Big road. Sunny autumn day. 1897

Isaac Levitan created this small oil on cardboard painting, entitled 'Big road. Sunny autumn day.', in late 19th century Russia. In this period, Russian artists often engaged with questions of national identity. Levitan contributed to this discourse by depicting the Russian landscape not just as a physical space, but as a reflection of the Russian soul, emphasizing its vastness and melancholy. Here, the long road lined with birch trees visually draws us into the heart of the Russian countryside. The changing colors of autumn evoke a sense of transience and nostalgia. Levitan’s art was part of a larger cultural movement to define and celebrate Russian identity. To fully grasp this work’s cultural significance, we can delve into the writings of Russian intellectuals and artists of the period. These resources can help us understand the painting not merely as a depiction of nature, but as a mirror reflecting the complex identity of a nation.