Landscape 'Zima' [1910, oil, canvas, 45 x 67 cm, signed p.d.: S. Zhukovskij 1910, notation in cyrillic in Russian), National Art Museum in Odesa, inv. no. Z-496, Odesa, Ukraine]
In the next period of his work, Zhukovsky used the Impressionist technique and the experience of studying in the open air. This is evidenced in the painting Winter (1910). Here, the motif of snow and winter atmosphere is used to realise the painter's plein-air and impressionist aspirations. In general, the artist treats this landscape as an étude.
The horizon line in the painting is set high and partly hidden behind the edge of the forest. In its upper right corner, a fragment of a field is visible, covered by white snow and part of a turquoise bright sky. In the background is a copse of trees in silvery grey and light brown. From the depths of the expanse of snow, in the diagonal foreground, a small river, uncovered by ice, flows swiftly. Its cool and crystal-clear water sparkles in the winter sun with all shades of dark blue and blue.
The brushstrokes correspond exactly to the individual tones: they create light, space, a clear texture and a vibrant atmosphere. Żukowski boldly combines contrasting warm and cool colours in his colour palette. The shores skirted by the fast-flowing water are ochre, dark brown and olive. The reflection of the light brown outline of the trees in the water also contrasts with the cool range of dark navy and turquoise colours, sunny blips and light blue reflections from the snow on either side of the shore. The beauty of this motif is enhanced by the colour of the white snow cover. Reflected on it are blue and turquoise decorative graphics of tree shadows and layers of snow lying on the banks. It can be argued that in this work, the characteristic idyllic nature of the representation can be seen in the colours and the magical ether that fills every part of the painting. This is where the enchanting charm of the artist's paintings, as described by viewers, comes from.