March | |
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Artist | Isaac Levitan |
Year | 1895 |
Medium | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 60 cm × 75 cm (24 in × 30 in) |
Location | State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
March is a chrestomatic[1] landscape painting by the Russian artist Isaaс Levitan (1860–1900), created in 1895. It is held in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (Inventory 1489) and measures 60 × 75 cm[2] (or 61 × 76 cm according to other sources).[3] Levitan painted the picture in March 1895 while living in the Gorka estate, situated in the Vyshnevolotsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate.[2]
The painting March was exhibited at the 24th exhibition of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki)[4] in February 1896 in Saint Petersburg. It was later moved to Moscow in March of the same year.[5] March was exhibited at the All-Russia industrial and art exhibition 1896 in Nizhny Novgorod.[2][6] In the same year, Pavel Tretyakov purchased the painting from the author.[2][7]
March is considered to be one of Levitan's 'life-affirming, cheerful works' from 1895 to 1897. This group also includes Golden Autumn (1895), Fresh Wind. Volga (1895), and Spring. Big Water (1897), among others.[8][9] The painting March is widely regarded as one of Levitan's most famous and vivid landscape paintings.[10] It also demonstrates the influence of Impressionism on the artist's oeuvre.[11]
Artist Vasily Baksheev praised the painting, considering it not only one of Levitan's best works, but also one of the best works of the Russian school of painting.[12] According to art historian Alexei Fedorov-Davydov, Levitan's painting March was a 'discovery in Russian landscape painting', combining a pictorial depiction of snow, spring sky, and trees. This motif later became a popular theme for many Russian landscape painters of the 20th century, including Igor Grabar and Konstantin Yuon.[13] According to art historian Faina Maltseva, March is a 'inspired work in a major tone' that presents 'a whole and internally complete image, preserving at the same time all the immediacy and freshness of first impressions.'[14]