

The Girl with the Buckets
1894, Painting, Oil, Board , Realism
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The Girl with the Buckets by Mykola Pymonenko belongs to the collection of the Nykanor Onatskyi Regional Art Museum in Sumy.
The Girl with the Buckets by Mykola Pymonenko
The painting features a young Ukrainian woman carrying buckets of water. Notably, she is completely barefoot, adding a sense of authenticity and connection to rural life. Her appearance is distinguished by a bright ribbon in her hair and vibrant necklaces of various colors. Her expression radiates joy, reflecting her cheerful attitude toward her work.
The Girl with the Buckets’ Art Style: A Celebration of Joy and Tradition
The artwork is a striking example of the Realism style. The artist's primary technique involved the use of oil on board. The sizes of the work are 25.3cm x 37cm. The Girl with the Buckets’ history traces back to 1894.
The work features a harmonious palette of earthy and natural colors. The background is dominated by soft, muted greens and sandy browns, evoking a warm, sunlit rural setting. The girl's attire stands out with its deep blue vest adorned with subtle floral patterns, contrasted by the crisp white of her blouse.
Unique Features. Emotions and Mood of The Girl with the Buckets
In Pymonenko's painting The Girl with the Buckets, a festive mood prevails. Pimonenko admires a barefoot young woman carrying water. The artist's heroine feels at one with the environment around her. His peasants fetch water, rake hay, and harvest wheat, all dressed in white embroidered shirts, elegant red and colorful vests, necklaces, and bright scarves. The Girl with the Buckets’ meaning is to reflect the work of beautiful and strong individuals, bringing a sense of joy and fulfillment. This is an expression of the Ukrainian mentality, shaped over centuries.
Explore more works by Mykola Pymonenko
Mykola Pymonenko was renowned for capturing everyday life, customs, and traditions primarily through his oil paintings in the realist style. One of his most acclaimed paintings, “Maundy Thursday” (1904), depicts the tradition of bringing home the blessed fire after a church service. His other works include “Jealousy” (1901), “The Summer Evening” (1900s), and many more. Explore these and more works, participate in auctions, and purchase the artist's pieces on the UFDA website.
- Format Digital Original Standard
- Resolution 400 MPX
- Color depth
48 bit
281 Trillion Colors
Original file size
1392 MB DNG File
- Country Ukraine - Sumy
- Year 1894
- Styles
- Medium
- Physical canvas 25.3cm x 37cm
- Framing No framed

Mykola Pymonenko (1862-1912) was a renowned Ukrainian artist, celebrated as a master of genre painting and a creator of numerous works that captured rural and urban themes.
Pymonenko's paintings primarily portrayed scenes from the everyday life of Ukrainian peasants and nature. He is recognized for his expertise in genre, portrait, and landscape painting, playing a pivotal role in shaping the realism style within Ukrainian art.
Biography of Mykola Pymonenko: The Ukrainian Master of Realism
The artist was born in Kyiv in 1862 to a family of an icon painter. He began his artistic journey at the Kyiv Drawing School under the guidance of Mykola Murashko. Later, Pymonenko returned to the school as an instructor. In 1882, he enrolled at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts but had to abandon his studies in 1884 due to health issues and financial difficulties.
In 1885–1887, Mykola Pymonenko’s work reveals a determined search for his own themes and means of expression. His paintings, diverse in subject matter and imagery, began to appear at academic exhibitions.
In the 1890s, artist Mykola Pymonenko contributed to the decoration of St. Volodymyr's Cathedral in Kyiv, showcasing his versatility. For this work, he was awarded the prestigious Order of Saint Anne. He had joined the Peredvizhniki in 1893 and became a full member in 1899. His growing recognition culminated in 1904 when he was granted the title of Academician.
Mykola Pymonenko's paintings were exhibited at international art shows in Paris, Berlin, Munich, and London. At the 1906 exhibition in Munich, one of his paintings earned a prominent position, leading to his recognition as an official member of the Munich Artists' Society. In 1909, his iconic painting "Hopak" was acquired by the Louvre, cementing his reputation. That same year, he was inducted into the French "International Society of Artists".
The artist passed away in Kyiv in 1912 due to liver disease. A posthumous exhibition at the Academy of Arts in early 1913 featured 184 paintings, 419 studies, and 112 pencil drawings. Over his lifetime, Pymonenko created a vast legacy of over 1,000 works.
Pymonenko’s Paintings and Their Meaning: A Closer Look
Mykola Pymonenko’s art captured everyday life, customs, and traditions primarily through his oil paintings in the realist style.
One of his most acclaimed paintings, "Maundy Thursday" (1904), depicts the tradition of bringing home the blessed fire after a church service. The painting portrays two generations walking side by side, symbolizing the continuity of faith and tradition.
Another notable artwork of Mykola Pymonenko, "The Portrait of the Ukrainian Girl", embodies the folklore ideal of feminine beauty. The painting features a dark-haired, brown-eyed girl with a long braid, dressed in the traditional attire of Left-Bank Ukraine. Her calm yet enigmatic gaze engages viewers, adding depth to the artwork.
In the late 1890s and the early 20th century, Mykola Pymonenko, while continuing to explore rural themes, painted numerous works depicting romantic encounters between young men and women, fairs, and other everyday scenes from Ukrainian village life (“The Girl with the Buckets”, 1894).
He created many pieces dedicated to the lively and picturesque Ukrainian fairs. This subject appealed to him for its potential to showcase the diversity of daily life, the typical characters of the peasantry, and to capture the colorful, decorative nature of traditional Ukrainian clothing and household items.
The landscape plays a significant role in Pymonenko’s paintings. For example, his work The Summer Evening (1900s) depicts a peasant couple riding in a simple wooden cart pulled by a white horse. The landscape is rich with greenery, but not overly vibrant, emphasizing realism over romanticism. Trees, grass, and brush dominate the composition.
At various points in his career, Pymonenko also turned to portraying peasant labor, illustrating scenes such as harvesting (“The Girl with the Rake”, 1908). In addition, he engaged in portrait painting, mainly depicting family members and acquaintances.
Mykola Pymonenko's Art Style: Realism and Genre Painting
Mykola Pymonenko is celebrated as a master of genre paintings that focus on simple yet poignant scenes of everyday life. His art style is best described as realist, deeply rooted in the academic tradition yet enriched by his personal sensitivity to Ukrainian life, culture, and folklore.
His work often highlights labor, customs, and the daily lives of peasants, capturing weddings, encounters, and returns from work with heartfelt sincerity. Through his art, he painted a lyrical vision of Ukraine, filled with enchanting landscapes and vibrant people. His characters were often inspired by neighbors, bustling marketplaces, and familiar surroundings. He masterfully used natural light to evoke mood - dawn, dusk, candlelight, and seasonal changes play crucial roles in many of his compositions. In addition to genre scenes, Pymonenko also painted portraits and works that hinted at social issues.
Why is Pymonenko important today?
Pymonenko is associated with the rise of Ukrainian visual art in the second half of the 19th century. He created a number of canvases depicting the everyday life of the Ukrainian people, poetizing the images of village workers and the charm of Ukrainian nature. His works provide insight into the social and domestic conditions of life in Ukraine at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century.
He developed his subjects in an interesting and detailed manner, skillfully composed his works, and achieved vivid realism in portraying specific situations and characters; he often combined genre scenes with landscapes. He made a significant contribution to the creation of national realist painting. He became one of the leading artists of his time, whose works were distinguished by the individualization of characters, plein air technique, and a lyrical perception of reality.
Where to See Mykola Pymonenko’s Artworks
Mykola Pymonenko’s works can be seen in several places. The largest collection of his pieces is located at the National Art Museum of Ukraine in Kyiv. Additionally, his paintings are displayed at the Pymonenko Museum in the village of Malyutyanka, where his summer house was. There, you can learn many interesting facts about the life and work of Mykola Kornylovych, as well as see unique exhibits from the family collection.
Moreover, some of his works are preserved at the Nykanor Onatskyi Regional Art Museum in Sumy. Paintings such as “The Girl with the Rake,” “Jealousy,” “The Summer Evening,” “The Girl with the Geese,” and “The Portrait of the Ukrainian Girl,” among many others from the Sumy museum, have been digitized by UFDA in the highest possible resolution.
Mykola Pymonenko’s Art for Sale: Own a Piece of Ukrainian History
The artist’s legacy is impressive. In total, Mykola Pymonenko’s artistic heritage includes over a thousand works of art. His works have been exhibited at numerous auctions over the years and have been acquired by collectors from around the world, reflecting the enduring value and international interest in his art. Today, art enthusiasts and collectors can purchase high-quality digitized versions of Pymonenko’s works through the UFDA website. Available digital editions include Maundy Thursday (1904), The Girl with the Rake (1908), and many others. These digital editions offer admirers a modern way to experience and preserve Pymonenko’s masterpieces, while also supporting the ongoing promotion of Ukrainian cultural heritage.
- Resolution
- 400 MPX
- Dimensions
- 23296x17472
- Medium
- DNG
- Device
- FUJIFILM
- Device model
- GFX100S
- Lense
- FUJIFILM
- Lense model
- GF120mmF4 R LM OIS WR Macro
- Color space
- Uncalibrated
- Color profile description
- 48 bit color depth, 281 Trillion Colors
- Metering mode
- Multi-segment
- F number
- 11
- Exposure program
- Manual
- Exposure time
- 1/4
- Focal length
- 120.0 mm
- Photographer
- Digital Original Studio