Summer office of Prince Vasily Golitsyn

Light floods in from the tall multi-paned windows at center, creating a strong backlit effect that bleaches the view outside to pale blue-white while throwing the room's interior into cooler, shadowed tones. Your eye lands first on those bright windows because they're the lightest and most geometrically complex feature. The room recedes symmetrically—yellow-green columns frame the space on both sides, with low dark furniture anchoring the foreground and the decorated frieze running horizontally across the upper third to guide the eye around the perimeter.

The lightest values are concentrated in the window panes and the sky visible through them (pale blue-white). Mid-tones dominate: the yellow-ochre columns, blue-violet walls, and greenish ceiling occupy a narrow middle range. The darkest darks are the window muntins, chair silhouettes, and shadows in the lower corners. Squint and you'll see three distinct zones: bright center (windows), medium surround (walls and columns), dark base (furniture).

• #7e8f7a

  Viridian or Prussian blue + yellow ochre + white, leaning cool

  The column shafts and frieze band running horizontally across the upper walls

• #5c6d6d

  Ultramarine blue + burnt sienna + white

  The deep blue-violet of the wall panels between columns and to the right

• #b7c9c4

  Titanium white + touch of ultramarine + yellow ochre

  The bright ceiling panels and skylight areas catching direct illumination

• #94a796

  Viridian + raw sienna + white

  The greenish cast across the ceiling beams and softer mid-tone shadows

• #42463f

  Ivory black or Mars black + ultramarine + burnt umber

  Window frames, chair legs, deepest shadows in corners and beneath furniture

Korovin uses loose, directional strokes that follow the planes of the architecture—horizontal sweeps across the ceiling, vertical dabs on the columns, soft blurred edges where interior shadow meets backlit wall. The window panes are suggested with dark lines and partial panes rather than meticulously outlined; notice how some muntins fade or break, letting the bright exterior read as a continuous glow. Brushwork is visible and energetic but never chaotic—each stroke reads as describing form.

1. 01

   Establish the value skeleton with thin wash

   Thin your darkest mix (black + ultramarine + burnt umber) and lightly block in the window frame lines and furniture silhouettes to establish the grid. Don't overwork—these are just guides. Pay special attention to the symmetry of the columns and the central window configuration.

2. 02

   Block the three value zones in thin color

   Lay in the bright sky-window zone with pale blue-white (white + touch of ultramarine). Keep it loose and luminous. Block the blue-violet walls with thin ultramarine + burnt sienna + white, and establish the yellowish-green columns and ceiling with viridian + ochre + white. Work at roughly half value intensity—you'll layer over this.

3. 03

   Define the ceiling structure and light planes

   The ceiling is divided by dark beams into rectangular sections; use horizontal strokes to show those panels catching light. The upper-center panels are the brightest (white + trace blue). Let pale greenish tones (viridian + white) describe shadows on other sections. The rafters and architectural molding above the frieze should be suggested, not rendered—a few dark lines and lighter strokes suffice.

4. 04

   Strengthen the column forms and frieze detail

   Build the columns with more opaque yellow-green, using vertical strokes and leaving subtle shadows on their inner edges (add burnt sienna to the mix). The frieze band across the top—notice the decorative circular and floral motifs—paint this as a darker band with loose impressionistic marks suggesting ornament rather than copying every detail. Let brushwork rhythm follow the horizontal direction.

5. 05

   Develop the wall color with depth

   The blue-violet walls need variation: darker in the lower corners and recessed areas, slightly lighter as they rise toward the frieze. Use ultramarine + alizarin or burnt sienna + white, applying with soft horizontal and vertical strokes that suggest the flat plane. Notice the walls are darker on the left side and right side than at center, creating atmospheric recession toward the bright windows.

6. 06

   Paint the window complex with broken light

   The windows are the painting's climax. Use your lightest pale blue-white for the outer panes and sky glow. Within the window, the muntins and interior panes read as dark (use dark greens and blacks), creating a checkerboard pattern. Some panes are more opaque, others more transparent—vary your marks. The effect should be bright and complex without being photographic.

7. 07

   Block in furniture silhouettes and shadows

   The chairs and benches in the foreground are simplified dark shapes (your darkest mix). Paint them with loose strokes that suggest form without detail. Don't make them completely black—let some greenish or blue shadow show through. The floor is suggested by a horizontal darker band at the bottom; use a grayed green or gray-blue wash rather than flat color.

8. 08

   Refine edges and add accent strokes

   Go back and soften transitions where needed—blur edges between the backlit exterior and the room interior. Sharpen the window muntins and column edges that catch light. Add warm accent touches (ochre, burnt sienna) in the column bases and to suggest decorative details. Step back frequently to check the overall glow and luminosity—the painting should feel suffused with cool, filtered daylight.

• Overpainting the window panes—they should feel luminous and atmospheric, not like a detailed architectural drawing. Simplify and suggest rather than render every muntin.
• Making the walls flat and uniform. The blue-violet shifts in value and temperature across the room; observe that the walls are darker lower and at the sides, lighter toward the windows and upper areas.
• Neglecting the symmetry. The columns and frieze are symmetrical about a central axis; use this as an anchor to check proportions and placement as you work.
• Losing the bright, cool light quality by pushing darks too heavy or using warm browns and siennas where cool shadows belong. The light here is filtered and cool; resist muddy, warm shadows.

beginner friendliness

value contrast

palette complexity

compositional simplicity

brushwork visibility