Summer (A trip to the Terem) 1918

Boris Kustodiev made "Summer (A trip to the Terem)" with oil paint, and its exact date remains a mystery. The texture of the paint is smooth, the colors are bright, and the whole scene has a sun-drenched, dreamy vibe. The artist uses soft brushstrokes to suggest form rather than define it, which creates a gentle, almost hazy atmosphere. The surface feels alive, like a memory retold again and again. I find my eye drawn to the top right corner where the rain is rendered with the same soft touch as the clouds. This harmony of marks mirrors the harmonious image of life on the farm, both the promise of water and the heat of the sun. Kustodiev’s work echoes the spirit of artists like Pierre Bonnard, who also found poetry in the everyday. There is an embrace of ambiguity, a willingness to let the image breathe and shift.