Arkhip Kuindzhi: "Dnepr in the morning" - 1881 - oil on canvas - The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

Son of a Greek shoemaker who emigrated to Mariupol (now Ukraine), Arkhip Kuindzhi (1842-1910) was one of the most important 19th century Russian painters, quite influenced by previous masters as Ivan Aivazovsky. Kuindzhi was a professor in the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts untill he was fired for support student's protests.

"Dnepr in the morning" (as "Dnepr in the night", executed a year before) is considered as one of the first works finished with Kuindshi's "mature" style, with stunning light and atmospheric effects. This panoramic view is especially remarkable for its simple but very strong composition