March (painting)

March is a chrestomatic landscape painting by the Russian artist Isaaс Levitan (1860–1900), created in 1895. It is held in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (Inventory 1489) and measures 60 × 75 cm (or 61 × 76 cm according to other sources). Levitan painted the picture in March 1895 while living in the Gorka estate, situated in the Vyshnevolotsky Uyezd of Tver Governorate.

The painting March was exhibited at the 24th exhibition of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki) in February 1896 in Saint Petersburg. It was later moved to Moscow in March of the same year. March was exhibited at the All-Russia industrial and art exhibition 1896 in Nizhny Novgorod. In the same year, Pavel Tretyakov purchased the painting from the author.

March is considered to be one of Levitan's 'life-affirming, cheerful works' from 1895 to 1897. This group also includes Golden Autumn (1895), Fresh Wind. Volga (1895), and Spring. Big Water (1897), among others. The painting March is widely regarded as one of Levitan's most famous and vivid landscape paintings. It also demonstrates the influence of Impressionism on the artist's oeuvre.

Artist Vasily Baksheev praised the painting, considering it not only one of Levitan's best works, but also one of the best works of the Russian school of painting. According to art historian Alexei Fedorov-Davydov, Levitan's painting March was a 'discovery in Russian landscape painting', combining a pictorial depiction of snow, spring sky, and trees. This motif later became a popular theme for many Russian landscape painters of the 20th century, including Igor Grabar and Konstantin Yuon. According to art historian Faina Maltseva, March is a 'inspired work in a major tone' that presents 'a whole and internally complete image, preserving at the same time all the immediacy and freshness of first impressions.'