It was in Paris at the d' Orsay Museum, that I first experienced Russian art of the period that museum covers (1848-1914) . It was paintings through a special traveling exhibit.
One painting in particular caught my attention. It was so beautifully luminous that I couldn't stop looking at it. I had to write the name of the artist and the title of his work in my
sketchbook/journal so I could find out more about him when I returned
home.
The artist was Arkhip Ivanovitch Kuindzhi (1841-1910) also spelled Kouindji. Kuiniji, and, well, if you want to look him up just key in his first name. He was born in Mariupol, Ukraine.
Orphaned as a six year old, he worked at a variety of menial jobs until his natural gift led to a job as a photo retoucher. He eventually went to St. Petersburg where he took some training, but remained largely self-trained.
Kuindzhi is recognized as a painter who sought and succeeded in transmitting "light's fullness and density." Below are a few more of his paintings showing his capture of light and mood.
What's your opinion of his works? Have you ever heard of him?
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