Description of the picture:
After the rain – Kuindzhi. 1879. Oil on canvas. 102×159
The work was first presented to the general public at the exhibition "the Wanderers"with which the master collaborated. The painting was enthusiastically accepted by critics, which, once again, noted the author’s unsurpassed skill in depicting light.
The viewer has a bright, lush landscape, updated by a strong and life-giving rain. Judging by the clouds, the thunderstorm was serious. Water washed away all signs of long heat and drought from the grass. Having eagerly absorbed moisture, the fields exploded in bright green under the rays of the evening sun. Dark and ominous clouds are still full of thunder, but the elements are already retreating to revitalize other places.
A small farmhouse on a high hill is elegant and cozy. The contrasts of the work create the atmosphere of lightness and aroma that came after the rain. The silence and peace of the illuminated part of the work are opposed to the violence of the elements in heaven. The complex movement of the clouds, tense and strong, no longer scares the viewer. His eyes are riveted to the sunny bright part of the landscape.
The reed-covered shores of a small river, caressed by rain, create additional comfort and "sound" a series of paintings. Viewer "hears", feels, perceives what he saw.
The picture was undoubtedly written from nature. Despite the use of bright, clear and very contrasting tones, the landscape looks very real. The accuracy of the lines, the inner harmony of the picture makes it one of the most expressive in the work of the master."