The artwork, titled “Volga near Zhigulevskie Hill,” is a landscape painting by Ivan Aivazovsky, created in 1887. This Romanticism piece, executed in oil on canvas, measures 129 by 219 centimeters.
In the artwork, the viewer is presented with a tranquil river scene set during what appears to be either dawn or dusk, as indicated by the soft, golden light that bathes the landscape. The Volga River stretches across the canvas from the foreground to the background, gradually narrowing and eventually vanishing into the horizon where it meets the sky. The left side of the painting features a steamboat making its way down the river, its subtle wake trailing behind. On the right, another steamboat is docked near the riverbank, surrounded by wooden rafts and individuals involved in river activities. Verdant hills rise on either side of the river, their silhouettes softened by the hazy atmosphere. The composition evokes a serene and almost ethereal quality, showcasing Aivazovsky’s masterful use of light and color to capture the sublime beauty of this natural landscape.
