Lesser URY did not like people. Much dearer to his heart was the bustling streets of the capital, and in particular – the streets of Berlin. Beginning in 1887, the artist finally settles in his favorite city, which becomes the protagonist of his paintings.
"Unter den Linden after the rain" one of the first paintings of the Lesser, dedicated to him, and one of the most curious. And, as if on a first date, working on a portrait of the famous historical Boulevard ("Under the Linden trees" – so it is translated from German), the artist is totally dedicated to working on canvas, using all the talent and tools available.
Small spool but the roads
Lime trees were planted on Unter den Linden in 1647 on the orders of Friedrich Wilhelm I, the founder of the Brandenburg-Prussian state. A thousand lime and walnut seedlings formed the Avenue by which the elector regularly followed on horseback in hunting possession of his Palace.
With a total length of about a mile, the Boulevard captures a number of the biggest attractions of the German capital from the Brandenburg gate, State Opera to the Berlin Cathedral. By the way, here is the Embassy of the Russian Federation.
Well, at the time of writing, painting Lesser URY, the Unter den Linden was the residence of the noble citizens, with many ceremonial buildings and the busy pedestrian and wheeled traffic: from the Paris area, crossing the urban river spree and to the Palace bridge.
The creation of fertile
"Unter den Linden after the rain" is the first work that lesser will mercilessly exploit and grind until almost the end of life. The radial term is a favorite composition of the artist in his urban canvases. As the use of various shades of three colors: white, brown and black (
1,
2).
Even receiving a couple of pedestrians in the foreground, glance, one of which is directed at the viewer, we will see more than
times not
two and don't even
three. But despite the subsequent self-plagiarism, this first picture got the most attention of the artist. This is reflected in thorough detail and filigree work oil.
Lesser URY particularly good sunset rain clouds reflected on the wet road surface. Again, this pattern will be again and again repeated from picture to picture. For URI the streets of Berlin during and after the rain – like water lilies, haystacks, Rouen Cathedral from Monet Japanese bridges in one.
He writes them gloomy
in the evening deep
night and white
day. Dank
in the fall grey
in the winter and bright
in the summer. Oil, watercolor, and pastel. But since the 1920s the carriage with the horse sledge will permanently replace the first cars. And here the artist will find a new subject for countless exercise – reflection on the wet asphalt of car headlights and street lights (
1,
2).
The beauty of the capital of the German singer
Returning to our limes, it is also worth noting that the "Unter den Linden after the rain" is one of the lightest on the mood of the urban landscape Lesser URI. Despite the rather dark palette, he manages to convey the atmosphere of an idle evening bustle.
Somewhere, well-dressed citizens (special mention deserve dazzling ruffles and a Flirty peek-a-Boo from under the skirt ladies with a front end). Away riding through puddles a child, and in the middle stood still, as if having attended to the attention of the artist, a street dog.
32 years later, lesser URI can paint a picture with an almost identical name
"Unter den Linden in the rain" but that would be an entirely different story. From late work emanates sadness and boredom: the huddled passers-by seek shelter from the weather, the wind rips off the fake trees last miserable sheets; most of the characters is absent any hint of the face.
But the attachment of the artist to Berlin – perhaps the only passion of his life (warm relations with women or other members of the human species not known) – next year will be highlighted during the celebration of the 60th anniversary Lesser URI. The Lord mayor (then the equivalent of mayor of the city) called the creative legacy of the hero of the day "praise the artistic capital of the Empire."
Author: Natalia Azarenka