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The noise of the old park
Apollinary Vasnetsov • Painting, 1926, 106×176 cm
Description of the artwork «The noise of the old park»
In fact, Apollinary Vasnetsov painted a picture titled All in the Past. What is it dedicated to? First of all, its mood was inspired by the death of his dearest older brother, the famous artist Victor Vasnetsov. Apollinary Vasnetsov was very upset about this loss — he lost his close relative, his mentor, comrade, reliable support and best friend. In addition, Vasnetsov Junior has just turned his thoughts away from disappointments about the revolutionary events, and here came a new blow. Unlike Viktor, Apollinary met the revolution with enthusiasm, but when he faced the unsightly reality instead of the lofty slogans, a bitter sobering covered him.
However, it was 1926. The young Soviet country was building a bright future, and sighing about the past, as well as statements that everything worthwhile remained there, were impermissible. That is why Apollinary Vasnetsov gave the painting a second title, The Noise of the Old Park. It partially resembles his early landscapes (1, 2). But the similarity is rather formal, in the general melancholy of the landscape.
The Noise of the Old Park stands out for its special mood. On the river bank, with his back to the viewer, a grey-haired old man sits on a bench. He leans on his arm, his gaze is directed either downward or into the depths of the park. Dusk is coming. The weather is windy, it seems that you can hear the noise of the wind and the roar of the water. The crowns of mighty trees are bent down. An important detail is that only the old man is close to us in this space; the artist does not invite us to the park that occupies most of the canvas. Even the subject depicted in the picture cannot go there. As though his whole life was swept away by a swift gust of wind and became inaccessible. Everything he loved, everything that was dear and gladdened him, memories of the success and fails, hopes and aspirations — everything is there, in this park. All in the past. And today is only the noise of the old park, which can only be heard from the outside.
But there is no feeling of emptiness or meaninglessness in the picture. The man lived this life in full force. And although today it is almost there, across the river (the memory involuntarily brings up Styx), the day will come when the old man will follow a path hidden in the depths of the park, which does not invite him or the viewer to delve into this thicket today.
The talent of Apollinary Vanetsov as a landscape painter is fully expressed in this picture. Sometimes critics reproached him for being overly careful — his love for science and classifications came at the cost of the vividness of the image sometimes. However, in this case, such reproaches would hardly be appropriate, the picture leaves a solid impression.
Written by Aliona Esaulova
However, it was 1926. The young Soviet country was building a bright future, and sighing about the past, as well as statements that everything worthwhile remained there, were impermissible. That is why Apollinary Vasnetsov gave the painting a second title, The Noise of the Old Park. It partially resembles his early landscapes (1, 2). But the similarity is rather formal, in the general melancholy of the landscape.
The Noise of the Old Park stands out for its special mood. On the river bank, with his back to the viewer, a grey-haired old man sits on a bench. He leans on his arm, his gaze is directed either downward or into the depths of the park. Dusk is coming. The weather is windy, it seems that you can hear the noise of the wind and the roar of the water. The crowns of mighty trees are bent down. An important detail is that only the old man is close to us in this space; the artist does not invite us to the park that occupies most of the canvas. Even the subject depicted in the picture cannot go there. As though his whole life was swept away by a swift gust of wind and became inaccessible. Everything he loved, everything that was dear and gladdened him, memories of the success and fails, hopes and aspirations — everything is there, in this park. All in the past. And today is only the noise of the old park, which can only be heard from the outside.
But there is no feeling of emptiness or meaninglessness in the picture. The man lived this life in full force. And although today it is almost there, across the river (the memory involuntarily brings up Styx), the day will come when the old man will follow a path hidden in the depths of the park, which does not invite him or the viewer to delve into this thicket today.
The talent of Apollinary Vanetsov as a landscape painter is fully expressed in this picture. Sometimes critics reproached him for being overly careful — his love for science and classifications came at the cost of the vividness of the image sometimes. However, in this case, such reproaches would hardly be appropriate, the picture leaves a solid impression.
Written by Aliona Esaulova
