Artwork Title: Moonlight Night on the Dnieper

Moonlight Night on the Dnieper, 1880

Arkhip Kuindzhi

Moonlight, the main part of the composition, flickers in the waves, enlightens the white walls of the houses, colors the clouds silver. The shining unites the sky and the earth in a peaceful and solemn harmony. When the painting was exhibited, the illusion of light was so realistic that many people furtively attempted to look behind the canvas, certain there must be a lamp there. To intensify the effect, the picture was placed in a dark hall and lit by one electric beam aimed directly at it. Color was more of a subject than the land, building moods rather than stories. “Moonlit Night on the Dnieper” was exhibited on its own, shrouded in a black curtain, emphasizing the luminous moonlight. The minimal use of color was a daring act for the time, creating an almost abstract composition propelled by the imagination of the viewer. [http://museumstudiesabroad.org/polyphony-in-isaac-levitans-landscapes/]
Uploaded on Oct 5, 2014 by Suzan Hamer

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