A Northern Idyll 1886

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin’s “A Northern Idyll” was made with oil paints, a traditional fine art material associated with wealth. Looking at the painting, the first thing you might notice is how casually the paint has been applied, loose and blended. The artist has used this material to present a vision of the Russian peasantry that feels both authentic and idealized. The clothing of the figures is remarkable, and gives you an insight into the material culture of the peasantry. It is likely that the clothes worn were made from homespun linen or wool, and dyed with natural pigments. Their garments have been carefully stitched with traditional patterns, echoing the beauty of the natural landscape. The idyllic scene Korovin depicts here is one of leisure. The amount of work involved in producing not only the painting but also the scene depicted reminds us that the materials and the making can often be overlooked in favor of focusing solely on the image represented.