Paintings of great Russian artists: list, history of creation, reviews of critics

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

Landscapes as an independent genre in the paintings of great Russian artists appeared in the middle of the 18th century. Previously, his image served only as a background for compositions, mostly icon paintings. But until the middle of the 19th century, it was not customary to paint Russian landscapes, which were considered boring, inexpressive.

First half of the 19th century

The bright, rich nature of Italy, the birthplace of art and creativity, was mainly displayed on the canvases of even the original Russian masters of painting. Therefore, the paintings of the great Russian artists S. F. Shchedrin, F. Ya. Alekseev, A. M. Matveev, who studied painting with European masters, in the image of the imperial parks, embankments and monuments of St. Petersburg bear the imprint of the influence of the Italian school.

During the first steps of Russian painting of nature, experts distinguish between realistic and romantic stages. They are not connected, but are clearly distinguishable. The concept of Russian romanticism appears, the development of which in landscape painting proceeded in the following areas: work from nature, the study of Russiannature through the Italian school and the individual perception of the national landscape.

Sylvester Feodosievich Shchedrin

The picture of the great Russian artist "View from Petrovsky Island in St. Petersburg" is traditionally considered an academic work of one of the first landscape painters who showed the world Russian nature. The young author of the work received a gold medal for it.

There are three descriptions of this canvas, in which historians and local historians took part. Most likely, the place from which the artist painted the picture is the Neva Delta. In the foreground is the Zhdanovka River, which has changed its course since then, and the Tuchkov Bridge on piles, which was also oriented differently. On the bridge a group of animatedly talking people, a shepherd drives cows to the other side, and on the embankment smart gentlemen stopped in front of a beggar asking for alms. Petrovsky Island itself resembles a rural rather than an urban area.

Russian landscapes in domestic painting

The underestimation of Russian culture, including in painting, begins to sound in the conversations and works of the intelligentsia and artists from the middle of the 19th century. There are people who believe that Russia, a country with a rich culture and nature, is different from the usual European norms. That the country has its own way of development and it deserves the attention of people of art, both in literature, music, and in painting.

Of course, only Russian artists who grew up among forests and fields, fell in love and passed through theirperception of modest, discreet, but infinitely expensive corners of nature.

A huge contribution to the development of the Russian landscape was made by the Association of Traveling Exhibitions (Wanderers), led by I. N. Kramskoy. He and his like-minded people with their sincere works sang the beauty of rural landscapes and the boundlessness of Russian open spaces. We invite you to get acquainted with the world-famous paintings of the great Russian landscape painters.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin

Contemporaries called him "the king of the forest" for his love for forest corners, for his ability to convey the slightest nuances of light and shadow to the canvas. And also for the fact that when looking at his work, the impression of being in this forest, smells and sounds was created. His work is simple, but it took boundless talent and skill to write such simplicity.

The last work of the artist is "Ship Grove". It is often called a testament painting. Slender pine trees soar into the blue, the sun illuminates the waters of the forest stream in unimaginable colors. There is silence here, only jets of water pour over the stones, and bees buzz.

"Rye" - a landscape painting by the great Russian artist - also breathes peace, but here the endless expanse of the field with ripe ears of bread evokes joy. One can feel how the wind plays with tight ears, and the stalks near the road have fallen to the ground under the weight of the grain. A sunny day creates a joyful mood from both the picture seen and the anticipation of a good harvest.

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky

The child's abilities were seen inchildhood. The little man was lucky that his father contributed in every possible way to his education. Further on his life path, he also met people who gave him the opportunity to learn and improve. After graduating from the Imperial Academy of Arts, the young artist studied for a long time and traveled around Europe. Having accumulated money, he settled in his homeland, in the Crimea, in Feodosia, dear to his heart. Caressed by the imperial family, showered with honors, Aivazovsky painted his favorite subject: seascapes - the greatest paintings of the Russian artist.

“The Ninth Wave” is a picture that shocked the artist’s contemporaries so much that it became a famous masterpiece in a very short time. That is why it ended up in the collection of Emperor Nicholas I, and the famous collector P. M. Tretyakov, amazed by the work of the young marine painter, began to closely follow his activities. On the canvas, the author depicted the plot of a legend that he knew from childhood. Growing up on the Black Sea coast, being familiar with many sailors, listening to their stories, he was imbued with their superstitious fear of death from the huge ninth wave during a terrible storm. The storm that destroyed the ship is preparing to deliver another, ninth blow to several survivors. Helping each other to stay on the wreckage of the mast, they await their fate. But looking at the penetrating rays of the sun, their timid reflection on the waves, there is confidence in a successful outcome.

The painting "Rainbow" is made by Aivazovsky in the same style, and the plot is also typical forthis artist. But experts note that the technique of working with color is completely different. There are no usual saturated colors, the shades are restrained, the event is close to reality. The painting by the great Russian artist depicts a raging sea and a sinking ship. Sailors on boats are trying to determine the direction in which to sail. Their situation is bleak, but suddenly a barely noticeable rainbow appears in the sky. And it promises salvation.

Isaac Ilyich Levitan

The future artist was born into a Jewish family, grew up in a Jewish environment, but earned the title of a singer of Russian nature with his work. Not a single master of landscapes could bring into his canvases so much personal, intimate loneliness of a person alone with nature.

The painting "March" is considered one of the most famous, "textbook" works of the artist. Written in 1895, it was immediately presented at the exhibition and purchased by P. Tretyakov. Now she is in the Tretyakov Gallery. The life-affirming mood that the picture creates, the expectation of the arrival of spring, the author managed to achieve with a soft color image of the plot. Many shades of snow, blue sky, tree trunks illuminated by the sun - a plot that was subsequently repeated by many great Russian artists in their paintings.

Vasily Polenov

The name of this master is known to all. A distinctive feature of his work is semi-urban, semi-rural landscapes, which he found everywhere.

His first work - "Moscowpatio." Morning in old Moscow. The courtyard is just waking up: a woman goes to the well, a horse is waiting for the owner, the children are playing on the grass. In the background is a white-stone church. A lot of peace and tranquility.

Overgrown Pond is also Moscow, but its outskirts. Abandoned homestead slowly decrepit. The park is overgrown, the muddy pond is being drawn in. It's quiet and mysterious here. The picture is made with a predominance of green, which is "broken" into many shades.

Alexei Kondratievich Savrasov

“Savrasov created the Russian landscape…”, said Levitan about the skill of the artist. Experts say that he brought landscape painting from a minor to a major category.

His work "The Rooks Have Arrived" made a strong impression at the very first exhibition of the Wanderers. Now it is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. Isaac Levitan considered "Rooks" one of the artist's best paintings. A very simple plot, but looking at this canvas, the viewer feels renewal not only in nature, it happens in the soul. Critic Asafiev wrote that Savrasov discovered "a new feeling of spring and springiness."

The paintings of the Russian great artist about winter are very expressive. "Winter Landscape" was painted in 1873. Winter, seemingly the most ordinary, suddenly cheers up and delights with frosty air, crisp snow, silver tree branches.

Fyodor Yakovlevich Alekseev

Paintings of the great Russian artist about natureoccupy a special place in Russian art. At first he studied still life, but then the young man was transferred to a landscape class. A few years later, Alekseev became an innovator, depicting on the canvas “architecture in a landscape”, that is, an urban fragment, but transformed by artistic methods.

For example, his work "View of the Moscow Kremlin from the Stone Bridge". Firstly, he deserved the sincere gratitude of his descendants, leaving us evidence of how Moscow looked before the fire of 1812. Secondly, his series about Moscow and St. Petersburg won the recognition and love of his contemporaries. Some of his paintings were purchased by the imperial family.