plate no. 4189
Horses in the storm
Boris Kustodiev, 1918
recreation guide
Boris Kustodiev’s 'Horses in the Storm' (1918) is a landscape work that engages with the Romantic tradition of depicting wilder landscapes and storms, where weather serves as a central element of the composition rather than mere background (Source 1, Source 2). While Kustodiev is often associated with vibrant, saturated colors in his genre scenes, this specific work’s title and genre suggest a focus on atmospheric effects and the 'tonal phase' of landscape painting, where outlines may be softened to emphasize cloud formations and light (Source 3). The artwork likely utilizes the artist’s characteristic bold palette, but the stormy setting requires a mastery of chiaroscuro and simultaneous contrast to render the dramatic lighting inherent to such subjects (Source 5).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
6 items
steps
6 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints (Titanium White, Ultramarine, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Alizarin Crimson, Ivory Black) | Primary pigments for building the grisaille and subsequent color layers. | — |
| Linseed oil | Drying oil medium for mixing paints and glazing. | Stand oil or refined linseed oil |
| Canvas or linen panel | Support for the oil painting. | Pre-primed linen canvas |
| Solvent (Odorless mineral spirits) | Thinning paint for initial washes and cleaning brushes. | Gamsol or similar odorless solvent |
| Bristle brushes (flat and filbert) | Applying opaque underpainting and scumbling layers. | — |
| Soft bristle brushes (round) | Glazing and blending atmospheric effects. | — |
preparation
surface prep
Prepare a rigid support such as linen or canvas. While Kustodiev’s specific ground preparation is not detailed in the sources, traditional oil painting practice involves sizing and priming the surface to prevent oil absorption. For a stormy landscape, a neutral or slightly warm mid-tone ground (such as raw umber diluted with solvent) may be beneficial to establish the atmospheric base, consistent with the 'tonal phase' tradition where the ground influences the final luminosity (Source 3, Source 7).
underdrawing
Use a charcoal or thinned oil sketch to block in the major forms of the horses and the horizon line. Kustodiev’s style often features bold, confident lines, but in a stormy landscape, the drawing should remain loose to allow for the softening of outlines characteristic of atmospheric painting (Source 3). Do not overwork the drawing, as it will be covered by the underpainting.
underpainting
Create a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, white, and possibly ultramarine to establish the value structure of the storm. This step is crucial for separating the tonal values before introducing color. As noted in traditional practice, this preparation mentally extracts red and yellow colors, focusing on the structural light and shadow (Source 4). Ensure the sky and cloud formations are emphasized, as they are typical focal points in Dutch and Romantic landscape traditions (Source 3, Source 1).
color palette
Stormy Sky
Ultramarine, Ivory Black, Titanium White
Background and atmospheric clouds, leveraging the 'tonal phase' emphasis on sky prominence.
Horse Coats
Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, Titanium White
The horses, using Kustodiev’s characteristic warm, saturated tones to contrast with the cool storm.
Ground/Landscape
Green Earth, Ultramarine, Yellow Ochre
The landscape elements, keeping colors subordinate to the atmospheric effect.
Highlights
Titanium White, Lemon Yellow
Lightning flashes or rain highlights, utilizing simultaneous contrast to enhance brightness.
composition
The composition likely features a low horizon to emphasize the impressive cloud formations and stormy sky, a technique popular in Dutch Golden Age landscapes and Romanticism (Source 3, Source 1). The horses may be positioned to create a diagonal across the picture space, adding dynamism to the scene (Source 3). Weather is an integral element of the composition, not just a backdrop (Source 2).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the horses and the horizon line lightly. Focus on the placement of the figures within the landscape.
Tip — Keep lines loose to allow for atmospheric blending later.
Blocking in
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome grisaille using black, white, and ultramarine. Establish the light and shadow values, particularly in the sky and the horses' forms.
Tip — Ensure the sky has significant tonal variation to convey the storm's intensity.
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Once the grisaille is dry, begin applying color. Use glazing techniques to add transparent layers of color, particularly in the sky and shadows.
Tip — Glazing allows the underlying values to show through, creating depth.
Glazing
refining
step 04
Apply opaque colors to the horses and foreground elements. Use scumbling to soften edges and blend the figures into the stormy atmosphere.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds can create a cold, atmospheric effect, suitable for a storm.
Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the highlights and contrasts. Use simultaneous contrast principles to enhance the brightness of the lightning or rain against the dark sky.
Tip — Place bright colors next to dark ones to intensify their visual impact.
Simultaneous Contrast
varnishing
step 06
Allow the painting to dry completely (several weeks) before applying a final varnish to protect the surface and unify the gloss.
Tip — Ensure the painting is fully dry to prevent trapping solvents.
Varnishing
critical techniques
Glazing and Scumbling
Used to build up color and atmospheric effects. Glazing adds transparent color layers, while scumbling softens outlines and creates atmospheric haze, consistent with the 'tonal phase' of landscape painting.
Simultaneous Contrast
Applied to enhance the dramatic lighting of the storm. By placing contrasting tones and colors next to each other, the artist can create a more vivid and dynamic visual experience.
Emphasis on Sky
The sky is given great prominence, with detailed cloud formations and weather effects, reflecting the influence of Dutch and Romantic landscape traditions.
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the underdrawing, which can lead to a stiff appearance rather than the desired atmospheric softness.
- →Applying color before the underpainting is dry, which can muddy the colors and ruin the glazing effect.
- →Ignoring the principles of simultaneous contrast, resulting in a flat or dull appearance in the stormy sky.
- →Using too much black to darken colors, which can cause hue shifts; instead, use complementary colors to neutralize and darken (Source 8).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific details of Kustodiev’s personal palette for this exact painting are not provided in the sources; the palette is inferred from his general style and the genre conventions.
- ·The exact composition of the horses (number, pose, breed) is not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on general landscape composition principles.
- ·Kustodiev’s specific brushwork techniques for this period are not detailed, so the guide relies on general oil painting practices of the time.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Glazing and scumbling techniques for building color and atmosphere.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Principles of simultaneous contrast for enhancing visual impact.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Romanticism↗
- Romanticism — part 22 — applied to Context for stormy landscapes and the emphasis on weather as a compositional element.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- Landscape painting — part 1 — applied to General principles of landscape composition and the role of weather.
Wikipedia: Dutch Golden Age painting↗
- Dutch Golden Age painting — part 14 — applied to Techniques for atmospheric effects, low horizons, and emphasis on sky.
Wikipedia: Oil painting↗
- Oil painting — part 4 — applied to Materials and drying times for oil paints.
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Avoiding hue shifts when darkening colors.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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