Large Latvian Impressionist Signed Oil Painting Snow on Winter Woodland Path

The Winter Woodland
by Edgars Vinters (Latvian 1919-2014) *see below for details
signed & dated 1994
oil on board, framed
framed: 33 x 27 inches
painting: 24 x 18 inches
provenance: private collection, UK
condition: very good and sound condition

Edgars Vinters mostly painted nature at the beginning in watercolors, later in oil paint technique. During the 1950’s and 1960’s he emphasized the depiction of seasons in the nature, cityscapes and the views of the River Daugava. In the 1970’s Edgars Vinters focused on the portrayal of homes, memorial places and city landscapes of famous Latvian painters, writers, actors and singers. Later in the end of 1990’s for a short time the artist tried out different watercolor techniques, but soon enough refused to use them. At the end of his life the artist painted mostly in his home and garden in Purvciems, by choosing to depict flowers in a vase.

In the works of Edgars Vinters there can be found games of light during the daytime and changes of the seasons, diversity of the depictions of clouds in different weather conditions, the feeling of freshness of colors during the blooming spring, saturated tones of summer, vivid colors of autumn and the harshness of winter’s landscape.

At the beginning Edgars Vinters studied painting from masters like Voldemars Irbe (1893–1944) and Hugo Karlis Grotuss (1884–1951). In 1940 he started his studies in the Department of Still Life painting (led by Leo Svemps) at the Art Academy of Latvia. During the study years he attended drawing lessons led by Janis Cielava (1890–1968), Augusts Annuss (1893–1984) and Karlis Miesnieks(1887­–1977), also participated in the workshop of professor Janis Kuga (1878–1969). Already in his study years Edgars Vinters started to paint only in plein-air and only on cardboard base. Due to the start of World War II in 1944 Edgars Vinters had to stop his study process at the Art Academy of Latvia. Later he graduated Pedagogy at the Janis Rozentals Art School of Riga and until 1979 worked as a teacher of fine arts and drafting, while in his spare time painting himself.

Since the study years at the Art Academy of Latvia Konrads Ubans (1893–1981) and painter Karlis Miesnieks (1887–1977) were close friends to Edgars Vinters. Vinters has learned from art works of Indrikis Zeberins (1882–1969) and Aleksandrs Petrovs (1874–1956). He showed interest in German impressionists, especially, in those artists who painted landscapes.