The landscapes of Ivan Shishkin (Russia, 1832-1898) are characterized by truth to nature. He knew a lot about botany and painted outdoors on a regular basis. This autumn landscape in oil is about 16 x 26 inches.
1. The sky must have been dry or almost dry from a previous session, rather than painted all wet together. If it has already been painted, so were "oiled" with a very thin layer of paint means to make it receptive.
2. It must have been a wide variety of brushes and switched them he built the textures of foliage and branches. A big old flare brush buffered against the canvas, could have provided the foliage textures.
3. The branches are painted with a very thin round brush, and some of the lighter branches at the bottom right of this detail seems to be scratched on the wet paint with a knife or brush.
4. masses leading sheets are laid on any thicker. The full effect is loose and direct, but not "brushy", that is, it does not look like a collection of plots.
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Painting is Shishkin Lot 1 from the sale of Sotheby an upcoming Russian pictures in London on June 2. 