Arkhip Kuindzhi. Kuinji Mountain landscapes. The description of the pictures. Masterpieces of Russian painting

Elbrus. Moonlight Night. 1890-1895. Etude. Paper on canvas, oil. 36,5 x 55,4. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia. Daryal pass. Moonlight Night. 1890-1895. Paper on a cardboard, oil. 38 x 56,5. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.

The two sets of themes that are clearly singled out within the framework of Kuindzhi's romantic imagery developed by him along the lines of decorative painting may be referred to as the theme of a blazing, incandescent sun and that of majestic mountains. The romantic pathos permeating the observation of mountain ranges, of glistening inaccessible peaks luring one to the comprehension of the unknown, grew into a symbol of some beautiful and inaccessible realm. Thirty years later Kuindzhi's infatuation with the theme of the universe would strike the imagination of Nicolas Roerich to become the subject of his Himalayan series with its unusual world perception. Mountains as the giant creations of nature, nearest to the infinite heavens and capable of contacting them-such is the message of the intensely dramatic works of Kuindzhi's Caucasian series. Combined with a bright decorative setting, the romantic feeling broke down the fetters of the mundane, bringinig forth a beautiful and seemingly unreal image.

                         Alexander Pushkin
                                    1829
The hills of Georgia are veiled by twilight,
Aragva river rushes boldly.
I’m both serene and sad, my pensive sorrow’s bright,
My sorrow is about you only,
With you and you alone… The vein of my heartache
Can be perturbed and moved by nothing.
My heart is set ablaze and steeped in love in that 
Infallibly it can’t help loving.