Painted at Okulovok in the Novgorod Province, Levitan spent a great deal of time on the composition of 'Summer Evening'. This study, unknown until very recently, is linked with the first version of the painting sold in these rooms on 13th December 1995, lot 80. The second version is in the Tret'iakov in Moscow.
Born in Kyrbartai, Lithuania, Levitan studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecutre, living in extreme poverty. In 1874-75 when the Board of Teachers awarded him a box of paints and brushes for his progress, he was already showing a preference for landscape painting. In 1876 he was accepting into the studio of Aleksei Savrasov, and exhibited two canvases with at the 5th 'Wanderers' Moscow exhibition.
In 1880 Levitan's entry Skol'niki Park in his school's second Students Exhibition was bought by Pavel Tret'iakov. This purchase triggered public recognition of Levitan's talent.
Probably the most important landscape painter of late 19th century Russia, Levitan's atmospheric depiction of the countryside gave a sense of continuity and national identity to his admirers. His work encompassed the vigour of the Wanderers' movement and the greater sophistication of early 20th century Russian art.