plate no. 8866

Novgorod. Peter and Paul Church.

Pyotr Konchalovsky, 1925

oilPost-Impressionismcityscapechurchtreesskyarchitecturelandscapebuilding

recreation guide

Pyotr Konchalovsky’s 1925 oil painting 'Novgorod. Peter and Paul Church' is a cityscape that reflects his post-WWI evolution toward a synthesis of modernist breakthroughs and Russian realism. As a founding member of the Knave of Diamonds group, Konchalovsky sought to merge French and German avant-garde styles with Russian primitivism, moving away from the strict academic traditions of his early training (Source 5). By 1925, his work was contributing to the development of Soviet realistic art, characterized by a 'complex evolution' of styles that retained the structural influence of Paul Cezanne and the expressive color of Vincent van Gogh, which he studied extensively in Paris (Source 5, Source 6). The artwork likely employs the bold, non-naturalistic color contrasts and structural solidity associated with his Fauvist and Cezannesque period, applied here to a topographical view of a specific architectural subject (Source 3, Source 5).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (Ultramarine, White, Black, Red, Yellow)	Primary palette for underpainting and glazing, consistent with traditional oil methods and Konchalovsky's bold color use.	Standard tube oils; Ultramarine Blue, Titanium White, Ivory Black, Cadmium Red, Cadmium Yellow.
Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/walnut oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings, as cited in traditional oil practice for glazing and scumbling.	Stand oil or refined linseed oil.
Canvas or prepared panel	Support for the oil layers.	Linen canvas with acrylic gesso or traditional oil ground.
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparent coats.	Dammar or synthetic resin varnish.

preparation

surface prep

While specific preparation for this 1925 work is not detailed in the sources, Konchalovsky’s training at the Imperial Academy of Arts (Source 5) implies a familiarity with traditional grounds. For a recreation using the glazing techniques described in the sources, a smooth, white or light-toned ground is recommended to allow for the 'glazing' and 'scumbling' effects where underlying tones make themselves felt (Source 1).

underdrawing

Konchalovsky’s style, influenced by Cezanne, emphasizes structure and form over delicate line work. The underdrawing should likely focus on the 'mass and volume' of the church and surrounding architecture rather than fine contour details, consistent with the principle that contour drawing emphasizes mass over minor details (Source 8). However, specific preparatory sketches for this piece are not documented in the provided sources.

underpainting

A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended, following the traditional method described in Source 1. This involves painting the composition in neutral tones (black, ultramarine, white) to establish values and forms before applying color. This aligns with the 'old masters' method of glazing over a dry monochrome base, which Konchalovsky’s academic training would have exposed him to, even as he adopted modernist color theories (Source 1, Source 5).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure pigment

Underpainting and sky tones; part of the basic palette cited for traditional oil painting (Source 1).

White

Pure pigment

Highlights and mixing; essential for the grisaille and subsequent glazing (Source 1).

Black

Pure pigment

Shadows and underpainting; part of the basic palette (Source 1).

Red and Yellow tones

Cadmium or similar vibrant pigments

Glazing and scumbling over the dry grisaille to introduce warmth and local color, reflecting Konchalovsky’s Fauvist influences (Source 1, Source 5).

composition

As a cityscape/topographical view, the composition likely arranges the Peter and Paul Church as the central visual element within a coherent structure (Source 3). Konchalovsky’s approach to composition, influenced by Cezanne, would prioritize the geometric solidity and spatial relationships of the buildings rather than purely atmospheric perspective. The 'elements of design' such as line, shape, and value are used to organize the visual path through the cityscape (Source 2). Specific compositional moves for this painting are not described in the sources, so general principles of landscape/cityscape composition apply.

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the basic forms of the Peter and Paul Church and surrounding structures, focusing on mass and volume rather than fine detail.
Tip — Ensure the structural integrity of the architecture is clear.
Contour drawing for mass

underpainting

step 02
Create a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia as a medium. Establish the full range of values.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature without them (Source 1).
Monochrome underpainting

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with transparent coats of red and yellow tones using oil.
Tip — Apply color much as one would tint an engraving with watercolors (Source 1).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Use scumbling (semi-opaque painting) to adjust tones and create coldness or grey blooms where needed, particularly over darker grounds.
Tip — Watch for the underlying painting making itself felt through the semi-opaque layer (Source 1).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine color contrasts, ensuring that juxtapositions of colors produce the desired simultaneous contrast effects.
Tip — Devote attention to great effects, allowing small ones to result spontaneously (Source 4).
Simultaneous contrast

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build color over a dry monochrome underpainting. Glazing provides transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque layers that interact with the underpainting to create complex tonal effects like grey blooms.

Simultaneous Contrast

Juxtaposing colors to enhance their visual impact. Placing flat tints of different tones next to each other produces chiaroscuro and gradation of light.

Cezannesque Structure

Emphasizing the geometric construction and volume of forms, a hallmark of Konchalovsky’s style influenced by Paul Cezanne.

common pitfalls

→Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can muddy the colors and ruin the transparency effect (Source 1).
→Over-modeling or becoming too tied to outlines, which contradicts the goal of capturing broad masses and spontaneous effects (Source 7, Source 4).
→Ignoring the law of simultaneous contrast, leading to flat or harmonically weak color interactions (Source 4).

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 visual details of the Peter and Paul Church as depicted in this 1925 painting (e.g., exact angle, weather conditions, presence of figures) are not described in the sources.
·Konchalovsky’s specific palette choices for this particular year are not detailed; the guide infers from his general Fauvist/Cezannesque period and traditional oil practices.
·The exact ground preparation used by Konchalovsky for this work is not documented in the provided sources.

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 Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques.
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints... — applied to Color theory and simultaneous contrast application.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Pyotr Konchalovsky↗
- part 1 & part 2 — applied to Artist’s style, influences (Cezanne, Van Gogh), and historical context.
Wikipedia: Landscape painting↗
- part 1 — applied to Definition of cityscape/topographical view and composition elements.
Wikipedia: Composition (visual arts)↗
- part 1 — applied to General compositional principles.
Wikipedia: Contour drawing↗
- part 1 — applied to Underdrawing approach focusing on mass and volume.