The artist is Kuindzhi
Sketches of the painting “Birch Grove” belonging to the Russian Museum help to understand the creative method of Kuindzhi, to see in which direction work was going on on the work.
In a sketch where the composition is already found close to the picture, however, in a mirror reflection, Kuindzhi goes along the line of greater decorativeness (than in the study of Zh-1111). Unloading the forefront from the details, contrasting it with the illuminated meadow, he distinguishes several trunks lively with white strokes and achieves clarity in the alternation of darkened and illuminated areas, more contrasting color, although he still does not reach the sonority and brightness of colorful harmony, which distinguish the picture.
Irina Shuvalova. Kuindzhi in the Russian Museum // Arkhip Kuindzhi. SPb, 2010. With.12