Portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin by I.N. Kramskoy

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy was a remarkable Russian artist, inspirer and organizer of the Wanderers movement. In their works, they called for moving away from dry academicism and painting pictures that reflect the pressing problems of society. Kramskoy was an excellent portrait painter, and one of his best works is the portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin.

Kramskoy-portrait painter

In the portraits of Kramskoy, even custom-made, one can see the same desire for the truth of life as in the genre paintings of the Wanderers. For a long time, the model portrayed was depicted in full dress, dressed up, powdered, and often the artist also shamelessly flattered her with his brush. Such portraits were called ceremonial. They were hung in the living room to boast to the guests, and kept in family galleries for grateful descendants. Later they were replaced by psychological portraits. Here, for the artist, it was no longer the desire to please the customer, but the ability to reflect his inner world. In the works of talented artists, one can read all the movements of the soul of the person being portrayed, their character, their attitude to the world. A good painter must notonly masterfully master the brush and techniques, but also be an excellent psychologist. Ivan Nikolayevich Kramskoy was just such an artist.

He painted our outstanding compatriots: Leo Tolstoy, Pavel Tretyakov, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Emperor Alexander III, Otto Struve, Apollo Maikov, Ivan Shishkin. The portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin, the famous Russian writer, also belongs to his brush.

History of Creation

Collector Pavel Tretyakov decided to create in his museum a gallery of outstanding compatriots who contributed to the development of Russia. The portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin, intended for her, was ordered from Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy. In the winter of 1877, the artist began work on the canvas. It was completed fairly quickly. However, in the first version, Kramskoy depicted only the head of the writer, while Tretyakov wanted to get a half-length portrait where the writer's hands could be seen. To please him, Kramskoy redid the work, and in 1879 the portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin was accepted by the customer and placed in the gallery.

Artistic analysis of the painting

On the canvas we see an outstanding Russian writer. This is an older man. He intertwined his hands and looks at the viewer with a deep thoughtful look. You can’t call him handsome, the artist did not flatter his model at all. Sunken cheeks, wrinkles and sunken eyes do not adorn a person. However, it cannot be denied that the writer has to himself, although he looks withdrawn. On his face we see the constant work of thought,sadness about the difficult fate of their poor homeland. Intertwined fingers emphasize tension. Coloristically, the artist chose a portrait in dark, muted tones. Only the serious face of the writer and the dazzling white shirt cuffs stand out from the general gamut. The portrait of S altykov-Shchedrin was created by Kramskoy in his characteristic manner. The simplicity and expressiveness of the composition, the clarity of the lines are designed to emphasize the psychological characteristics of the model.

Portrait of Mikhail Evgrafovich S altykov-Shchedrin rightfully took its rightful place among the faces of prominent Russian people.