In the foreground of the picture “Children Running from the Thunderstorm” are depicted the dark waters of a brook, through which a rural girl runs across the dilapidated bridge carrying a younger brother on its back. Behind the guys, there is a forest going to the horizon, in which they gathered mushrooms.
The old bridge bends slightly under the feet of the running girl. The blond little brother fearfully clasped his sister’s neck with his hands, while she supports him by the legs and presses with all her strength to herself, preventing him from falling. In the eyes of children clearly frightened. The running little girl looks around apprehensively at the oncoming thunderstorm. Despite the fact that she herself is still not very adult, the girl feels responsible for her younger brother. The village is still very far away, and there is no shelter nearby to wait out the bad weather.
Through the overall dark color solution of the painting, the artist conveys not only the feeling of an impending thunderstorm, but also the fright of the children fleeing from it. Anxious impression of what is happening Makovsky reinforces through the use of saturated dark colors, emphasizing the danger of the situation, as well as the parallel movement of the elements and children trying to get ahead of it. The storm is getting closer, and there is no cover nearby. From the gray thunderstorm clouds is about to rain. Cold wind pierces through light clothing…
However, the picture does not make a gloomy impression. The grass stems and wind-stormy sky below the horizon are replaced by blue clear gaps and a bright spot of a clean wheat field. With this technique, the author of the picture instills hope in the viewer and shows that the thunderstorm is transient, and ahead of the heroes of the canvas is a joyous time for a serene childhood.
For most modern viewers, the picture “Children Running from a Thunderstorm” evokes only positive emotions. The images of simple rural children are filled with unique childish charm, radiate kindness and innocence. Despite the impending storm and the anxiety of the main characters of the picture, the viewer has an inner conviction that everything will end well and the girl with her brother will surely get home safely.
In the process of working on the picture, Makovsky surprisingly accurately managed to feel and convey through artistic techniques the emotional component of children’s characters, especially the perception of the world around us through the eyes of a child. Indeed, in childhood, even a thunderstorm is perceived completely differently than in adulthood. At the same time, in the face of the girl depicted by the artist on the canvas, one feels maturity and determination, the willingness to take on independent responsibility for the younger brother.
The rural landscape with the Russian nature, sweet to the heart, attracts with its realism by the artist. Violent meadow grasses, a forest visible in the distance, a small river and a fragile bridge thrown across it bring into the picture an element of lyricism and warmth.
Work on the canvas “Children Running from the Thunderstorm” was completed in 1872 in St. Petersburg.
The picture was obviously designed in advance for the spacious apartments of aristocrats, who at that time willingly acquired the works of Makovsky. As a result, she was in the collection of the Naryshkins family. Currently, the canvas is in the Tretyakov Gallery.
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