The artwork titled “Rotten wood, covered with moss,” created by Ivan Shishkin in 1890, is a remarkable example of the Realism movement. This landscape genre piece showcases Shishkin’s mastery in capturing the intricate details of nature, emphasizing the textures and the interplay of light and shadows on the decaying wood and lush moss.
In the artwork, a decayed log covered in vibrant green moss sits centrally within a dense forest setting. The artist’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the various textures of the moss, the bark, and the surrounding foliage. The earthy tones of the rotten wood contrast beautifully with the rich greens and hints of yellow and orange in the moss, creating a vivid scene that exudes a sense of timeless tranquility and the eternal cycle of nature. The overall composition, with its juxtaposition of decay and new life, reflects the natural regeneration process, rendered in a manner true to the principles of Realism.
