Beautiful mermaids in the paintings of famous artists. Beautiful mermaids in paintings by famous artists Mermaids paintings by famous artists

In the history of classical Russian painting there are many mysterious and amazing episodes, allowing us to talk about the existence of paintings with a “bad reputation”. This list includes several works by the famous Itinerant artist Ivan Kramskoy. The most a large number of legends associated with him painting "Mermaids".

I. Repin. Portrait of the artist I. N. Kramskoy, 1882. Fragment

The artist’s idea for “Mermaids” arose under the impression of N. Gogol’s story “May Night, or the Drowned Woman.” According to popular beliefs, drowned girls became mermaids after death. It was these that Ivan Kramskoy decided to write. This topic was quite unexpected and new for the realist artist. The artist loved Gogol very much and re-read all his works many times. He wanted to convey the very atmosphere of “May Night”, to immerse the viewer in the mysterious world of Ukrainian folklore.

I. Kramskoy. Self-portrait, 1867

While working on the painting, the artist was haunted by several themes. Firstly, he was obsessed with the idea of ​​conveying the mesmerizing beauty of moonlight, which he never succeeded in: “I’m still trying to catch the moon at the moment. They say, however, that a particle of the moonlit night did end up in my picture, but not all of it. The moon is a difficult thing…” the artist lamented. The task was complicated by the fact that the moon itself was not in the picture - only its reflections on the ghostly figures of mermaids.

M. Derigus. Illustration for N. Gogol’s story *May Night, or the Drowned Woman*: Ganna, 1951

Secondly, the very topic of ghosts and the other world was said to be dangerous. Many of Kramskoy’s contemporaries seriously believed that Gogol’s subjects could drive painters crazy. “I’m glad that I didn’t completely break my neck with such a plot, and if I didn’t catch the moon, then something fantastic still came out,” said Kramskoy.

A. Kanevsky. Illustration for N. Gogol's story *May Night, or the Drowned Woman*: The Liberation of the Sister-in-Law

Critics agreed that the idea was successfully realized, and called the picture “the extreme plausibility of a fantastic dream”: “We are so tired of all these gray peasants, clumsy village women, worn-out officials... that the appearance of a work like “May Night” should make the most pleasant, refreshing impression on the public.” However, that's where the favorable responses ended. And then the mysticism began.

V. Vlasov. Illustration for N. Gogol’s story *May Night, or the Drowned Woman*: Sleeping Levko, 1946

At the first exhibition of the Association of Peredvizhniki “Mermaids,” I. Kramskoy was hung next to A. Savrasov’s painting “The Rooks Have Arrived.” At night, the landscape suddenly fell from the wall - then they joked that the mermaids did not like such a neighborhood. However, soon there was no time for jokes.

After the exhibition, P. Tretyakov purchased both paintings for his gallery. A place was immediately found for the “Rooks” - in the office, but for a long time they could not find a suitable place for the “Mermaids”, they were hung from room to room. The fact is that from the hall where Kramskoy’s painting was hung, barely audible singing could be heard at night and there was a breath of coolness, like water. The cleaners refused to enter the premises.

O. Jonaitis. Illustration for N. Gogol's story *May Night, or the Drowned Woman* | Photo: subscribe.ru

Not prone to mysticism, Tretyakov did not believe the rumors, but one day he himself noticed that he felt tired when he was near this painting for a long time. Gallery visitors also complained that it was simply impossible to look at this painting for a long time. And soon rumors appeared that the young ladies who looked at the “Mermaids” for a long time went crazy, and one of them drowned herself in the Yauza. Of course, there was no hard evidence linking the incident to the art gallery.

O. Jonaitis. Illustration for N. Gogol's story *May Night, or the Drowned Woman* | Photo: subscribe.ru

An old nanny who lived with the Tretyakov family advised that the painting be hung in a far corner so that no light would fall on it during the day: “It’s difficult for mermaids in the sunlight, that’s why they can’t calm down even at night. And as soon as they fall into the shadows, they will immediately stop chattering!” Tretyakov, far from superstitious, nevertheless listened to the advice. Since then, gallery visitors have not complained about this painting.

I. Kramskoy. Mermaids, 1871

I am posting here my collection of paintings with mermaids. The ones I especially like.)

The waves gently whisper something,
As they once sang to me as a child,
They hug me by the shoulders
And they rock as if in a cradle...

I would like to fly up like a seagull,
Drown in the ocean of the sky
So as not to search desperately for you
Among the endless waves... I would...

There are salty drops on the cheeks,
Maybe splashes, or maybe tears...
My heart is sinking - a boat,
Torn sails - dreams...

The night has spread its star nets,
Catches souls... Take it, don't mind!
Let no one in the world know
How sad is the love of a mermaid...



I don't care what others say.
I live with my heart, my mind.
Let the evil envious people prophesy,
Why shouldn’t you and I be together?

If you love, then a miracle will happen:
My tail will be turned into legs.
How could I, a mermaid, fall in love?
In man, what in the earthly world?

It's just lonely at sea sometimes,
And the coral garden is cold.
And when I'm a little sad,
I'm sailing to watch the sunset.

People haven't recognized me yet
Only with you I want to see the lights.
And I believe: my tail will still be
Transformed into two earthly legs.


What's left of me?
I'm turning gradually
In sea lace foam
And I dry out on the stones.
Mermaid... Stupid amphibian
Then I got caught in this network,
When I shouted to every fish
About the fact that I can sing...
The swallowed hook scratched
Unprepared throat
Magic voice dripped blood
And even the screams were erased by the wind.
I remember: a dull knife,
And the taste of drink on the tongue,
And pain and footprints
On the bloody sand...
And a witch in torn tights,
Dancing in my tracks
She just grinned: “Idiot!..
You died already then!”






I don't know what happened to me
The soul is troubled by sadness,
Everything gives me no peace
One old fairy tale.
The air is cool. It's getting dark
And Rain fell asleep in the darkness.
The last ray blazes
Sunset on a coastal cliff.
There is a girl there, singing a song,
Sits on top of a steep one.
Her clothes are gold,
And a golden comb in his hands.
And her braid curls in gold,
And she scratches them with a comb,
And the magic song flows,
Full of unknown power.
Overwhelmed by insane melancholy,
The rower does not look at the wave,
He doesn’t see the rock in front of him -
He looks up there.
I know the river is fierce
Will close over him forever.
And that's all Lorelei
She made it her own.



Two mermaids - he, she
In the purple abyss
Reached the bottom of the sea
For just one reason.

Burned them too much
Their love is a language of fire!
The bottom called with its coolness,
A ghostly song beckons.

And two mermaids descended -
He, she - where it’s cold
To the underwater clearings
Satisfy your love hunger.

Everything passed when it got dark,
Everything is gone and forever;
The abyss has cooled the body,
The blood was diluted by water.

And the two mermaids returned,
But already completely different;
I felt very sorry for them
And they laughed evilly...



Who has a dump in his heart,
Who has it the other way around?
And in my soul there is a mermaid
She settled and lives.

Either she showed mercy,
Either she took out her anger,
Did it just happen that way?
She settled where she had to,

And treats me like
TO environment:
She stirred up the river,
Twisting its tail in the water.

Grabbing me by the neck
I feel like I'm being pulled to the bottom.
I'll drown in my soul,
Seeing her there alone.



How pleasant the silence is,
The splash of water and the smell of the sea.
Where deep sea,
There is no pain and no grief.

I only want to be with him
Share both life and happiness;
But in the bottomlessness of the depths
Lonely. And again I

I will call the silent surf,
The rustling of grass and the singing of the wind,
Because I am at peace
I’ll probably find it only with him...

No. I know exactly what to love
It was destined for me from above,
And I can’t swim to the bottom.
But I believe, I believe... Do you hear?






A mermaid emerged
At night on the shore-bed,
Wet hair -
On hot skin.

Full moon spell
The rules are reckless
Stole kisses -
And she swam back.









I live at the bottom of the sea
In the palace of lilies
Together with sisters, father,
Wonderful fish.

I have a desire -
Become an earth girl:
I will run and dance
And laugh loudly













And before there lived mermaids
In secluded forest lakes
Under the arch of crystal water,
Sometimes blue, sometimes black-black,

With eyes of cold steel
And fox hair
With coral lips
And wondrous voices...

We rode on snow-white
Horses - unicorns,
Dressed in mistletoe
Confusing the strict Druids...

Wreaths of water lilies
Weaved on Ivan Kupala,
Hid in the forest hollows
Agate, turquoise, opals...







Water near a forest stream
Flamed with silver fire:
A star rolled across the sky
And she fell to the bottom at night.

But to the stream between the trees and rocks,
Looks old, tatty and pitiful
A wizard was walking. I picked up a star
He inserted it into the ring and gave it to the mermaid.

And the mermaid is his for love
Gave it to someone forever
And she said: “Don’t break up with me,
Even evil spirits are humane in love.

If you forget me
Then you will lose the star at that very moment.
You will be happy until the day you die,
You won't know anything about me."

Days and years fly by,
People love without knowing sadness
And a star sparkles in the sky,
And the stream seems to cry at night.

If the water in the sea is salty, it means that someone is shedding tears there, -
Then the Little Mermaid sits by the shore and waits for the handsome prince.

The Little Mermaid has a fish tail,
And there is melancholy and ice in my heart,
I would like to invite her to visit us,
But how will she come?

Wonderful tears descend like pearls to the seabed.
She doesn’t want to, but she will have to return to the depths again.
I’ll get a small scuba gear and go down to her underwater house,
Let's sit, like girlfriends, side by side, and cry with might and main together.

The mermaid's necklace is burning,
And the rubies are sinfully red,
These are strangely sad dreams
Worldwide, sick hangover.
The mermaid's necklace is burning,
And the rubies are sinfully red.
The mermaid has a twinkling gaze,
Midnight's dying gaze
It shines, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter,
When the winds of the sea scream.
The mermaid has a charming look,
The mermaid has sad eyes.
I love her, the maiden undine,
Illuminated by the secret of the night,
I love her dawn look
And burning rubies...
Because I myself am from the abyss,
From the bottomless depths of the sea.

Original post and comments at

MERMAIDS IN PAINTING “Leaving water from Trinity Day and scattering, until autumn, through fields, copses and groves, mermaids choose a spreading willow tree or a weeping birch tree bent over the water, where they live. At night, under the moon, which shines brighter for them than usual, they swing on the branches, call to each other and lead cheerful round dances with songs, games and dances. Where they ran and frolicked, there the grass grows thicker and greener, and there the bread is born more abundantly. However, mermaids do not so much good as harm: when they splash in the water and play with the running waves, or jump on mill wheels and spin with them, they still do not forget to tangle the fishermen’s nets and spoil the millers’ millstones and dams. They can send crushing storms, torrential rains, and destructive hail to the fields; they steal threads, canvases and linens, spread out on the grass for whitening, from women who have fallen asleep without prayer; They unwind the stolen yarn, swinging on the tree branches, and sing boastful songs under their breath. In such cases there are various means and ways to combat the ventures of dashing mermaids in order to make them harmless to the village household. In addition to church incense (an irreplaceable remedy against any evil spirits) - against the spells and intrigues of mermaids, another drug was found that is equivalent to the sacred willow and candles Holy Week, - this is “wormwood, cursed, kneeless grass.” You just need to use its power and use it skillfully in practice. When going into the forest after Trinity Day, you need to take this herb with you. The mermaid will certainly run up and ask: “What do you have in your hands: wormwood or parsley?” - Wormwood. “Hide under the tyn,” she will shout loudly and quickly run past. It is at this time that you need to have time to throw this grass right into the mermaid’s eyes. If you say “parsley,” then the mermaid will answer: “Oh, you’re my darling,” and she will begin to tickle until the person foams at the mouth and he falls down on his face as if dead. Although in Vladimir province. and they still remember the ancient mermaids and even recognize two of their types (aquatic and domestic), but neither one nor the other is noted to be so gentle, attractive features, like their southern sisters. The beliefs of northerners and southerners are connected only in the common belief that mermaids are human children who died unbaptized, or drowned or drowned girls. In many places they think that these are children exchanged at a time when the woman in labor is left alone in the bathhouse, and she lies without a cross, and the child sleeps next to her unbaptized. All mermaids are allowed to leave the water on Easter Sunday, when the shroud is carried around the church. And therefore at this time it is necessary to lock the doors to the temple as tightly as possible, for fear that mermaids might come running..." - from the chapter “Mermaids” of the book “The Unclean, Unknown and Power of the Cross” by S. V. Maksimov (1831-1901) - famous in late XIX– early 20th century writer, ethnographer-fiction writer, traveler, researcher of customs, traditions, language, beliefs of the Russian people, honorary academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1900).

Makovsky's "Mermaids" was shown on the 7th Traveling exhibition in 1879. And then she received frankly shitty criticism of the fierce scarecrows from the art of Stasov and Garshin (for “the spectacular plasticity of naked women's bodies using salon-academic techniques") and censure from colleagues. The rest of the Itinerants were infuriated by Makovsky’s rainbow fascination with fairy-tale women and the isolation from the people’s agenda, which was so itchy among all the faithful Itinerants.

Even worse, Alexander II, who, as already mentioned, did not understand art, was so impressed by those very spectacular plastic arts and salon techniques that he made Makovsky almost a court artist and immediately ordered him a series of family portraits. The joy of my colleagues, of course, knew no bounds.

All entertainments of mermaids according to version LiveJournal Media, 2016

Why will it be easy for you to understand Makovsky?

Paradox: Makovsky managed to suffer for art that was not recognized by his colleagues, but approved by the establishment. Only he got a lot of credit for this plot, despite the fact that other members of the circle also wrote their mermaids - Repin and Kramskoy, for example.

But in Repin’s work, mermaids are just an escort for the king of the sea, to whose reception Sadko ended up. Their poses express humility and, in general, do not irritate. Again, the painting depicts an oppressed class, and this was very suitable for the Wanderers.

Kramskoy's mermaids, created based on Gogol's motifs, are generally completely undead, with no eroticism or social injustice There’s no question there (well, unless you assume that the dead are discriminated against by the living). The only complaint about the painting was made by the collector Tretyakov, whose family allegedly lost consciousness in the room where the mermaids were located, and one of the guests, having seen enough of the painting, even jumped to her death into the Yauza;

– This is a picture about zombies. Her heroines are not only those who sit on branches in Russian fairy tales and personify everything magical and beautiful. According to Slavic tradition, people become mermaids unmarried girls and betrothed brides who died during the special Rusal Week, which runs from July 19 to July 24. It is at this time that clusters of cute living dead can be observed near reservoirs and in water meadows. It’s also possible in the forest, because they really love to swing on branches. This whole event with swimming, round dances and swings is called rusalia - such a Sabbath for decent, but dead girls;

"Mermaids" by Makovsky, hanging in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, 1879

How to read a canvas with frolicking nudes?

Clothed nudity

It is still worth agreeing that mermaids, by definition, are not naked, but permanently half-naked creatures, because they have tails and hair. The artists of Disney's "The Little Mermaid" uniquely affirmed this point by providing the upper part of Ariel's tail with an additional fold of scales, creating the effect of a bikini or bath towel on the hips.

Not childishly seductive Ariel from the cartoon

But Makovsky’s mermaids are dead Slavs, and not, for example, Germans. That's why they don't have tails. The nudity of Eastern European mermaids is traditionally hidden long hair. Brown hair, of course, is one of the signs of the species and one of the options for the origin of the name of a particular undead.

Its own atmosphere

Makovsky painted the picture in the most suitable place for the plot, on the Zagony estate, not far from Dikanka, on the border of the Chernigov and Poltava provinces. And he painted a quiet Ukrainian night from life, as he probably did central figure languidly stretching in the moonlight. Makovsky was also criticized for being too realistic image girls' bodies, but he was just faithful to legend - folklore insists that mermaids do not wear any underwear, although in their plaintive and cunning songs, which can be heard on a July night, they can ask the living for clothing. But this is just a way to lure some stupid child into your circle and dance him to death.

The church will always warm them

Rusalia is a pagan and godless event, and, apparently, in order to show that everything is under the control of the Lord, Makovsky depicts an occult structure in the corner. It turned out strange: evil spirits frolic with special cynicism in front of the temple of God. Representatives of the church, in general, also did not understand the picture.

Evil transmission channels

Water, trees and the traditional witches' round dance-queue (as in European medieval engravings) are the traditional paths of transition between the worlds of the living and the dead. Makovsky piles everything into an elegant pile, and under a snag places a greeting to the Pre-Raphaelites - a lady lying in water lilies.

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