In 1894, philanthropist Savva Mamontov realized a long-planned trip to Scandinavia, where Konstantin Korovin took with him. In the “program” of this research and tourist tour, visit the northernmost cities of Russia and the northern countries. One of the important points is the town of Hemmerfest in Norway, which is one of the northernmost points of the continent. This trip resulted in a whole cycle of northern paintings and sketches, the most important of which is “Gemmerfest, Northern Lights” – the quintessence of the beauty and originality of this land edge.
The painting is noteworthy both on the idea, and on the composition, and on the color palette. Here, the viewer can fully enjoy different aspects of the gift of the Russian painter. A mixture of realistic scenery, phantasmagoria and impressionistic stylistics – the canvas really fascinates and delights.
We see clear outlines of neat Norwegian houses, surrounding a narrow water canal, along which boats sail unhurriedly sailing. This everyday picture is transformed in the most fantastic way in the light of the magical colors of the northern lights. Cold dark water reflects mysterious glare, and the air is filled with a special atmosphere – as if the whole world froze, watching the colors courtesy of the sky.
The composition of the picture is deliberately stretched vertically. This is emphasized not only by the geometry of the canvas chosen by the authors, but also by standing, rigid houses, looking upwards, the thin masts of boats, the channel leading to the horizon, and, of course, vertical stripes of light depicting the northern lights.
The space of the picture reproduces a whole color-light mystery, and here the artist demonstrated all his skill. The dark night color is sharply diluted with color spots that slide along the buildings and are displayed in a variety of shades in the blurry water of the narrow canal. As a result, a strange urban landscape, combining both the realism of the picturesque buildings, and the romantic approach to perception, and the impressionistic mood that transmits all the magic of nature, capable of transforming and revitalizing the ordinary urban landscape, has turned out.
The painting “Hemmerfest” was one of the most significant and recognizable works of Konstantin Korovin.
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