The middle peasant family

Mediums: oil, canvas.
Location: The Samara Regional Art Museum (Russia).

The painting is a vivid example of primitivism put at the service of the theory of colour painting, which was developed by the artist. The first impression of the canvas is the continuous fire of hot colours. Shades of bright red and sunny yellow contrast with the smaller blue planes – those are the mistress’s apron, her husband’s trousers and the horse’s face. The animal itself, symbolizing wealth in the peasant’s hut, “did not fit” in the picture. Strong figures, good-natured faces of the middle peasants and the gesture of a mother with her hand on the child’s head speak of a sense of peace, self-confidence of people who know how to work and who love the earth.