View of the Moskvoretsky Bridge, the Kremlin and the Pokrovsky Cathedral 1882

Arkhyp Kuindzhi made this view of Moscow using oil paints, likely on canvas. Oil paint, ground pigment suspended in linseed oil, was by the late 19th century a thoroughly industrialized medium. The effects here are achieved through layering and blending. Look at the way he renders the sky, not as a flat expanse but with subtle gradations. Or the reflections in the water, achieved through nuanced brushwork. Kuindzhi demonstrates mastery over the material to give a sense of atmospheric perspective. The Kremlin and Pokrovsky Cathedral in the background loom, rendered with a keen eye for architectural detail and color harmony. The painting technique itself, though seemingly traditional, reflects the evolving industrial capacity to manufacture and distribute art supplies widely. Consider the labor involved: from the harvesting of flax for the oil to the mining of pigments, a whole economy is implicated in the production of this image. And of course, the artist's own labor in skillfully applying those materials to canvas, gives his art historical significance.