than the paintings of Shishkin, Levitan or Polenov.
Isaac Brodsky – Golden Autumn
The painting “Golden Autumn” is painted in very bright colors. It's hard to imagine such rich colors in reality. But Brodsky makes us feel the whole atmosphere of autumn in a small village. In the foreground stand out trees with red-orange leaves, which personifies activity and vitality.
The openwork foliage and tree branches are beautifully drawn. A river flows at the edge of the village. The waves are carefully drawn in it. And in one place you can even see the reflection of a small house. Small figures of people go about their business, and some admire the beautiful landscape. After all, soon the leaves will fall and cold winter will come. But at the same time there is no feeling of sadness.
The picture conveys with great accuracy the beauty of Russian nature. Red and orange colors have a revitalizing effect on a person. The color of the road creates a weightless and cheerful mood. The distant sky adds tranquility to the picture.
Vasily Meshkov – Golden autumn in Karelia
The painting “Golden Autumn in Karelia” was painted by V.V. Meshkov. An autumn landscape is depicted here. In the foreground there are heaps of stones due to dampness; they are dark in color or maybe the sun doesn’t get enough light on them and they seem so gloomy, but all the “gold” that is scattered next to them makes them an unnoticeable part of the landscape. There are trees between these stones. They are quite weak in the trunk, but their foliage is dense and shimmers with all the colors of gold, amber and orange.
The background is also full of colors. Although the sky is cloudy, it still attracts the viewer’s gaze, even if only briefly.
He used as many colors as possible, many shades. Yellow, carrot, orange, ocher - to depict foliage, trees and a little earth. Brown-gray for creating rocks and gray-blue for the sky. And this is only a small part of the colors that we can catch.
The author chooses an elongated format for the painting. This gives the picture some kind of peculiarity. And it seems that for a reason. The author wanted to show how endless nature is and even by placing the picture like this he will not be able to fit all its beauty.
Publications in the Museums section
Autumn landscapes
In a time of bright sadness and quiet joy. A rare case of a riot of colors in the middle zone is an occasion for an artist to add warm colors to the canvas. Red rowan leaves, bright yellow birch leaves, golden yellow linden leaves and yellow-brown oak leaves. Even larch in the fall succumbs to the general mood and burns with a canary color against the blue sky. If you're lucky, the golden autumn will turn out to be fine and gentle. We look at pictures about the most romantic time of the year together with Natalya Letnikova.
Isaac Levitan. Gold autumn. 1895. Tretyakov Gallery
Canvas from the “major series” by Isaac Levitan. “I was passionately drawn to work, I got carried away, and now for a week now I haven’t taken my eyes off the canvas day after day...”- the artist wrote to his friend Vasily Polenov, working on the autumn canvas. A painter saw a landscape bursting with yellow and barely tinged with green in the Tver province on the banks of the Syezha River not far from the Gorka estate, where he had a heartfelt interest. Is this why his “Golden Autumn” is like the smile of nature. The brightest of hundreds of Levitan's autumn paintings.
Stanislav Zhukovsky. Autumn. Veranda. 1911. Timing
A cozy corner of a country house where you can be eye to eye with the autumn park. It seems that you can reach the top of the spruce tree with your hand and, if desired, pluck that lemon-yellow leaf from the birch tree. See the horizon and, inhaling the cool, clean air, sit down on a bench under the sliding rays of the autumn sun. Stanislav Zhukovsky dearly loved autumn and ancient Russian estates. A century ago, the bouquet collected has not lost any of its bright colors and only emphasizes the autumn unity of the inhabitants of the house and its surroundings.
Boris Kustodiev. Autumn in the provinces. Tea party. 1926. Tretyakov Gallery
Merchants in an autumn interior. Boris Kustodiev diluted his favorite theme with warm colors. Fiery red maples and yellowing gardens near provincial houses make autumn especially cozy. That very Indian summer, which temporarily reconciles with the beautiful, but, alas, inevitably falling leaves. The clear air is filled with the aroma of leaves, watermelon and fresh bread from a small bakery. And, of course, no autumn is scary if there is a cat nearby. Along with a samovar.
Ilya Ostroukhov. Gold autumn. 1886. Tretyakov Gallery
Isaac Brodsky. Gold autumn. 1913. Museum-apartment of I.I. Brodsky
The village troubles were seen behind the bright riot of colors by the future representative of socialist realism, Isaac Brodsky. Ilya Repin's student became famous for his Leninism much later, and in 1913 the artist preferred romantic landscapes to paintings from revolutionary life. Framed by autumn foliage, as if in the palm of your hand, the village spreads out. He lives his hectic life - rattling carts, ringing voices. Only the colors change - from red gold, through a white winter landscape - to a riot of greenery and again to gilding.
Petr Petrovichev. Boring Garden. Autumn. 1905. Private collection
The corner of the Neskuchny Garden, penetrated by the bright sun, really does not look boring on a fine autumn day. At least the only movement in the deserted park is the slow waters of the river and the long gray shadows commanded by the sun. The house on the hill communicates that the park is inhabited by its appearance. And you can’t say at all that this is part of noisy Moscow. The artist Pyotr Petrovichev came to the capital from the Yaroslavl province on foot - to study painting with Levitan and paint Kuskovo, Kuzminki, Neskuchny Garden... It was much easier for the master of lyrical landscape to find solitude in the capital city a hundred years ago.
Konstantin Somov. Versailles Park in autumn. 1898. State Russian Museum
The center of Moscow or the Royal Park near Paris. Golden autumn is good in any place where the foliage changes color to suit autumn. A new picture every day is like a spectrum of shades. Know mix on the palette: linen, Dijon, mustard... And now the alley is covered with rust, and the color of the Tuscan sun is overshadowed by Parisian sadness. But the canvas will preserve “a fairy-tale palace, open for everyone to see”... As if there were only a few days left until the winter rest. And the leaves glow, and the sky turns blue, not knowing the autumn winds and the coming cold.
The most inspiring time of the year is autumn. It is multifaceted, awakens very contradictory feelings, and has become the culprit for the emergence of many beautiful works in literature, music and the visual arts.
It is not always comfortable to introduce a child to this time of year directly on the street, in a park, in a forest; the view from the window is sometimes limited, but they can help you if you just get an album with reproductions. In addition, this way you will hit two targets with one shot, introducing your child to autumn and the arts.
What pictures of autumn will be the most interesting and educational for children?
"Golden Autumn" - I. Levitan
The most famous landscape of this time of year. The picture is perfect for a child's first acquaintance with autumn, because it depicts its beginning. Despite the fact that the main color scheme of the picture is yellow, autumn, the fields in the distance are still green, here and there there is unfaded grass, and the grove on the right bank waves its green foliage welcomingly. The sky is clear, the weather is calm and pleasant.
This wonderful canvas will help the child recognize her first qualities and highlight her positive qualities. You can have a fascinating conversation about Russian fields and birch trees.
"Golden Autumn" - V. Polenov
This is no less a wonderful representative. Looking at the picture, you will be able to consolidate with your child knowledge about the early, first signs of autumn, and form pleasant associations.
You can try to introduce your baby to the concept of “Indian summer”. If he is not ready for this yet, do not insist.
in the fall" - I. Brodsky
Looking at the selected autumn pictures for children, we find ourselves in a garden where golden autumn already reigns. What does it mean? Look for the answer with your child in the thinning tree crowns, in the fallen leaves on the garden paths. Note that the day can be pleasant, clear and sunny even in mid-autumn.
How did we guess that the sun was shining brightly? The artist makes us understand this by depicting bright shadows from trees on the ground. The figures of numerous passers-by in the garden also speak of a wonderful day. Who would go for a walk in bad weather?
"Autumn. Veranda" - S. Zhukovsky
A slightly unusual view for us (young researchers) - this is no longer a forest or a park, but still - autumn. Many autumn landscapes, paintings show us houses, roads and villages in a golden natural frame, and here is a veranda. Table, vase, flowers... Speaking of flowers. Which ones bloom in autumn?
It is noteworthy that there is also a lot of light, warmth and sun. You can also clearly see the Christmas trees, which for some reason remained green. Why?
"Late Autumn" - K. Korovin
Now we have reached the last picture of autumn. It is important for children to see that late autumn is not a sad end to a beautiful, warm season full of bright colors, but the beginning of a new one. After all, despite the fact that all the leaves have fallen, the grass has withered, the air is already filled with milky fog, and there is snow on the remaining rare leaves and blades of grass. We are on the threshold of winter.
When choosing autumn pictures for children, try to make them light, bright and bring positive emotions. Just like in the examples given in this article. Even if the theme of autumn is not very pleasant for you, an adult, you should not pass on your negative thoughts and stereotypes to your child. Even if the autumn paintings and photos you find are unknown to the whole world, and the authors are provincial landscape painters, the main thing is the quality of the work and the feelings it will evoke in a tender child’s soul.
