Description of the picture:
Young gardener – Orest Adamovich Kiprensky. 1817. Oil on canvas. Sixty two x 49.5 cm
In this picture, the artist was able to fully demonstrate his talent as a virtuoso portrait painter. The image of the boy is very realistic, voluminous and bright. He has in his hands a tool for pruning plants and harvesting grapes. Obviously, on a hot day he got tired of work and decided to take a break, leaning on a low wall of wild stone, dilapidated and overgrown with small flowering plants. He has very beautiful dark eyes and thick hair, and the youthful tenderness of his skin is perfectly conveyed by the master.
The young age of the model is felt on his hands. They are still beautiful in shape, without calluses, not roughened, hard work has not yet affected their condition. As masterly as the appearance of the gardener, the texture of his clothes is also conveyed. A light shirt мейд of simple linen does not seem coarse, because the folds on the rolled up sleeves look soft, well draped.
Thanks to the gentle and soft color and special tenderness of the image, the picture gives the impression of a very chamber, lyrical image, pleasing to the eye of each viewer. No wonder this painting, written in Italy and first shown in St. Petersburg, had a huge impact on the contemporaries of the artist."