Коровин Портрет артистки Т.С. Любанович

А.П. Рябушкин. Московская улица XVII века в праздничный день. 1895

Погруженная в свои мысли, юная девушка возвращается из церкви, бережно держа в руке тонкую, погасшую на ветру свечу. А вокруг спешит по своим делам праздничная шумная толпа: сидя у киота с иконой, голосит нищий, чуть поодаль степенно шествует пышно разодетая красавица, на которую загляделся молодой щеголь. Гордо восседая на коне, проезжает боярин. Рядом кто-то пытается перебраться через раскисшую осеннюю дорогу.
А вдали виднеются храм, украшенный кокошниками, и узорчатая колокольня, столь типичные для старой Москвы.
Рябушкин любуется патриархальной жизнью допетровской Руси, восхищается простотой, полнокровностью и цветастостью ее быта. Нарядная декоративность его полотен созвучна иконам и фрескам ростовских и ярославских храмов семнадцатого столетия, которые художник изучал в своем паломничестве по древнерусским городам.

Пряшников Порожняки

На первый взгляд, картина грустная: зимние сумерки, ветер, мороз, бесконечная дорога и закоченевший юноша-бедняк. Но зрители разглядели в санях рядом с юношей узелок с небогатым имуществом и связку книг. Они угадали в замерзшем юноше молодого крестьянина, который вырвался в город учиться и теперь воспользовался случаем, чтобы съездить домой. Среди первых зрителей картины было немало вчерашних бедняков, постоянным трудом пробивших себе путь к знаниям. Эти люди радовались упорству мужицкого сына, верили, что выдержит он и холод, и голод, и дальнюю дорогу,- все выдержит и добьется своего.

The Arrival of a Governess at a Merchant's Home by Vasily Perov

Perov had something new to say in many genres, but his real vocation was genre painting, to which he devoted all his talent and the best years of his life. In this genre he took up social problems of inestimable importance, expressing the most progressive ideas of the time. His famous works include Funera Procession, Troika, The Drowned Woman, At the Last Inn.
In the painting The Arrival of a Governess at a Merchant's Home Perov told about the fate of women. We see a governess, a modest, intelligent girl, timidly and embarrasedly presenting herself to the merchant's family, who brazenly and unceremoniously looke her up and down. The artist's disctinctive marks are a sharp satirical flavour and apt characterisation, clear composition and gentle, muted colours.

The Major's Marriage Proposal by Pavel Fedotov

Fedotov has always been keen on drawing. He drew everywhere - at the marketplaces, in government departments and in the streets. With every drawing he commented onlife. The drawings resemble quick, light scetches, convey objects and figures with remarkable precision. From the very start Fedotov was fond of genre painting. And the picture that made him famous was The Major's Marriage Proposal, which developed the theme of Fedotov's poem about a major who decided to put himself in a more surer financial footing by marrying a rich merchant daughter. The object of his criticism was the morality of different classes, people who turned a marriage into a profitable deal. "It was an other tragedy looking out from behind a jolly, amusing scene", wrote Stasov.
Fedotov used a new creative method which allowed him to attain the level of socially significant art.

Italian Midday by Karl Bryullov

In August 1822 Karl and his brother set off for Italy as beneficiaries of the newly founded Society for the Encouragement of the Artists. About this trip different books have contradictory information. One says that the brothers were warned by special instructions against becomeing too keen on the 'low genre', i.e. genre painting. But notwithstanding the Society's warnings, Bryullov applied himself avidly to genre painting, and produced his Italian Morning, Girl Picking Grapes in the Environs of Napes and Italian Midday. The other book says that Tsar Nicolas I himself asked Bryullov to paint Italian Midday.
Anyway, artist's ideas of painting were clearly seen in this work. A young Italian woman is plucking a bunck of grapes amid dense greenery. The gentle outline of her head, shoulders and arms, the colour on her cheeks and the dazzle of moist eyes all sparkle with the joy of life, with a full-blooded awareness of life and with a sense fo being at one with nature. The sun's rays pierce the foliage of the vineyard, flitting over girl's arms. face and clothes. The atmosphere is one of a vital link between man and nature.

Alexei Venetsianov

Alexei Venetsianov is one of the founders of the Russian genre painting. In 1819 the artist had gone to the small estate of Safonkovo in Tver Gubernia. He was fascinated by the common people, their life and work. Since then his main interest was in genre painting. Rural life provided him witha welath of material and openend up a new world of lyrical Russian countryside. Venetsianov's peasants are idealised - they are all people filled with beauty and nobility of mind, with moral purity and inner itegrity. We ca see these features in Children in the Firld, A Peasant Girl with a Calf, The Reapers.

Vasily Tropinin. The Lace Maker

Vasily Tropinin was born in the family of serf and was freed only when he was 47. As the major part of his life Tropinin spent with peasants and servants - they have become the characters of his works. One of the best among them is The Lace Maker. A beautiful picture, that idiolistically features a young servant busy with her work. We are somehow involved in the action - it is probably because the girl seemed to cast a glance at us for a second and in a moment she will return to work. Some critics say the portrait is too sentimental and resigned. But that was not only Tropinin's outlook but a signpost of time - just remember Bednaya Liza (1792; “Poor Liza”) by Karamzin.

Genre Painting in Russia

"Genre painting, also called genre scene or petit genre depicts aspects of everyday life by protraying ordinary people engaged in common activities."(by wikipedia). It can be seen in practically all national traditions. In Russia genre painting appeared in 18th century and was not very popular. In early 19th century it developed in the works by Tropinin, Venetsianov, etc. But it is still considered to be 'low genre' by the Academy of Arts and the members and students were discouraged to follow this tradition. In the middle of the century genre painting developed in a dramatic, satiristic, but sentitive form in the paintings by Fedotov, Perov, etc. In the late 19th century genre painting flourished in the works of Peredvizhniki Artists. The pieces of work became more phylosophycal, thoughful and human-centred. After 1917 the genre painting was havily influenced by the political and ideological needs of the ruling goverment.

Konstantin Somov

The portrait was painted in 1900 by Konstantin Somov. Lady in Blue portrays Ye. Martynova,
an artist, who died at an early age. The young woman stands, deep in thought, with a book in
her hand, against a decorative landscape. Her gentle, deliberately featured face, fragile
shoulders and graceful hands are painted with careful, smooth-brush strokes. Ye. Martynova’s
appearance has the charm of youth and intellect, her captivating womanliness is intermingled
with oversensitivity and inner tiredness. Somov inherited the ability to show the highly
individual, unique characteristics of a man though gesture, pose and expression.

Alexander Benois

Alexander Benois made enormous contribution to the history of the 20th
century Russian art. Among Benois’ best works are his illustrations for works of literature,
especially those for Puskin’s poem The Bronze Horseman, on which he spent over 20 years.
Unique in their artistic merits, passion and power, these works alone would be enough to
earn Benois the reputation of the greatest artists of the early 20th century.

Mikhail Vrubel

The portrait is painted by Mikhail Vrubel, a man of extremely versatile talent. He was
renowned as a master of monumental murals, easel paintings and theatrical scenery, as a
graphic artists, sculptor and even an architect. Vrubel’s love of music led him to
Mamontov’s private opera house, where he was able to realise his talent. He also painted the
portrait of Savva Mamontov in which the contrasts of compositional rhythms, details and
colour make for poignant image in which the titanic borders on the helpless. The works of
this artist was a heartfelt protest against evil. Even his tragic images contain a bright,
noble element, The struggle of light and darkness – that is the content of most Vrubel’s
works.

Konstantin Korovin

A talented artist whose works were largely influenced by the achievements of the
Impressionism is Konstantin Korovin. One of the artist’s favourite themes was Paris. In the
town landscape A Paris Café we notice the seemingly fortuitous composition, and the artist’s
free manner of painting and striving towards richness of colours.

Valentin Serov

Valentin Serov’s painting and drawing skills are quite outstanding. The great emotional effectiveness of his works can be explained by his ability to find precisely the right means
of representation and embody a many-faceted picture of life in a perfect from. Take Serov’s
portrait of Maxim Gorky: it is not just a talented reproduction of some individual features
but an image of the world in which the person lives.

Pyotr Belov

Alexei Savrasov

In the Russian art the 1860s were marked by the affirmation of the national characteristics of the Russian landscape. More and more often artists turned to primarily rural area of Russia, seeking to give an authentic impression of the beauty of their native land. Among the landscapes of the time Savrasov’s Rooks Have Come stand out due to as Kramskoi said “having soul”. The picture appeared at the First Peredvizhniki Exhibition and was given a rapturous reception. The subdued, delicate colouring, compromising gentle shades of grey, brown, white and blue conveys the iridescent softness of colours in spring. In the north the awakening of nature after long winter is slow. The snow lies long in the fields, the trees stand frozen in the wind, and suddenly it all fills with a light tremor of life, with the
joyful sound of birds. What simplicity! But behind this simplicity one can feel the good and gentle soul. No one had ever expressed the beauty and lyricism of the Russian landscape so profoundly and poetically. Alexei Savrasov’s painting was widely quoted and interpreted in the Russian Art. For instance, Pyotr Belov made a tragic allusion to the famous painting.

Orest Kiprenski

Romantism of the 19th century gave birth to an outstanding artist Orest Kiprensky. Among the best works is his portrait of Alexander Pushkin. It is surely Kiprensky’s best achievement in the field of portraiture. The work was painted at the request of Delvig, a poet and friend of Pushkin, between May and July 1827, while the latter was on short stay in St.Peterdburg. Pushkin liked the portrait and acquired it after Delvig’s death. The attraction of the portrait lies in the nobility, dignity and emotional elevation of the character.

Vladimir Borovikovsky

Vladimir Borovikovsky is a talented and original artist of the late 18th , early 19th centuries. The portrait is undoubtedly most mature lyrical work by Borovikovsky. The young woman’s attitude is re;axed and simple, yet refined and elegant. The harmony of the image results from the whole artistic structure of the work: the flowing lines, the movement of her hand, the rhythm of the trunks and branches of the trees, the subtlest nuances of light and shade, and the gentle-blue mother-of-perl colours, reminiscent of the magical sounds of a chavicord. No wonder that this portrait left a mark on the poetry of the 19th century in the form of the poem by Yakov Polonsky:
Long since she passed away: no more those eyes,
No more that smile which tacitly expressed
The suffering of her love and her sad thoughts
But her beauty Borovikovsky has preserved.

Dmitry Levitsky

Dmitry Levitsky was one of the most important and versatile artists of the 18th century. His brilliant, refined portraits most fully reflected the philosophical and aesthetic conceptions of the second half of the century, and the belief in the power of reason and integrity and nobility of human nature. Levistky’s search for more life and naturalness found expression in the portrayal of Smolny girls, where the artist introduced the models in action so as best to display their character traits. In the double portrait of Ye. N.Khovanskaya and Ye. N. Khrushchova the girls are acting out a pastoral scene: Khrushchova is playing a shepherd-boy and Khovanskaya is a shepherdess. Levitsky based the portrait on the juxtaposition of girls’ individual qualities: Khovanskaya is shy, timid and a little constrained in her movements; Khrushchova is more forward, with a pert smile and a playful gesture. You see a conventional landscape background with the human subject predominating. The piece of work is characterized by decorative colouring and subtle use of refined forms.

Fedot Shubin

Covering a broad range of genres - portrait, monumental and decorative sculpture, bas-relief - Shubin achieved such psychological depth and plastic perfection that he can be considered one of the great masters of the world art. A bust of Prince Alexander Golitsyn, a diplomat during Catherine's reign, is an impressive image of an educated nobleman, in whom a sensitive mind merged with refinement, and a sense of superiority with tiredness of an ageing man. The folds of his garment, which underline the turn of his head and sholders, are marvelously fashioned.

Bartoloeo Carlo Rastrelli

Rastrelli was one of the several artists whose talent fourished in Russia. The sculptor's extraordinary gifts found fecund soil for development and proliferation. They were enriched by the fine traditions fo the Russian art and at the same time left an appreciable mark on its future course of development. In 1716 Rastrelli was invited to work in the service of His Majesty the Tsar in all arts and handicrafts of which he is capable. So, Rastrelli arrived in St. Petersburg and at first worked principally as an architect. But later he was able to display his talent as a sculptor and portraitist. In his scultpural portraits he managed to combine baroque splendor with thoughtful insight into the human soul. Rastrelli's greatest success was his bronze bust of Peter the Great, a life-like portrait, dynamic in form and full of vigour. It reflects not only the model's individual features but also the character of the whole epoch.

Ivan Nikitin, The Portrait of Peter the Great

The work of Ivan Nikitin played an important role in the establishment of 18th century Russian portraiture as an artistic phenomenon. Although Nikitin's life is poorly documented, we know that he was born in the family of priest and received a good education. When his passion for paiting reached the ears of Peter the Great, tsar arranged for him to study abroad. The artist was able to pay back his majesty by creating one of the best portrayals of tsar made in his lifetime. But soon after Peter's death, as a result of the changes in political situation, Nikitin's outlook underwent substantial modification: the artist grew closer to the Moscow Old Russian Opposition, as a result of which he was arrested, convicted and sent to Siberia to live under perpetual surveillance. It should be mentioned that the authentification of Nikitin's works is a tricky business, for only three of them are signed. So the works known to us represent a mere fraction of all that was painted by this founder of Russian portraiture.

Dionysius

He was well-known in even in his youth and worked all over Moscovy. Other than this little is known about his life. As all masters of his time: Theophanes the Greek and Andrei Rublyov, he painted icons for monasteries, churches and cathedrals of Russia. You can find Dionysius' works in Tretyakov Gallery. One of them is Crucification. You can see that the figures of saints are elegantly outlined and rather elongated - which together with bright colours creates an impression of great lightness and the tragic scene acquires a calm, serene undertone. Crucification is similar in style to the frescos in the Churn of Nativity of the Holy Virgin in Ferapont Monastery, which are among the most remarable art treasures of Ancient Rus and Dionysius' greatest achievement. The Last Supper and The Archangel Gabriel show that Dionysius liked complex scenes with figures to appear light and elegant, with natural movements. The artist stressed the dignity of man. The greatest emotional effect, however, derives from the colouring. Dionysius was not fond of bright clours. He toned down his palette a little, making them lighter and adding greater delicacy and softness and shining purity. The depiction of human figures and landscapes, which are entirely surbordinated to the flatness of the walls help to underline the lightness of architectural forms, seemingly pushing the walls of the church apart and making them more spacious and bright.