“Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” – Original Painting by Marina Stognieva

The Story Behind the Painting

“Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” is an original work by Ukrainian artist Marina Stognieva, created in 2026. The painting is made in oil on 300 g/m² paper, measures 21 × 30 cm, and is presented unframed.

At the centre of the composition is a simple moment from everyday life in the Carpathians. A shepherd tends a fire beneath a large suspended cooking pot, preparing food outdoors. Around him are grass, earth, a wooden building, and the atmosphere of an open mountain landscape. There is nothing ceremonial or staged here — the artist turns to an ordinary moment that reveals the authentic rhythm of life in the Carpathians.

General view of “Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians”.

The fire becomes the visual and emotional centre of the work. Bright red, pink, yellow, and orange strokes of flame contrast with the dark cooking pot and the rich greens surrounding it. Through this contrast, a small everyday scene gains vivid painterly energy.

The shepherd bends towards the fire, absorbed in an ordinary task and seemingly unaware of the viewer. This gives the scene a sense of immediacy: rather than watching someone pose, we feel as though we have unexpectedly encountered a fragment of real life in the mountains.

“Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” during the creative process on the artist’s easel.

While creating the work, Marina Stognieva gradually developed the relationship between the human figure, the fire, and the natural environment. Free oil brushstrokes allow the scene to remain expressive without becoming overloaded with detail, while still conveying the textures of grass, flame, wood, clothing, and the heavy metal pot.

Detail of the painting: the shepherd adds wood to the fire.

In the close-up, the movement of the brush and the contrast of textures become especially visible. The black pot, the flames, and the bent figure form a compact compositional centre around which the entire landscape seems to live. This everyday episode becomes an image of a simple, self-sufficient way of life closely connected with nature.

Interior visualisation of “Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” framed on a wall.

“Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” is part of Marina Stognieva’s large-scale author project “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine” and was created for the section dedicated to Zakarpattia. Through this project, the artist presents Ukraine not only through famous places, but also through people, everyday life, traditions, and ordinary moments that reveal the character of each region.

This small scene beside the fire therefore becomes part of a wider story about the Carpathians. Here, life is measured not by urban haste but by simple actions — lighting a fire, preparing food, working close to nature, and continuing a way of life shaped over generations.

→ Explore Zakarpattia in the “Picturesque Guide to Ukraine”

→ Discover the project

→ Learn more about the artist

Artwork Details

Original Artwork & Collectible Fine Art Prints

The painting “Shepherd’s Lunch. Life in the Carpathians” is an original artwork by Marina Stognieva, created by hand in oil on 300 g/m² paper. It is a unique one-of-a-kind work.

Collectible Fine Art Prints personally signed by Marina Stognieva may also be available for selected works. Available formats, materials, prices, and other details can be discussed before ordering.

Payment & Worldwide Shipping

Payment can be made via PayPal, bank transfer, or another agreed method.

Worldwide shipping is available. Shipping costs and estimated delivery times are calculated individually depending on the destination and order details.

The work on paper is carefully packaged to protect the painted surface and ensure safe transportation. All purchase, payment, packaging, and international shipping details can be discussed directly with the artist before ordering.

“I wanted to show the Carpathians not only through mountains and beautiful landscapes, but through simple moments of human life. Fire, a cooking pot, and a shepherd preparing food — in such ordinary actions, the true rhythm of life close to nature can be felt.”

— Marina Stognieva