Near Mstyora. Golden Autumn

Mstyora is a small village in the Vladimir region, renowned as a center of folk handicrafts in Russia. Britov has spoken of how the traditions of this land, and especially the Mstyora school of lacquer miniatures, influenced his own style. In particular, his style echoes the brightly-colored lubok style with its decorative use of color. Britov uses a resonant palette and vivid, large, deliberately crude harsh stroke to create a sun-drenched autumn landscape, full of inherent energy.
Kim Britov’s painting is primarily characterized by the artist’s emotional attitude to his subject. That is why the sky in his pictures is so stirringly blue and the foliage is such a special bright-orange color. Even the church in the background Mstyora Epiphany Monastery) seems golden at first glance, though closer study shows it is painted in more or less natural hues.