Russian portrait painters. If you see that from the picture, someone is looking at us, Or a prince in an old cloak, or something like a steeplejack, A pilot or a ballerina - a presentation. School encyclopedia The most famous Russian portrait artists

Russian portrait painters appeared in the early 14th century AD. Brush masters of that time had limited resources, so they often resorted to stylized drawings. This could not be called surrealism, but the paintings certainly suffered from insufficient detail. Later, Russian portrait artists and their works were reoriented to the design of churches. Masters of sacred painting painted the walls and ceilings of churches and cathedrals.

Early portrait art

Russian portrait artists and their paintings had their own distinctive features, they were recognizable - each painter had his own style in his work, moreover, he was revered by both priests and parishioners.

The most prominent representative of that time was Andrei Rublev (1370-1428), who left behind imperishable works: “Savior Almighty,” “Archangel Michael,” “Trinity,” and other masterpieces of icon painting.

A contemporary of Rublev was the famous icon painter Theophanes the Greek (1340-1410). They worked together for a long time. In the 90s of the 14th century, artists painted the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Other Russian portrait artists also took part in the work. The amount of work was quite large. The main icons of the Deesis row were painted by the “prophetic” and part of the upper “forefathers” row by Andey Rublev. There is no reliable data confirming that he painted the marks of the large icons of the lower row, but the hand of a talented icon painter is recognizable in these works.

Early Masters of Portraiture

At the beginning of the 14th century, the technique of oil painting improved somewhat with the introduction of finely ground paints.

Russian portrait painters of later times:

Dionysius (1440-1502), favorite of Tsar Ivan III. The monarch used to commission an artist to paint a temple, and then periodically visit the icon painter and observe the work.
Alexey Zubov (1682-1750) is the greatest master of Russian engraving art of the era of Peter the Great. He worked together with his father, the outstanding icon painter Fyodor Zubov. Together they painted the Moscow Kremlin Armory.
Nikitin Ivan (1680-1742) - Russian artist, one of the first Russian masters of portraiture, educated in Europe. He was in a special favor with Peter the Great. The most famous works of the artist are the Polish King Augustus II and the Duke of Mecklenburg.

Russian portrait painters of the 18th century

Masters of the brush of past centuries, as a rule, were engaged in church painting. However, the 18th century was the time of the birth of portrait art in its purest form, when the painter reflects the image of a specific person on canvas. Russian portrait artists of that time adhered to the classical school of fine art, which involved accurate reproduction of the smallest details. In portrait painting, this technique perfectly met the tasks assigned to the artist - to achieve such an image that it bore all the signs of an artistic style and was as reliable as possible. The work seemed quite painstaking and responsible. Nevertheless, famous Russian portrait artists coped with it superbly. There were more than enough orders; all the court nobility, as well as members of merchant guilds, vied with each other to order portraits of themselves and their loved ones.

Wealthy people preferred to invite painters to their homes, because in this case the whole family could observe the process, and this was considered good form. The Russian portrait artist usually lived poorly, so he tried to accept as many orders as possible. If, at the end of the work, the image of the head of the family was liked by all household members, then the painter received the next order in the same house. Thus, the Russian portrait artist was in demand in high society and was not left without work. The most successful craftsmen were invited to the royal chambers to carry out especially important assignments.

The rise of portraiture

When the Renaissance period began in the art of painting, many talented masters appeared in Rus'.

Russian portrait painters of the 18th century:

Alexey Antropov (1716-1795) - a famous Russian portrait painter, participated in the decoration of the Winter Palace in 1744 and Tsarskoye Selo in 1749. Under his leadership, artists painted St. Andrew's Church in Kyiv. Since 1761, Antropov was introduced into the Orthodox Synod as the chief overseer of icon painting. The artist entered the history of Russian art as a talented portrait painter of the Peter the Great period.
Borovikovsky Vladimir (1757-1825) was born in Mirgorod. He became famous after meeting Catherine II, who was traveling to Crimea in 1787. The artist painted one of the palaces on the empress’s route and was noticed by her. Catherine expressed her admiration and rewarded Borovikovsky with money, with which he subsequently went to St. Petersburg.
Alexey Venetsianov (1780-1847) - Russian artist, founder of the genre of everyday life in portrait painting. His work “Portrait of a Mother,” painted in 1801, brought him fame. Studied the art of drawing from
Kiprensky Orest (1782-1836) - an outstanding artist, made his debut in 1804 with a portrait of A. K. Valbe, which was painted in the manner of Rembrandt. The famous work “E.V. Davydov”, created in 1809, strengthened the artist’s reputation. Many of Kiprensky's paintings are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Tropinin Vasily (1776-1857) - Russian artist who became famous after he painted a portrait of A.S. Pushkin, commissioned by the poet himself. The painting was intended for S. A. Sobolevsky, a friend of Alexander Sergeevich. The portrait has become a classic image of the great poet for all times.

Portrait art in the 19th century

Russian portrait artists of the 19th century are a whole galaxy of talented painters who turned to the genre of depicting the human face. The most famous of them:

Neff Timofey (1805-1876) - follower of the academic style in art, historical portrait painter. Studied painting at the Dresden Art School. In 1826 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he immediately gained fame by painting a series of portraits of famous people. In 1837, he went on a long trip around Russia to get acquainted with the folklore hinterland and the life of the common people. After his return, he painted the church of the Winter Palace; these works included the famous “Last Supper”. He received a professorship for painting St. Isaac's Cathedral, and at the same time became the curator of the Hermitage painting gallery.
Zakharov Peter (1816-1846) - Russian portrait painter with a difficult fate. A three-year-old boy was found in the abandoned Chechen village of Dadi-Yurt. Russian general Ermolov took the child into custody. Noticing his adopted son's ability to draw, he sent little Petya to study with portrait painter Lev Volkov. In 1836, Zakharov completed a course at the Academy of Arts and received the title of free artist.
(1822-1897) - Russian painter, painted many paintings during his long creative life. The artist’s works, including portraits created by him at different times, are in the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, the Academy of Arts and exhibition halls throughout Russia. In 1844, Makarov moved to St. Petersburg, where he won recognition from the capital's public.

Portrait painter Tyranov

Russian portrait painter (1808-1859), engaged in icon painting. In 1824, he met the artist Venetsianov, who enrolled the young man in his painting school, and when he completed his studies, he arranged for Tyranov to become a student at the Academy of Arts. The further fate of the young painter was successful: he received a small gold medal from the Academy, and in 1836 he became a student of the venerable Karl Bryullov. For his work "Girl with a Tambourine" he was awarded the title of academician. While in Rome he painted his main paintings: “Girl Squeezing Water Out of Her Hair,” “Angel with an Olive Branch,” “Mother of Moses on the Banks of the Nile.” Then, upon the artist’s return to St. Petersburg, the artist suffered a series of misfortunes, and he turned into a beggar. I found shelter in my brother’s house in the city of Kashin. Tyranov died there at the age of 51.

Unsurpassed portrait technique

Sergei Zaryanko (1818-1870) is a wonderful Russian portrait painter, famous for the indescribable play of light and shadow on his canvases. The artist’s technique is so pronounced that the inner world of the person depicted on the canvas seems to be lost in the richness of shades and halftones. In total, Zaryanko painted about a hundred portraits, most of which are dedicated to the emperor, his family and the highest court nobility.

Master's Apprentice

Zhodeiko Leonid (1827-1879) - Russian portrait painter, student of the Moscow artist Zaryanko and the St. Petersburg master Markov, teacher at the Academy of Arts. He painted mainly female portraits. Received the title of academician for the painting "Girl Washing" He was a regular participant in annual exhibitions held under the auspices of the Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg.

Dramatic artist

Kramskoy Ivan Nikolaevich (1837-1887) - an outstanding master of portrait painting, religious wall paintings, and genre drawing. The author of canvases depicting famous writers, artists, artists, including: L. N. Tolstoy (1883), M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin (1879), I. I. Shishkin (1873) -th), S.P. Botkin (year 1880), P.M. Tretyakov (year 1876).

All his life the artist adhered to the philosophical and dramatic subtext in his works, this is especially noticeable in the portrait paintings: “Unknown”, “N.A. Nekrasov”, “Inconsolable Grief”, which were created in the period from 1877 to 1884. These masterpieces are in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Artistic portraits in the 20th century

The twentieth century was a difficult period for Russia. Political upheavals and two bloody wars left their mark on the development of the country. And yet art was alive; in the post-war years, painting, including portraiture, was revived. There were few artists, but they all went through a good school.

Russian portrait artists of the 20th century:

Kozlov Engels is a Soviet portrait artist, born in 1926, graduated from the Yaroslavl Art School, then entered the painting course at the Leningrad Repin Institute. In 1956, he presented his thesis “He will live!” to the graduation committee. Member of the Union of Artists since 1957. The main theme of Kozlov’s work is portraits of his contemporaries.
Lomakin Oleg - portrait painter of the Soviet period, born in 1924. He studied at the Leningrad Art School, then at the All-Russian Academy of Arts. In 1942 he was drafted into the Red Army, fought near Kursk, where he was seriously wounded and expelled from the army. Portraits painted by the artist have been exhibited at exhibitions since 1952.
Samuil Nevelshtein (1904-1983) - portrait painter, graduated from VKHUTEMAS. The artist has several dozen works to his name. The main theme of Nevelshtein’s work was portraits of his contemporaries. The portrait painter held five personal exhibitions, all of them were held in Leningrad, the first show took place in 1944.
Oreshnikov Viktor (1904-1987) - Soviet painter and portrait painter. People's Artist of the Soviet Union, laureate of two Stalin Prizes. The works were dominated by subjects dedicated to achievements in the national economy and portraits of contemporaries.
- Russian portrait painter, born in 1943. Creator of a unique focus. Actively participates in public life, member of the Public Council under the President of Russia.

Famous portrait artists

In the six hundred years that have passed since the advent of painting, more than one generation of artists has changed. In addition to the painters already mentioned, there were quite a lot of other masters.

Who are they - Russian portrait artists? A list of them is presented below.

Musikiysky Grigory Semenovich, court portrait painter.
Gsell Georg, a Swiss painter, worked in Russia for a long time.
Nikitin Ivan Nikitich, court artist.
Vishnyakov Ivan Yakovlevich, portrait painter for the aristocracy.
Kolokolnikov Mina Lukich, serf artist.
Matveevich, court portrait painter.

Ugryumov Grigory Ivanovich, peasant artist.
noble portrait painter.
Orlovsky Alexander Osipovich, noble artist.
Sokolov Petr Fedorovich, portrait painter for the aristocracy.

Majestic and diverse Russian painting always delights viewers with its inconstancy and perfection of artistic forms. This is a feature of the works of famous art masters. They always surprised us with their extraordinary approach to work, their reverent attitude towards the feelings and sensations of each person. Perhaps this is why Russian artists so often depicted portrait compositions that vividly combined emotional images and epically calm motifs. No wonder Maxim Gorky once said that an artist is the heart of his country, the voice of an entire era. Indeed, the majestic and elegant paintings of Russian artists vividly convey the inspiration of their time. Similar to the aspirations of the famous author Anton Chekhov, many sought to bring into Russian paintings the unique flavor of their people, as well as an unquenchable dream of beauty. It is difficult to underestimate the extraordinary paintings of these masters of majestic art, because truly extraordinary works of various genres were born under their brushes. Academic painting, portrait, historical painting, landscape, works of romanticism, modernism or symbolism - all of them still bring joy and inspiration to their viewers. Everyone finds in them something more than colorful colors, graceful lines and inimitable genres of world art. Perhaps such an abundance of forms and images with which Russian painting surprises is connected with the enormous potential of the artists’ surrounding world. Levitan also said that every note of lush nature contains a majestic and extraordinary palette of colors. With such a beginning, a magnificent expanse appears for the artist’s brush. Therefore, all Russian paintings are distinguished by their exquisite severity and attractive beauty, which is so difficult to tear yourself away from.

Russian painting is rightfully distinguished from world art. The fact is that until the seventeenth century, Russian painting was associated exclusively with religious themes. The situation changed with the coming to power of the reforming tsar, Peter the Great. Thanks to his reforms, Russian masters began to engage in secular painting, and icon painting separated as a separate direction. The seventeenth century is the time of such artists as Simon Ushakov and Joseph Vladimirov. Then, portraiture arose in the Russian art world and quickly became popular. In the eighteenth century, the first artists appeared who moved from portraiture to landscape painting. The artists’ pronounced sympathy for winter panoramas is noticeable. The eighteenth century was also remembered for the emergence of everyday painting. In the nineteenth century, three movements gained popularity in Russia: romanticism, realism and classicism. As before, Russian artists continued to turn to the portrait genre. It was then that the world-famous portraits and self-portraits of O. Kiprensky and V. Tropinin appeared. In the second half of the nineteenth century, artists increasingly depicted the common Russian people in their oppressed state. Realism becomes the central movement of painting of this period. It was then that the Itinerant artists appeared, depicting only real, real life. Well, the twentieth century is, of course, the avant-garde. The artists of that time significantly influenced both their followers in Russia and throughout the world. Their paintings became the forerunners of abstract art. Russian painting is a huge wonderful world of talented artists who have glorified Russia with their creations.

Portrait is the art of reproducing the image of a person or group of persons with absolute accuracy. As a rule, this is an artistic drawing that follows a certain style. The artist who painted the portrait may belong to one or another school of painting. And his works are recognizable due to the individuality and style that the painter follows.

Past and present

Portrait artists depict real-life people by drawing from life, or reproduce images from the past from memory. In any case, the portrait is based on something and carries information about a specific person. Often such a picture reflects some era, be it modernity or the past. In this case, portrait artists, instead of the usual background, depict several accompanying conventional features, such as the architecture of the time indicated in the background, or other characteristic objects.

Rembrandt

Fine art is diverse, and its individual genres can exist independently of each other, or can be synthesized. Likewise, in a portrait, different subjects are combined into one whole, but the person’s face always dominates. The great portrait painters of the past mastered the art of artistic depiction to perfection. Such masters include the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), who painted many portraits. And each of them is recognized as true art is immortal, because the paintings of Rembrandt van Rijn are already more than five hundred years old.

Engraving is a fine art

The great portrait painters of the past are the national treasure of the countries in which they were born, lived and created their paintings. A noticeable mark in the history of painting was left by the German artist Albrecht Durer (1471-1528), who worked in the genre of engraving. His paintings are exhibited in the most prestigious museums in the world. Paintings painted by the artist at different times, such as “Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman”, “Portrait of Emperor Maximilian”, “Portrait of a Young Man” and others, are unsurpassed masterpieces. Great portrait painters differ from all other artists in their high level of self-expression. Their paintings are an example to follow.

Women's theme

Giovanni Boldini (1842-1931), Italian artist, ranks high on the list of "Great Portrait Painters of the World." He is recognized as an unrivaled master of female portraiture. You can look at his paintings for hours, the images are so accurate and picturesque. Rich colors, mostly cool shades, contrasting strokes, play of halftones - everything is collected in his paintings. The artist manages to convey the character of the lady depicted on the canvas, and even her mood.

Famous portrait artists of Russia

There have always been great artists in Rus'. Portrait art originated in the 14th century AD, when talented painters such as Andrei Rublev appeared and their work did not fully correspond to the portrait genre, since these artists painted icons, but the general principles of creating images coincided.

During the same period, the famous artist Dionysius (1440-1502), a protege of Ivan III, Tsar of Moscow, worked. The monarch commissioned the artist to paint a cathedral or church, and then watched him create his masterpieces. The king liked to participate in such a godly activity.

One of the first masters of Russian portrait art was Ivan Nikitin (1680-1742), who trained in Europe. He enjoyed the favor of Emperor Peter the Great. Nikitin's most famous works are portraits of Augustus II, King of Poland and Duke of Mecklenburg.

Alexey Zubov (1682-1750), an outstanding master of portrait art. He was a favorite. Together with his father, the famous icon painter Fyodor Zubov, he participated in the design of the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.

The great portrait painters of the 18th century in Russia, as a rule, painted to order.

Vasily Tropinin (1776-1857), a famous Russian artist, truly became famous in 1827. He created the belt of Alexander Sergeevich, the brightest representative of Russian poetry. The order was made by the poet himself. And the painting was intended for Alexander Sergeevich’s friend, Sobolevsky. The portrait became the most famous creation of all that ever depicted Pushkin. Tropinin's painting "Alexander Pushkin" forever became a classic of the genre.

Orest Kiprensky (1782-1836) began writing at the age of 22. The first portrait was created by Kiprensky in the style of Rembrandt; the canvas depicted A. K. Walbe. The artist’s most famous work is considered to be “Portrait of E.V. Davydov,” painted in 1809. Several paintings by Orest Kiprensky are in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Alexey Venetsianov (1780-1847) is a Russian artist who is considered the founder of the narrative style in portrait art. He was a student of the venerable painter Vladimir Borovikovsky. The young man gained wide fame thanks to the painting “Portrait of a Mother,” created in 1801.

Borovikovsky Vladimir (1757-1825), a native of Mirgorod, became famous and famous after meeting Catherine II, traveling as part of her 1787 tour. The painter created a series of artistic paintings in the palace, which was located on the route of the empress. Catherine was delighted with Borovikovsky’s work and awarded him a large sum of money.

The list of “Great portrait painters of Russia of the 19th century” is headed by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy (1837-1887), an outstanding painter, master of religious wall paintings. Kramskoy's portrait art allowed him to create a number of images of famous people, including P. M. Tretyakov, S. P. Botkin, I. I. Shishkin, M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, L. N. Tolstoy and others.

The most famous portrait painters of modern Russia

Igor Belkovsky (born 1962), corresponding member of the Russian Art Academy, member of the Union of Artists of Russia, laureate of the “For a Bright Future” award, established by the governor of the Chelyabinsk region.

(born 1943), People's Artist of the USSR, member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art. Author of numerous portraits of his contemporaries.

April 5, 2015

Past and present

Rembrandt

Fine art is diverse, and its individual genres can exist independently of each other, or can be synthesized. Likewise, in a portrait, different subjects are combined into one whole, but the person’s face always dominates. The great portrait painters of the past mastered the art of artistic depiction to perfection. Such masters include the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), who painted many portraits. And each of them is recognized as a masterpiece of painting. True art is immortal, because the paintings of Rembrandt van Rijn are already more than five hundred years old.

Engraving is a fine art

Women's theme

Famous portrait artists of Russia

There have always been great artists in Rus'. Portrait art originated in the 14th century AD, when talented painters such as Andrei Rublev and Theophanes the Greek appeared. Their work did not fully correspond to the genre of portraiture, since these artists painted icons, but the general principles of creating images coincided.

Alexey Zubov (1682-1750), an outstanding master of portrait art. He was a favorite of Peter the Great. Together with his father, the famous icon painter Fyodor Zubov, he participated in the design of the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin.

The great portrait painters of the 18th century in Russia, as a rule, painted to order.

Vasily Tropinin (1776-1857), a famous Russian artist, truly became famous in 1827. He created a half-length portrait of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, the brightest representative of Russian poetry. The order was made by the poet himself. And the painting was intended for Alexander Sergeevich’s friend, Sobolevsky. The portrait became the most famous creation of all that ever depicted Pushkin. Tropinin's painting "Alexander Pushkin" forever became a classic of the genre.

Alexey Venetsianov (1780-1847) is a Russian artist who is considered the founder of the narrative style in portrait art. He was a student of the venerable painter Vladimir Borovikovsky. The young artist Venetsianov gained wide fame thanks to the painting “Portrait of a Mother,” created in 1801.

The most famous portrait painters of modern Russia

Alexander Shilov (born 1943), People's Artist of the USSR, member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art. Author of numerous portraits of his contemporaries.

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Famous Russian artists

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In the motley string of years of distant childhood, one wonderful summer day remained especially vivid in the memory of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Vasiliev. “I consider this day decisive in my life as an artist. For the first time, I experienced that feeling of special happiness, fullness of life, which so often overwhelmed me later, when I became an artist, in those moments when you are left alone with nature and always perceive it with some new and joyful amazement.

Korovin Konstantin Alekseevich, famous Russian painter and theater artist. He studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture - in the architectural department (1875), and then (from 1876) in the painting department under I. Pryanishnikov., V. Perov, L. Savrasov! and V. Polenov. For several months (1882-83) he studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. He completed his art education at the School (1883-1886).

Kramskoy Ivan Nikolaevich
(1837-1887)

Kramskoy Ivan Nikolaevich, an outstanding Russian painter and progressive artistic figure. Born in Ostrogozhsk, Voronezh province, into a poor middle-class family. He received his initial knowledge at the district school. I have been drawing on my own since childhood. At the age of sixteen he became a retoucher for a Kharkov photographer.

Kuindzhi Arkhip Ivanovich
(1842-1910)

A.I. Kuindzhi was the son of a poor Greek shoemaker from Mariupol, he was orphaned early, and he had to achieve everything in life on his own. In the early 1860s, his passion for drawing led him to St. Petersburg, where he twice tried to enter the Academy of Arts, but was unsuccessful. There was not enough preparation, because he acquired all his painting experience as a retoucher in a photographic workshop.

Kustodiev Boris Mikhailovich
(1878 - 1927)

Kustodiev Boris Mikhailovich, an outstanding Russian Soviet painter, graphic artist, theater artist, sculptor. Born in Astrakhan, he spent his childhood, adolescence and youth on the banks of the Volga. Subsequently, being already a well-known painter, he lived for a long time in the Village near Kineshma, built a house-workshop there, which he called "terem". On the Volga, Kustodiev grew up and matured as an artist. He dedicated many of his paintings to the Volga and Volga residents. His native land gave him a deep knowledge of Russian life and folk life, a love for noisy crowded fairs, festivities, booths, those bright and joyful colors that entered Russian painting with him.

Lagorio Lev Feliksovich
(1827-1905)

Lagorio Lev Feliksovich - Russian landscape painter, marine painter. Born into the family of the Neapolitan consul in Feodosia. His teacher was I.K. Aivazovsky. Since 1843, Lagorio studied in St. Petersburg at the Academy of Arts with A. I. Sauerweid and M. N. Vorobyov.

Levitan Isaac Ilyich
(1861-1900)

Born in the town of Kybarty in Lithuania in the family of a railway employee. He studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1873-74) under A. Savrasov and V. Polenov. From 1884 he performed at exhibitions of the Association of Itinerants; since 1891 - member of the Partnership. Since 1898 - academician of landscape painting. Levitan created many wonderful, soulful images of Russian nature. In his work, the lyrical beginning, which is inherent in the painting of his teacher and mentor A. Savrasov, was developed.

Malevich Kazimir Severinovich
(1878-1935)

The name of Kazimir Malevich rapidly gained its rightful place in the history of Russian art as soon as the official Soviet ideology collapsed. This happened with all the greater ease that the great artist had long won lasting fame outside the Fatherland. The bibliography dedicated to him should be published as a separate edition, and nine-tenths of it consists of books and articles in foreign languages: numerous studies in Russian began to be published since the late 1980s, when Malevich's first major exhibition took place in his homeland after decades of silence and blasphemy.

Malyutin Sergey Vasilievich
(1859-1937)

The future artist was born on September 22, 1859 in a Moscow merchant family. Left an orphan for three years, he was brought up in the house of his aunt, the wife of a minor official. The boy was sent to a commercial school, and then to accounting courses, after which he was assigned to serve as a clerk in Voronezh. His artistic inclinations manifested themselves early. But the environment did little to promote their development. It was only in the late 1870s, when he attended a traveling exhibition that opened in Voronezh, that Malyutin saw genuine painting for the first time. Long-standing vague dreams became concrete: the decision was made, despite any difficulties, to become an artist.

Nesterov Mikhail Vasilievich
(1862- 1942)

Nesterov Mikhail Vasilievich, outstanding Russian Soviet artist. Born in Ufa into a merchant family. He studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1877-86) and at the Academy of Arts with V. Perov, I. Pryanishnikov and P. Chistyakov. Initially he tried himself in the everyday genre: “Victim of Friends” (1881), “Exam in a Country School” (1884). In 1882 he married Maria Martynova, who died in 1885 from childbirth. This tragedy greatly influenced the artist’s entire subsequent work. He abandoned lightweight genres and turned to historical and religious themes.

Perov Vasily Grigorievich
(1834-1882)

One of the founders of realistic painting in the 60s was Vasily Grigorievich Perov- a successor of Fedotov’s accusatory tendencies. In the excitement and anxieties of Russian life, he finds the soil for his creativity, that nutrient medium without which an artist cannot exist. Perov boldly and openly rushes into battle, exposing the falsehood and hypocrisy of church rituals ( "Rural religious procession at Easter", 1861), parasitism and depravity of priests and monks ( "Tea drinking in Mytishchi", 1862; both in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow).

Polenov Vasily Dmitrievich
(1844- 1927)

Born in St. Petersburg into an artistic family. Mother is an artist, father is a famous archaeologist and bibliographer, member of the Academy of Sciences, connoisseur and lover of the arts. As a child, he studied music. He graduated from the gymnasium in Petrozavodsk and entered the Academy of Arts (1863) in the class of historical painting and at the same time the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. However, he did not give up studying music and sang in the Academic Choir for some time. While still a student, he visited Germany and France, admiring R. Wagner and J. Offenbach.

Repin Ilya Efimovich
(1844-1933)

Repin Ilya Efimovich, an outstanding Russian artist, representative of democratic realism. Born in Chuguev, Kharkov province, into the family of a military settler. At the age of thirteen he began to study painting in Chuguev with the artist N. Bunakov. He worked in icon painting artels. In 1863 he came to St. Petersburg and entered the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. I met I. Kramskoy, who became the young artist’s mentor for many years.

Roerich Nikolai Konstantinovich
(1874- 1947)

Roerich Nikolai Konstantinovich, an outstanding Russian artist, art critic, archaeologist and public figure. Born in St. Petersburg. He studied in St. Petersburg at the Meya gymnasium (1883-93). Took drawing lessons from M. Mikeshin. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1893-96) and the painting department of the Academy of Arts (1893-97) in the class of A. Kuindzhi. The latter sought to develop in his students a sense of decorative color. Without giving up working from life, he insisted that paintings be painted from memory. The artist had to conceive the idea of the painting.

Savitsky Konstantin Apollonovich
(1844-1905)

Savitsky Konstantin Apollonovich, Russian painter and genre painter. Born in Taganrog into the family of a military doctor. In 1862 he entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, but due to insufficient preparation he was forced to leave and after two years of intensive independent work in 1864 he entered the Academy again. In 1871 he received a small gold medal for the painting “Cain and Abel”. Already in his academic years he was close to the Art Artel of I. Kramskoy, and later to the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions and exhibited at the 2nd traveling exhibition (1873). This aroused dissatisfaction with the Academy administration, which, finding fault with the first reason that came up (an exam not passed on time due to marriage), expelled Savitsky from the Academy (1873).

Savrasov Alexey Kondratievich
(1830-1890)

There are paintings without which it is unthinkable to imagine Russian art, just as it is impossible to imagine Russian literature without Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”, Pushkin’s “Eugene Onegin”, and this does not have to be a large and complex work. Such a true pearl of Russian landscape painting was the small, modest painting by Alexei Kondratyevich Savrasov (1830-1897) “The Rooks Have Arrived.” She appeared at the first exhibition of the Association of Itinerants in 1871.

Serov Valentin Alexandrovich
(1865-1911)

Even during the life of V. A. Serov, and even more so after his death, art historians and artists argued about who Serov was: the last painter of the old school of the 19th century. or a representative of new art? The most correct answer to this question would be: both. Serov is traditional; in the history of Russian painting he could be called the son of Repin. But true successors of traditions do not stop there, but move forward and search. Serov searched more than others. He did not know the feeling of satisfaction. He was always on the move. Therefore, he became the artist who organically combined the art of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Surikov Vasily Ivanovich
(1848-1916)

Surikov Vasily Ivanovich, an outstanding Russian historical painter and genre painter. “Siberia brought up the ideals of historical types in me.” Born in Krasnoyarsk into the family of a Cossack officer. His father, a passionate music lover, played the guitar superbly and was considered the best singer in Krasnoyarsk. Mother was an excellent embroiderer.

Fedotov Pavel Andreevich
(1815-1852)

Pavel Andreevich Fedotov was born in Moscow on June 22, 1815. My father served as an official and went to work every morning. The Fedotov family was large; they lived poorly, but did not experience any particular need. The neighbors around were simple people - petty officials, retired military men, poor merchants. Pavlusha Fedotov was especially friendly with the sons of Captain Golovachev, who lived opposite, and his little sister, “sharp-eyed Lyubochka,” as he called her, was friends with Katenka Golovachev, her age.

Shishkin Ivan Ivanovich
(1832-1898)

Enter the hall of the Tretyakov Gallery, where paintings by Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin hang, and it will seem to you that the damp breath of the forest, the fresh wind of the fields have wafted in, it has become sunnier and brighter. In Shishkin's paintings, we see either an early morning in the forest after a night storm, or the endless expanses of fields with a path running towards the horizon, or the mysterious twilight of a forest thicket.

Yuon Konstantin Fedorovich
(1875-1958)

Fate was kind in every way K. F. Yuon. He lived a long life. He had an extremely happy marriage. Those around him loved him. He never had to struggle with poverty. Success came to him very early and always accompanied him. After the revolution, honors, high awards, titles, leadership positions, as it were, were looking for him. There were fewer adversities - this was a quarrel for several years with his father (a bank employee) due to Yuon's marriage to a peasant woman and the early death of one of his sons.

Russian artists

Akimov Nikolay Pavlovich
(1901-1968)

N. P. Akimov came to St. Petersburg very young, and almost his entire life turned out to be firmly connected with this city. He studied at the studio of S. M. Seidenberg (1915-18), a few years later he entered the Academy of Arts, but left it without completing his studies. He was engaged in book graphics and managed to create a name for himself, but he truly found himself in scenography. Work in the theater fascinated him so much that in the late 1920s. he also turned to directing, making it his second, if not first, profession: in 1933 he headed the Leningrad Music Hall, and in 1935 - the famous Leningrad Comedy Theater, the artistic director of which he remained until his death (except for 1949-55 ., when he was forced to move to another team).

Nissky Georgy Grigorievich
(1903-1987)

The artist spent his childhood at a small railway station near Gomel. Local painter V. Zorin, who saw the young man’s drawings, advised him to continue his studies in fine arts. Heeding the advice, Nissky entered the Gomel Studio of Fine Arts named after M. Vrubel. His abilities were noticed and in 1921 he was sent to Moscow for preparatory courses at the Higher Art and Technical Workshops. In 1923, Nyssky moved to the painting department, where his teachers were A. D. Drevin and R. R. Falk.

Pakhomov Alexey Fedorovich
(1900-1973)

In the Vologda region, near the city of Kadnikov, on the banks of the Kubena River, the village of Varlamovo is located. There, on September 19 (October 2), 1900, a boy was born to the peasant woman Efimiya Petrovna Pakhomova, who was named Alexei. His father, Fyodor Dmitrievich, came from “appanage” farmers who did not know the horrors of serfdom in the past. This circumstance played an important role in the way of life and the prevailing character traits, and developed the ability to behave simply, calmly, and with dignity.