The artwork titled “Valaam. Kukko.” is a creation of Ivan Shishkin, a Russian artist renowned for his masterful landscape paintings. The work of art dates back to approximately 1859 – 1860 and originates from the Russian Federation. Executed in watercolor and Indian ink on paper, it embodies the Realism movement, a genre intent on depicting subjects as they appear in everyday life without embellishment or interpretation. The artwork’s dimensions are 32.2 x 23.6 cm and it belongs to the landscape genre.
In this artwork, Shishkin has captured a dramatic and moody landscape scene that showcases his attention to natural detail and his prowess with watercolor and ink. The setting appears to be twilight or dawn, as indicated by the soft luminosity in the sky where the moon can be seen faintly against the clouds. Foreground details are rich with textures, depicting rough terrain with what looks to be fallen trees and overgrown brush. To the left, a tall coniferous tree stands prominently, helping to frame the scene and adding to the sense of depth. In the middle ground, shrouded by mist, faint silhouettes of trees can be seen, while to the right, the dark, rugged outlines of rock formations loom. The chiaroscuro effect, with its stark contrasts between light and dark, imbues the piece with a sense of solitude and silent contemplation, characteristic of the Realist movement’s focus on the natural and the immediate.
