Artist Vasily Polenov biography. Belated love of the "knight of beauty" Vasily Polenov: Unknown pages of the personal life of the Russian genius
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was a completely unique person, having not only the talent of a brilliant landscape painter, but also the gift of an architect, musician, composing music and playing keyboards, violin and accordion; artist and director of his own theater, a talented teacher. And in addition to all his talents, Vasily Dmitrievich was called the "knight of beauty." But why did it happen that he went to his love half of his life, further in the review.
The famous landscape painter Vasily Polenov (1844-1927), who became an artist, was what is called "it was written in the family", was the great-grandson of the architect Nikolai Lvov on the maternal side, the grandson of Vera Voeikova, who was a pupil of Gavrila Derzhavin, a wise and highly educated woman. Many of the artist's creations were created under the influence and impression of family stories that the grandmother told her grandchildren.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0017.jpg" alt=" Moscow courtyard.
All Polenov's landscapes, with their calm and wide turn of space, abundance of light and air, carry peace and delight, and the color of his paintings is admirable. In those years, buyers of paints in Moscow shops naively demanded from merchants: “Give us paints, as in the paintings of the artist Polenov! Such, you know, bright, sunny, even if they cost more!”
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0016.jpg" alt="Vasily Polenov" title="Vasily Polenov" border="0" vspace="5">!}
There he met for the first time 18-year-old Marusya Obolenskaya, a Russian girl who studied opera singing in Italy. During joint walks along the Roman Campania between 28-year-old Vasily and 18-year-old Marusya, tender affection and love are born.
And soon, Polenov's brightly flashed feelings were so strong that he lost sleep and rest. For about four months his love sufferings lasted, but he never had the courage to explain himself to Marusya.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/219415827.jpg" alt=" Sick. (1886).
Obolenskaya was buried in a white bridal outfit. And Polenov, very hard going through the loss of his beloved and regretting that he did not have time to confess his feelings to her, kept walking and walking to the old cemetery along the dark cypress alleys to the monument where his first love found its last refuge.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/40_4.jpg" alt="Tombstone of Marusya Obolenskaya. Rome. Sculptor: Mark Antokolsky." title="Tombstone of Marusya Obolenskaya. Rome. Sculptor: Mark Antokolsky." border="0" vspace="5">!}
The tombstone at the Testaccio cemetery is the work of the sculptor Mark Antokolsky. He depicted the allegorical figure of a young Christian girl sitting mournfully at the entrance to the crypt...
The second love of Vasily Polenov
Five years after Obolenskaya's death, a second unexpected love overtook Polenov on the road, when a stranger entered his compartment. As it turned out later, to the surprise of the artist, her name was Maria - Maria Klimentova. And besides, she studied opera singing at the Moscow Conservatory, like his Marusya. Seeing a sign of fate in such an amazing coincidence, Vasily Dmitrievich immediately fell in love passionately and passionately.
The girl was twenty years old, and he was thirty-three ... But this love was not destined to come true either. Klimentova, not responding with special reciprocity, either brought the artist closer to her, or repelled him.
And already becoming an opera singer, she will have the same affair, based on empty female vanity, with the writer Anton Chekhov.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0003.jpg" alt=" Portrait of Natalya Vasilievna Yakunchikova, Polenov's wife. (1879). Author: Vasily Polenov." title="Portrait of Natalya Vasilievna Yakunchikova, Polenov's wife. (1879).
And Vasily Dmitrievich did not immediately understand, and then for a long time could not believe that a relative of the Mamontovs, Natalya Yakunchikova, the daughter of a Moscow merchant and industrialist, was sighing for him. The quiet, modest girl was fourteen years younger than Polenov, and for several years she had loved him faithfully, silently and passionately.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0019.jpg" alt="Natalya Yakunchikova at the easel. Etude. Author: Vasily Polenov." title="Natalya Yakunchikova at the easel. Etude.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0005.jpg" alt="VD Polenov with his younger daughters Olga and Natalia." title="VD Polenov with his younger daughters Olga and Natalia." border="0" vspace="5">!}
And now, a few years later, the Polenov family will move to the Borok estate on the banks of the Oka. Six children will be born in their family - two sons and four daughters. (The eldest son will die as a baby). There, at their own expense, they will build a church, schools, they will personally pay for the work of teachers, they will create a folk theater, in which Natalya Vasilievna Polenova will become the first director. And they will also create a "diorama" from the paintings of the artist himself, which for the local peasantry will become like a "world trip" around the world.
And only for four years Natalya Vasilievna will outlive her husband, the brilliant landscape painter Vasily Polenov.
https://static.kulturologia.ru/files/u21941/polenov-0015.jpg" alt=" Elena Dmitrievna Polenova is the sister of Vasily Polenov." title="Elena Dmitrievna Polenova is the sister of Vasily Polenov." border="0" vspace="5">!}
In addition to his sister Vera, with whom they were born on the same day, Polenov had two more sisters and a brother. The youngest "Lilya" (Elena Polenova) will follow in the footsteps of her famous brother and become the first professional female artist in Russia. She became famous for that.
overgrown pond
“This extraordinary Russian man,
somehow managed to distribute himself between the Russian
by the lily lake and the rugged hills of Jerusalem,
hot sands of the Asian desert.
His biblical scenes, his high priests,
his Christ - how could he combine in his soul
it is sharp and colorful majesty with the silence of a simple
Russian lake with crucians? Isn't that why, however,
over its quiet lakes the spirit of a deity wafts?”
Fyodor Chaliapin
Polenov, Vasily Dmitrievich. Portrait by I. Repin
One of the most significant phenomena in Russian painting of the second half of the 19th century is the work of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov.
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov - Russian artist, master of historical, landscape and genre painting, teacher. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1926).
The work of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov is one of the most significant phenomena in Russian painting of the second half of the 19th century.
A remarkable landscape painter, he developed the system of plein air painting in Russian art, created works full of poetry and lyricism, beauty and truthfulness, freshness of the pictorial solution. His paintings "Moscow courtyard" "Grandma's garden"; "Christ and the Sinner" brought recognition to the artist. They are not only widely known and popular, but have become a kind of "signs" of the domestic fine arts.
The multifaceted work of the artist was not limited to achievements in the field of landscape genre. A painter and theater artist, architect and musician, he revealed his talent in each of the genres and types of art, in many respects he acted as an innovator.
In 1888, the artist wrote in one of his letters:
"It seems to me that art should give happiness and joy, otherwise it is worthless."
We can assume that these words contain the creative principle of the master, which he carried through his whole life.
The multifaceted work of the artist, where he sought to apply all his talents, knew no bounds. He is a painter and theater artist, architect and musician, and in many ways acted as an innovator.
Film 1. Painting, landscapes.
Film 2. Historical and genre painting
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was born in St. Petersburg on May 20 (June 1), 1844 in a cultural noble family.
His father, Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov, the son of an academician in the department of Russian language and literature, was a famous archaeologist and bibliographer. The mother of the future artist, Maria Alekseevna, nee Voeikova, wrote books for children and was engaged in painting. The ability to draw was characteristic of most of the Polenov children, but two turned out to be the most gifted: the eldest son Vasily and the youngest daughter Elena, who later became real artists.
Polenov's vivid childhood impressions were trips to the north, to the Olonets region with its virgin nature, and to Olshanka, Tambov province, to the estate of V.N. Voeikova. Vera Nikolaevna, daughter of the famous architect N.A. Lvov, brought up after the early death of her parents in the house of G.R. Derzhavina was well versed in Russian history, knew folk poetry, loved to tell her grandchildren Russian folk tales, epics, legends. Polenov's artistic taste was formed in this atmosphere. Voeikova in every possible way developed her grandchildren's passion for painting, encouraged creative ambition, organized competitions among children, awarding a “medal” for the best work, as in academies.
The children had painting teachers from the Academy of Arts. Meeting with one of the teachers - P.P. Chistyakov - became decisive for Polenov's life path. Chistyakov taught drawing and the basics of painting to Polenov and his sister in 1856-1861. At that time, he demanded from his students a close study of nature.
“Nature,” Polenov later recalled, “was established for a long time, and the drawing was worked out systematically, not by a conventional method, but by careful study and, if possible, accurate transmission of nature.” "Without thinking, do not start anything, but, having started, do not rush," the teacher advised Polenov. Obviously, Chistyakov managed to convey to his student the main thing - a professional approach to painting, an understanding that real art can only arise as a result of hard work, and, not least, Polenov was able to learn this.
After long hesitation, in 1863, after graduating from the gymnasium, he entered
with his brother Alexei to the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics
(natural discharge) of St. Petersburg University.
At the same time, in the evenings, as a free student, he visits
Academy of Arts, and is engaged not only in drawing classes,
but also listens with interest to lectures on the subjects of anatomy, construction
art, descriptive geometry, history of fine arts.
Do not stop Polenov and music lessons.
He was not only a regular visitor to the opera house and concerts, but also
he sang in the student choir of the Academy.
Having moved to the natural class of the Academy of Arts already as a permanent
student, Polenov left the university for a while, completely immersed in
in painting lessons. Having thus made the right choice, because already in
In 1867, he completed his student course at the Academy of Arts and received
silver medals for drawings and studies. Following this, he participates in two competitions
for gold medals in the class of historical painting chosen by him and from January
1868 again becomes a university student, but now legal
faculty.
In 1871 he received a law degree and, simultaneously with Ilya Efimovich
Repin, a large gold medal for the competition picture
"The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus".
Polenov seeks to create a work of high style, to give a sublime
character depicted, masterful layout and color solution, she wore
features of the genre, but there was no refinement in the concept of this picture.
Many noted the great warmth of feeling expressed by Polenov in the form of a girl,
pulling a thin hand to Christ.
In 1869, for the painting "Job and his friends" Polenov received a small gold medal,
and in 1871 (simultaneously with Ilya Repin) for competitive work
"Christ resurrects the daughter of Jairus" - a large gold medal.
Resurrection of the daughter of Jairus
Having simultaneously completed a university course in law in 1872,
Polenov went abroad as an academy pensioner.
Visited Vienna, Munich, Venice, Florence and Naples, lived for a long time in
Paris and painted there, among other things, the painting "The Arrest of the Countess d'Etremont",
which provided him with the title of academician in 1876.
Arrest of the Huguenot, Countess d "Etremont. 1875
The realistic aspirations of the artist, strengthened under the influence of I. Repin and
A. Bogolyubov, were more fully manifested in his fine plein-air landscapes and sketches.
After returning to his homeland, Polenov became a staunch supporter of national democratic art.
He paints truthful, imbued with love for people from the people, portraits of the storyteller
epics by N. Bogdanov (1876), village boy Vakhramey (1878),
picture from peasant life "Family grief" (1876).
Epic storyteller Nikita Bogdanov. 1876
Returning to Russia in 1876, he soon went to the theater of the Russian-Turkish war,
during which he was the official artist at the main apartment
heir-cesarevich (later Emperor Alexander 3).
At the end of the war he settled in Moscow.
After traveling a lot.
In 1881-1882 he went on his first trip to the Middle East and
in biblical places: to Constantinople, Palestine, Syria and Egypt,
from where he brings sketches and sketches to the large-scale canvas “Christ and the Sinner”,
as well as other paintings painted in a new one found by Polenov on a trip
for himself the manner of writing.
Christ and the sinner
The strongest impression was made on him by "Benezia la ella" (beauty Venice), which seems (in his words) "to a passing traveler something fantastic,
some magical dream." Polenov's admiration for Venice was intensified because
that it was the birthplace of his favorite artist, Paolo Veronese, who conquered him
while still studying at the Academy of Arts.
Since then, Veronese's passion has not passed, becoming, year by year, more and more
meaningful and purposeful. Polenov, with his makings of a colorist, amazed
a huge coloristic gift of the Venetian artist, the power of his painting.
Venice
Venice. Channels and pipes
“What a subtle sense of colors,” Polenov admired,
- what an extraordinary
the ability to combine and select tones, what strength they have, what free and wide
detailed composition, with all this lightness of the brush and work, like I have no one else
I don't know!". Bowing before the beauty of the colors of Veronese's paintings.
The period of the pensioner's business trip helped Polenov to understand that
historical painting is his real element.
Polenov's eyes turned undividedly to the landscape.
Such was the result of his searches abroad.
From the 1870s, Polenov worked extensively in the field of theatrical and decorative painting.
In 1882-1895 the artist taught at the Moscow School of Painting,
sculpture and architecture, where among his students were I. I. Levitan, K. A. Korovin,
I. S. Ostroukhov, A. E. Arkhipov, A. Ya. Golovin, and E. M. Tatevosyan.
Polenov's humanistic talent is finally revealed in its full strength and is revealed precisely on Russian soil, revealing precisely its own Russian warehouse. Having mastered plein air painting, he had to achieve at the same time the fullness and richness of colors, their emotional richness, which was achieved in the works following the "Moscow Courtyard", written with all the brilliance of pictorial skill - the paintings "Grandmother's Garden" and "Overgrown Pond".
For example, the painting "Grandma's Garden" was exhibited at the VII Traveling Exhibition in 1879. In his review of the exhibition, Stasov called "Grandmother's Garden" among the best things, noting his painting, which is distinguished by "freshness of tones".
Grandma's garden
She really, first of all, conquers precisely with her painting.
Its ash gray with a lilac and bluish tint, pale pink,
sandy, silvery-green of various shades of tone, harmonically
combined with each other, they form a single color range.
The image created in the picture by the artist is devoid of one-dimensionality; in him
naturalness and harmoniously combine different aspects of the perception of life,
her comprehension. Depicting the old manor house and its decrepit owner,
Polenov, unlike Maksimov with his painting "Everything is in the past", nothing
tells the viewer about the style of this life. The fusion of man with nature
Polenov shows here, makes the depicted people related to the inhabitants of the Moscow
patio. Both those and others live quietly and naturally, one life with nature,
which gives meaning and poetry to their existence.
This feeling of harmony and beauty of life awakens in the viewer that bright
peaceful and joyful mood, which resolves his elegiac
reflection on the scene captured by the artist.
In 1877 Polenov settled in Moscow. A year later at the VI traveling exhibition
Polenov shows the picture that later became his hallmark
"Moscow courtyard", painted from nature in the Arbat lane.
And here is the painting "Moscow Yard" - the first painting by Polenov, exhibited
among the Wanderers, whose cause he had long sympathized with.
Moscow courtyard.GT G
The artist treated his debut with the Wanderers with great
responsibility and therefore terribly tormented, because of the lack of time gives
for an exhibition of such an "insignificant" thing as "Moscow Yard",
written as if jokingly, by inspiration, without serious and lengthy work.
"Unfortunately, I did not have time to do more significant things, and I
I wanted to go to a traveling exhibition with something decent,
I hope in the future to earn the time lost for art," he complained
Polenov.
However, Polenov was mistaken in assessing his painting, not suspecting what
the future awaits this work, that it will be among the pearls
Russian school of painting, will become a landmark work in the history of Russian
landscape. In this picture, the author reproduced a typical corner of old Moscow -
with its mansions, churches, courtyards overgrown with green grass, with its almost
provincial lifestyle.
Morning of a clear sunny day at the beginning of summer (according to the memoirs of the artist himself).
Clouds glide easily across the sky, the sun rises higher and higher, warming with its
warm the earth, lighting up the domes of churches with an unbearable brilliance, shortening the thick shadows ...
The courtyard comes to life: a woman with a bucket is hurriedly heading towards the well, busily
chickens dig in the ground near the shed, children started fussing in the dense green grass,
a horse harnessed to a cart is about to set off ...
This everyday bustle does not disturb the serene clarity and silence.
After its resounding success, the artist becomes the founder of a new
genre - "intimate landscape".
Since 1879 he was a member of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions.
Acquires the glory of the master of the epic landscape, which he then multiplies,
having settled on the Oka River and traveled to places associated with the cradle
Christianity.
Being a city dweller from birth, Polenov was very fond of the expanse of endless fields, broad-leaved dense forests descending to mighty rivers.
I dreamed of living in the bosom of nature. In 1890 he acquired the small estate of Bekhovo in
Aleksinsky district, Tula province, on a high bank above the Oka.
In a quiet place, in a pine forest, a little away from the village, he built a house according to his own
original project, and art workshops at the house.
The estate was named Borok.
There Polenov worked hard and productively, willingly invited rural children to his place,
conducted cognitive classes and performances for them, developed artistic
taste. According to Polenov's plan, the estate was to become a "nest of artists",
and eventually become the first provincial public museum.
Polenov built a folk theater for the peasants and a church in Bekhovo.
In 1899 he went to the Middle East for the second time in order to collect material for
grandiose gospel series "From the Life of Christ", which he completed in 1909.
The exhibition of these paintings was a great success and at the time of the exhibition became
central event in the world of painting.
Who do people think I am
Among teachers
Children were brought. 1890-1900
In 1910-1918, Polenov conducted educational activities in Moscow, participated in the organization of the folk theater.
In 1906 Polenov's opera Ghosts of Hellas was performed in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
In 1914, an exhibition of paintings from the cycle "From the Life of Christ" was held in Moscow to raise funds in favor of the wounded in the First World War.
In 1915, according to the project of Polenov, a house was built in Moscow on Presnya for the Section for Assistance to Factory and Village Theaters; since 1921 it has been the House of Theater Education named after academician V. D. Polenov.
Polenov spent the last years of his life in Bork. He continued to work constantly, inspired by the landscapes of the Oka, where many of the master's landscapes were painted, he collected an art collection to open a public museum. Now there is the Museum-Estate of V. D. Polenov.
In 1924, the first solo exhibition was held at the State Tretyakov Gallery, dedicated to the artist's 80th birthday.
In 1926 Polenov was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.
The artist died on July 18, 1927 in his estate and was buried in a rural cemetery in the village of Byohovo on the steep bank of the Oka, where he so often liked to draw sketches. Above his grave, according to his will, an Olonets cross was erected.
“I remember Polenov - another wonderful poet in painting. I would say, breathe and not breathe on some of his yellow lilies in the lake.
This outstanding Russian man somehow managed to distribute himself between the Russian lake with a lily and the harsh hills of Jerusalem, the hot sands of the Asian desert.
His biblical scenes, his high priests, his Christ - how could he combine in his soul this colorful and sharp grandeur with the silence of a simple Russian lake with crucians!
Isn’t that why, however, the spirit of a deity wafts over its quiet lakes?...”
F.I. Chaliapin "Literary investigation"
Dmitrievich Polenov, especially in that part where the artist is the creator of a lyrical, "intimate" landscape, had a strong influence on the entire subsequent development of Russian art.
Polenov taught such major masters of painting as I. Levitan, K. Korovin, I. Ostroukhov, A. Golovin, S. Ivanov, A. Arkhipov, and many other Russian artists.
V. D. Polenov was born on June 1, 1844. In 1863, after graduating from the gymnasium, Polenov entered the Academy of Arts, first as a volunteer, and then, from 1866, he was enrolled as a student in the workshop of one of the best academic professors, Chistyakov. While studying at the academy, Polenov simultaneously studied at the law faculty of St. Petersburg University. In 1871 he graduated from the university, and in 1872 from the academy, having received the highest awards and a business trip abroad for the paintings Job and His Friends and The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus. Abroad, he visited Munich, Venice, Florence, Naples, Rome and Paris.
IN Paris, where Polenov came from Italy, he lived until 1876. Other pensioners lived there at the same time.
Academy of Arts: I. Repin, K. Savitsky, P. Kovalevsky, who together made up a friendly family. Here, under the influence of the Munich historical painters and partly of such French artists as Delaroche and Regno, Polenov painted his first paintings on historical subjects taken from European history.
These were the paintings "The Right of the Master" (1874) and "The Arrest of the Huguenot" (1875); for the latter he received the title of academician. Both of these works were written in the spirit of the then samples of historical poisonous writing. Under the elegant scenery and theatrical props, neither genuine drama nor genuine penetration into the historical spirit of the era depicted is felt. These works are still so academic that they were approved and accepted by the then academy without any reservations.
But at the same time, Polenov awakened a desire for brilliance, brightness and purity of tones. Of the artists, the Spaniard Fortuny especially strongly influenced Polenov. In a letter to I. N. Kramskoy, Polenov writes: “But I was personally embraced and absorbed by one artist [Fortuny], whose works constitute, in my understanding, the highest point in the development of our art; he, it seems to me, is the last word of artistry in painting at the present time ... He combines with the strictest, but not conditionally dead academic, but life drawing, with an elusively subtle real, albeit personal sense of color (his paintings, if possible to put it, silvery mother-of-pearl) is the most truthful comparison of objects, as it only happens in living reality, and therefore amazingly new and original ... "
The influence of Fortuny can undoubtedly be traced in the coloring of Polenov, but our artist did not look exclusively at him at that time. According to his Norman studies, for example, Fishing Boat in Etretat (1874), according to the coloring of the sketch The Prodigal Son (1874), one can definitely judge his acquaintance with the Impressionists, although in his statements there is no mention of either them or Barbizon, with whom he also met. Polenov's Norman sketches speak of his fascination with landscapes, his desire to saturate them with color, and his coloristic search for a silver-pearl tone.
With such a dual baggage - a realistic pictorial sense of nature and historical paintings filled with theatricality - Polenov returned to Russia.
Returning to Russia in 1876, Polenov thought to continue working on historical paintings here, but at that time his attitude to the tasks of art changed greatly. In a letter to Kramskoy, he writes: “I started working in the countryside, photographed [as Polenov calls his work from nature] a peasant and something else; Repin approved, saying that another person wrote that Parisian things, in comparison with these photographs, were written without nature. Judging by this letter, one can conclude that the artist awakened an interest in the life around him, and, consequently, moved away from theatrical historicism, an interest in national motifs, and, finally, a realistic approach to reality.
At this time, Polenov conceives a series of paintings from Russian history. He moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow and, setting the task of a real interpretation of the historical plot, wrote a series of sketches of the Kremlin towers brilliant in colors. But this is where the work ends. The Serbian-Turkish war began, and then the Russian-Turkish war, and Polenov went to the front as an artist. Only after returning from the front, in 1879, did the artist join the Association of Traveling Exhibitions, with the main members of which - Repin, Kramskoy, Savitsky - he was in the closest relationship long before that. Polenov, in essence, never belonged to the main core of the "Wanderers". He slowly, with the greatest caution, approached the question of joining the association. At the same time, he was not very willing to break with the academy either. In one of his letters to Kramskoy, he writes: “There is no need to finally break with her - there will be little benefit from this, but you will harm yourself; The situation, as you can see, is not very pleasant. Of course, one could go ahead, but yes, I feel that I don’t have enough strength for this; what to do - I'm weak, I admit it myself. Polenov definitely felt that academic influences would still be felt in his work, that his academic "Christ and the Sinner" should appear.
But not in this picture and not in others from the cycle devoted to Christian legends, the strength and significance of Polenov's creativity. Yes, the traveling exhibition of 1879, he was presented with the paintings "Grandma's Garden", "Moscow Courtyard" and "Summer", which constituted a whole era in the development of the Russian landscape and marked a turn in his own artistic activity. With these paintings, Polenov created a new kind of landscape - an intimate and lyrical. In these landscapes, the artist breaks with convention, he goes out into the sun, the shadows acquire a richness of shades and softness of relationships, the air permeates the space of the picture. These Polenov landscapes, of course, are still far from the picturesque understanding of the plein air by the Impressionists, but at that time they were so new that they were a revelation for many artists.
Light relations generally fascinated Polenov. This is also evidenced by the painting “Sick Woman” created in 1886, where the task of conveying the early, still very blue morning light with artificial lighting - the yellow light of a lamp under a green lampshade - is successfully solved.
In the early 1980s, Polenov conceived a series of paintings based on biblical and gospel legends. Just as he began by studying the setting for the unrealized pictures of Russian history, so now he began by studying the nature and setting in which the action took place. To accomplish this task, from November 1881 to April 1882, Polenov traveled to the East (Palestine, Syria), Greece and Egypt, and brought back many studies of a landscape and ethnographic nature. These sketches made an amazing impression in the artistic environment of that time. Never before had there been such an invasion of the sun and air, the play of light in illuminated colorful shadows, such subtlety of relations, the richness of countless shades of different tones. Etudes solved the problem of aerial perspective, that is, conveying the impression of greater or lesser distance of objects using these shades.
In Polenov's oriental sketches, one can feel the artist's further movement on the way to mastering the open air, to enriching painting with shades of color. And it is quite clear that only under the leadership of Polenov could a brilliant artist, the first Russian impressionist K. A. Korovin, be formed.
The result of a trip to the East was a large painting "Christ and the Sinner" (1887). Despite her realism, expressed in her study of types and terrain, in the composition of the painting, which seeks to convey the plausibility of the whole scene, she still retains a lot of connection with the traditional academic style. What is new in it in comparison with academic paintings is the landscape. Polenov's landscape is not only an additional background against which the scene is played, the landscape plays an independent role here. If in The Sinner this is still not so clear, although here we see a group of cypresses and hills going into the distance on the right, then in other paintings from the cycle of biblical legends, the landscape plays an even more significant role, and often prevails over the main action of the picture - a psychological drama recedes into the background. In this cycle of paintings, Polenov aims to show a person in the midst of nature, his merging with it.
Upon completion in 1909 of the cycle of biblical paintings, Polenov finally turned to the landscape. From repeated trips abroad (1887-1896) and to the Crimea, he took out many sketches in which he pursued all the same tasks. Great attention deserves his Oka landscapes, painted by him in his estate Bekhovo on the Oka, near Tarusa, where he created a museum after the revolution and where he died.
If Polenov's role is significant as an innovator who enriched Russian painting with new light and color relationships, then his social merits as a propagandist of theatrical art among the working masses long before the revolution are no less significant.
Polenov's primordial love for the colorful pictorial elements attracted the artist to the theater even in his youth. His activity as a theater decorator began in Abramtsevo, in a circle of young artists (Repin, the Vasnetsov brothers, Serov, K. Korovin, Nesterov, Vrubel, etc.), (grouped around the family of patron S. I. Mamontov. In Abramtsevo, Polenov wrote a number landscapes and theatrical scenery for both the Abramtsevo Theater and the Mamontov Theater in Moscow. Subsequently, Mamontov's large opera enterprise grew out of this theater, which had a well-deserved fame in those years. Polenov was invited as a decorator to the Mamoitov Opera and made a lot of new and interesting
in terms of designs and colors to the field of theatrical and decorative art. |
His love for the theater led him to promote theatrical art among the broad working masses of old Russia. In 1912, a section of the folk theater was organized under the Union of Stage Workers. After the collapse of the union, as a democratic organization, the folk theater section found shelter in the Russian Technical Society, from where it moved to the Moscow Society of Folk Universities. By this time, V. D. Polenov was elected its chairman, who retained this post until 1920, the time of his illness and final relocation to Bekhovo. At his own expense, Polenov built a house in which the section was supposed to work. Subsequently (1927-1928), another, already much broader organization grew up from here - the Central House of Folk Art. Krupskaya.
For artistic and public services Polenov in 1926 was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Republic.
As we have already said, the significance of Polenov as the creator of the lyrical landscape, as the predecessor and teacher of Levitan, K. Korovin and many other Russian artists is enormous. In all his works, whether it is a pure landscape or a genre on the theme of a biblical legend, one main character always comes to the fore - the sun, sunlight with all its infinitely diverse shades. Polenov's paintings are imbued with cheerfulness and cheerfulness, they call for admiring nature and the world, showing us examples of fresh realism, and therefore their significance is great.
In the second half of the 19th century, the rise of Russian landscape painting begins, one of the brightest representatives of this direction of painting is the outstanding artist Polenov Vasily Dmitrievich. His brushes include such works as "Moscow Yard", "Golden Autumn", "Grandmother's Garden", etc. This article is devoted to the description of the biography and work of the famous artist.
Artist biography: early childhood
Russian artist Vasily Polenov was born in St. Petersburg on May 20, 1844, into a family of wealthy hereditary nobles. The father of the future artist, Dmitry Polenov, was famous as an archaeologist and biographer, and his mother, Maria Alekseevna, was engaged in painting and writing children's stories. Little Vasily spent his childhood in the capital, but in the summer the family often went to the hereditary estate of grandmother Maria Alekseevna, which was located in the Tambov province. The virgin nature, stories and legends of the grandmother had a strong influence on the future painter, in addition, she often arranged art competitions, in which Vasily and his sister Elena most often won. Also, Vasily Polenov was introduced to the love of painting by his mother, who was engaged in drawing with her son, besides, she later hired him a tutor. They became the famous artist and teacher Pavel Chistyakov, who at that time was still studying at the art academy. Chistyakov from the very beginning introduced Vasily to a close study of nature.
V. D. Polenov during his student years
In 1861, Vasily Polenov entered the men's gymnasium, which was located in Petrozavodsk. After graduating from the gymnasium, the future artist entered St. Petersburg University in 1863 at the faculty of physical and mathematical sciences. But Polenov did not leave his passion for painting, and after graduating from the faculty, he attended the Art Academy. In addition to drawing, the young man was fond of singing, he often visited the opera house and sang in the student choir. Soon it became quite difficult to combine studies at the university and painting, and Vasily decides to take an academic leave and devote his time to drawing. In 1867, Vasily Polenov graduated from the Art Academy with a silver medal. After that, the young man returns to the university, but is transferred to another faculty - law.
adult years
In 1867, Vasily Polenov made his first trip abroad, and there he visited the World Exhibition in Paris. The artist was most impressed by the section of the exhibition, which was devoted to folk art crafts from various countries. After her visit, the artist was set on fire with the goal of getting a gold medal from the art academy. The first stage for receiving the award was the painting by Vasily Polenov based on a biblical story. Soon in 1869, the artist presented the work "Job and his friends", which was awarded a small award. This meant that the artist could continue to participate in the competition. A new stage of the competition was the painting of a painting on the theme "The Resurrection of the Daughter of Iar". Two artists reached the final of the competition - Vasily Polenov and Ivan Repin. Both presented wonderful paintings. The competition jury unexpectedly did not choose one winner and awarded gold medals to both Polenov and Repin. In the future, the artists became close, and in 1872 they decided to go on a trip abroad together.
Together with Ilya Efimovich Repin, Venice, Florence and Paris were visited, which impressed Polenov so much that he decides to stay here to live. In Paris, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov writes the painting "The Arrest of Countess Detremont", for which he later received the post of academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1874, the painter, at the invitation of I. E. Repin, came to Normandy, where he worked on the painting "Norman Coast". In 1876 he returned to Russia and became the court painter of the imperial family. Soon he, along with the heir to the throne, Alexander, goes to war with Turkey.
After the end of the war, Vasily Polenov returned to Moscow and became a teacher at the School of Painting and Architecture. Many later successful artists passed through his hands: Levitan, Golovin, Korovin and many others. At this time, the artist continues to paint, and in 1877 he presents his painting "Moscow Courtyard", which was very warmly received, and he himself became the founder of a new genre in painting - an intimate landscape. During this period, the artist adjoins the environment of the Wanderers, among whom at that time he had many acquaintances. In 1882, Vasily Dmitrievich married the daughter of a merchant, Natalya Yakunchikova, from this marriage the couple had 6 children.
At the end of the 19th century, Vasily Dmitrievich, being a very famous and popular artist, decides to leave noisy Moscow and move to the Russian outback, to Tula. Here, on the banks of the Oka, the artist built a house, and workshops were attached to it, where Polenov later taught local children how to draw. The estate founded by Polenov was named Borok.
During the revolutions, Vasily Polenov was on his Borok estate and was actively involved in teaching local children, arranged theater circles with them and taught them how to draw. At this time, he wrote one of his best works, "Spill on the Oka", which was highly praised by critics. In general, the Soviet authorities had a positive attitude towards Polenov's personality and did not oppress him. Moreover, in 1924 an exhibition of his paintings was held at the Tretyakov Gallery, and in 1926 V. D. Polenov was awarded the title of People's Artist. This attitude of power to the individual is largely due to the fact that the artist did not criticize, at least publicly, the new government and the fact that he was a prominent benefactor and sought to improve public education in the country. Vasily Polenov died on July 18, 1927 in his estate, and he was buried here on the banks of the Oka.
Polenov house
In addition to his activities in painting, V. D. Polenov was also an active philanthropist and patron of the arts. So, in 1915, together with S. I. Mamontov, he opened the first institution in Russia and the world, which was supposed to provide assistance to rural and factory theaters. The new institution was later called the Polenov House. At the end of 1916, according to the project of Polenov and at his own expense, a mansion was completed to the main building, in which there was an auditorium for 300 people, a library, rehearsal rooms and workshops. During the years of revolutions, the activity of this institution was actually suspended. In the early 1920s, the Polenovsky House was subordinated to the People's Commissariat of Education and renamed. Soon the new name was returned to the building, and it became known as the House of Theater Education named after. V. D. Polenova. During this period, the institution organized the work of literary, musical, artistic and technical and school theaters, in addition, the publication of its own magazine "People's Theater" was launched. But the main activity of the house is the development of theaters and other forms of amateur art in rural areas. In 1930, the institution was renamed again and received the name TsDISK them. N. K. Krupskaya. This name remained until 1991, when it was renamed the Russian House of Folk Art. In 2016, the building was again named after the artist V. D. Polenov.
Survey of the artist's work. Painting by Vasily Polenov "Moscow courtyard"
After Polenov's return in 1877 from abroad, where the artist got acquainted with the paintings of outstanding artists of the world, he stops in Moscow and rents an apartment near the Church of the Savior on the Sands. It was the view from this window that served as the idea for the artist to paint the picture. In 1878, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov presents "Moscow Courtyard" at the exhibition of the Wanderers. It was his debut work in this society, and he himself called it a trial. But to his great surprise, the picture was a resounding success, and made him one of the most recognizable artists of his time. After the end of the exhibition, the painting by Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov "Moscow Courtyard" was bought by Tretyakov for his gallery.
Description of the picture
The picture shows an ordinary Moscow courtyard of the second half of the 19th century, with its neighboring mansions and simpler houses, the domes of churches sparkling in the sun and overgrown with grass. In the background, a peasant girl, carrying buckets, walks along the path to the well, and chickens are busily grazing next to her. Not far from it, basking in the rays of the sun, there is a harnessed horse, it is waiting for its owner and is ready to set off at any moment. In the middle ground, you can see three small children, two of them are looking at something in the grass, and the third is separate from them and crying, but no one pays attention to him. On the front edge is a girl a little older than those three, she is very enthusiastically examining a plucked flower. In general, on the canvas, the artist depicted everyday bustle, which is beautiful in its everyday life and serenity.
Vasily Polenov: "Grandma's Garden"
A distinctive feature of Vasily Dmitrievich's work is the fact that the artist was able to convey the mood of the characters in his paintings. "Grandma's Garden" is a clear proof of this. The canvas was created by Polenov at the same time and in the same place as the Moscow Yard. This picture combines a landscape with a genre scene.
Description of the picture
In the foreground, the artist depicted two people, a granddaughter and her elderly grandmother, walking together along a path that passes through a garden that has not been groomed for a long time. The grandmother is dressed in an old dark-colored outfit, and the granddaughter is dressed in the fashion of that time, in a pale white dress. The figures of grandmother and granddaughter are the opposition of the old and new times. This also emphasizes the old mansion in the background, which was once majestic and well-groomed, but now the house is very dilapidated and has lost its former grandeur. But still, viewing the picture does not cause a feeling of sadness, but rather, it causes a feeling of nostalgia for the past time and inspires hope for a brighter future.
Painting by Vasily Polenov "Golden Autumn"
This picture was painted by V. D. Polenov in 1893 in his estate Borok, located on the banks of the Oka River. Vasily Dmitrievich became addicted to the landscape theme during a trip abroad with Ilya Repin, and she began to occupy an important place in his work. The distinctive features of Polenov's landscape are the purity of color, the clarity of the pattern, and the meticulously verified composition. The painting by Vasily Dmitrievich "Golden Autumn" is a vivid representative of this style of the artist.
Description of the picture
The bend of the Oka River is depicted in the background of the painting; the entire composition of the work is built around it. So, the yellowed autumn foliage of birches organically harmonizes with the blue smooth surface of the river and the same endless sky with its scanty clouds. Also striking is the majestic oak, whose foliage is still green. In general, this picture is the personification of a new artistic genre - an intimate landscape.
Thus, Vasily Polenov is one of the most talented artists of the 19th century who painted his works in the landscape genre. Polenov's work was popular both during the life of the artist and after his death, and his paintings were exhibited in the most famous art galleries.
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was born on May 20 / June 1 / 1844 in St. Petersburg into a highly educated noble family. Father - Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov / 1806-1878 /, a diplomat, was passionately fond of archeology and bibliography. Mother - Maria Alekseevna Polenova /1816-1895/, nee Voeikova, granddaughter of the architect N.A. Lvov, was a children's writer and a talented artist.
Parents strove to educate diligence in their children, in every possible way encouraging a passion for science and art. Two out of five children became artists. The first lessons in drawing and painting were given to children by Maria Alekseevna, then they invited a student of the Academy of Arts P. P. Chistyakov, later an outstanding draftsman and teacher. In 1860, Vasily Dmitrievich studied at once in two educational institutions of St. Petersburg - the University and the Academy of Arts. In the spring of 1871 he graduated from the University with the title of Candidate of Laws.
In the autumn of 1871, V. D. Polenov received a large gold medal at the Academy of Arts for the painting “The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus” and the right to travel around Europe for 6 years at the expense of the Academy.
During the years of travel, Polenov tried all genres of painting, worked a lot in the open air, as evidenced by numerous studies, distinguished by the novelty of the chosen motifs, the solution of the most difficult open air tasks.
« One of the unexpectedly big holidays was the appearance at the exhibitions of the first intimate landscapes of Polenov in the mid-70s "Moscow courtyard", "Grandmother's garden", "Grey day" and a number of other Turgenev's motifs were unexpectedly new, fresh, imbued with truth, subtle musical lyricism and fine technology", Ostroukhov wrote at that time. Polenov was the founder of the new Russian painting, giving life to the lyrical landscape.
For a long time, the artist worked on a large cycle of paintings from the life of Christ, striving to "create Christ not only to come, but who has already come into the world and makes his way among the people." More than fifty paintings were written on gospel stories. In an effort to achieve historical authenticity in writing works, Vasily Dmitrievich travels through the countries of the East. A huge amount of natural material, travel notes, costumes were brought from Syria, Egypt and Palestine.
The 80s were the heyday of the artistic and pedagogical activity of V. D. Polenov. For twelve years he taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he brought up a whole generation of first-class Russian painters, incl. I. Levitan, K. Korovin, I. Ostroukhov, A. Arkhipov, S. Ivanov.
Music occupied a prominent place in the artist's life. Having no special education, he composed operas and romances, arranged home musical evenings.
The construction of the estate on the picturesque bank of the Oka River allowed the artist to reveal another side of his multifaceted talent. On the Oka, Polenov worked a lot: he painted, composed music, planted trees in the park, built a dam, helped build boats.
With his characteristic energy, he dealt with the problems of public education. Vasily Dmitrievich built two schools in the surrounding villages. His last works were also devoted to children: in the 1920s he created a diorama - a round-the-world trip in pictures. Magical light paintings have become a holiday for peasant children.
Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov died on July 18, 1927 at the age of 83. In 1926, one of the first in Russia, he was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of Russia. Vasily Dmitrievich was buried on the high bank of the Oka in the village of Bekhovo, in a simple village cemetery. On the grave, as it should be according to the will, a wooden cross was placed, made according to the sketch of the artist himself. Back in 1906, in his artistic will, Polenov wrote: The death of a person who succeeded in fulfilling some of his plans is a natural event and not only not sad, but rather joyful, natural, it is a desired rest, peace, moreover, the peace of non-existence, and being remains and passes into what he created».
Chronicle of life
1855
Construction of a house on the estate of Imochentsy, Olonetsk province.
1858
Acquaintance with the painting by A. A. Ivanov "The Appearance of Christ to the People", exhibited at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg.
1859
Beginning of drawing and painting lessons with P. P. Chistyakov. Visit class F. I. Jordan at the Academy of Arts.
1861–1863
Moving to Petrozavodsk. The end of the gymnasium, an external student received a certificate for admission to the university.
1863
Simultaneous admission to the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics (law) of St. Petersburg University and the Academy of Arts as a volunteer student. Acquaintance with I. E. Repin.
1864
Transfer to the natural class of the Academy of Arts.
1865–1871
Studying at the Academy of Arts with A. T. Markov, P. V. Vasin, P. M. Shamshin, A. E. Beideman, K. V. Venig.
1868
Resumption of studies at the university at the Faculty of Law.
1869
Small gold medal for the program "Job and his friends" at the Academy of Arts.
1871
Graduated from St. Petersburg University with the title of Candidate of Laws. Graduated from the Academy of Arts with the title of "painter of portrait and historical genres." A large gold medal for the painting "The Resurrection of the Daughter of Jairus" and the right from the Academy to a pensioner's trip abroad for six years.
1872–1876
Retirement travel.
1872–1873
Journey through Germany and Switzerland, Italy. Rome: the first pictorial sketch for the painting "Christ and the Sinner". Acquaintance with S. I. and E. G. Mamontovs.
1873–1876
Paris. Work in the workshop of Repin in Montmartre, then in his workshop.
1873
The first visit to the Abramtsevo Mamontov estate near Moscow. Trip to Paris.
1874
The painting "The Right of the Master" was exhibited at the Spring Salon in Paris. Visiting evenings in the house of A. P. Bogolyubov. Acquaintance with A. K. Tolstoy, V. A. Serov, I. S. Turgenev; salon of Pauline Viardot, meetings with Emile Zola, Ernest Renan.
July August
Vöhl in Normandy: study "White Horse".
1875
Creation of the painting "The Arrest of the Huguenot Jacobin de Montebel, Countess d'Etremont". Trip to London. Work on the paintings "Conspiracy of Geuzes", "Prodigal Son" (not finished), "Family Grief".
1876–1877
Participation as a volunteer in the Serbian-Montenegrin-Turkish war, where he is until the end of November. For participation in the battles, he was awarded the medal "For Courage" and the Order of the Cross of Takov. During his stay at the front, he performed oil studies and numerous drawings.
Work on the painting "Lassalle gives a lecture in a workers' club."
Exhibition at the Academy of Arts of paintings and sketches made during the retirement period. The title of academician.
1877–1878
Moving to Moscow. Creation of paintings "Moscow courtyard" and "Grandma's garden". Participation in the activities of the Abramtsevo Art Circle (decorator and actor).
1879
Creation of the painting "Overgrown Pond". Summer life in Abramtsevo.
1880–1881
Work on the painting "Sick". Summer life in Abramtsevo. Creation of an architectural project and sketches of the interior decoration of the church in Abramtsevo.
1881–1882
The first trip to the East in connection with the work on the painting "Christ and the Sinner": Constantinople, Alexandria, Cairo, Palestine and Syria, Greece.
1882
Participation in the creation of the interior of the church in Abramtsevo. Marriage to Natalya Vasilievna Yakunchikova (1858-1931). The beginning of teaching at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (MUZHVZ). Pupils: A. Ya Golovin, K. A. Korovin, I. I. Levitan, L. O. Pasternak, E. M. Tatevosyan and others. Creation of sketches of scenery for the performance of the Mammoth circle "Scarlet Rose" based on the play by S. I. Mamontov .
1883–1884
Trip to Italy. Work on sketches and sketches for the painting "Christ and the Sinner" in a studio in Rome. Participation in the autumn of 1884 in the creation of the Russian Private Opera by S. I. Mamontov. Drawing evenings in the Polenovs' house.
1885
Exhibition of sketches from a journey to the East in 1881-1882 (TPKhV). Creation of a graphic version (charcoal) of the painting “Christ and the Sinner” to the size of the canvas.
1886
Finishes the picture "Sick". Work on the painting "Christ and the Sinner" in the Moscow house of S. I. Mamontov.
1887
The painting "Christ and the Sinner" - at the exhibition TPHV.
Journey with K. A. Korovin along the Oka.
1888
Summer - at the dacha in Zhukovka on Klyazma. Joint work with K. A. Korovin, I. S. Ostroukhov, V. A. Serov, I. I. Levitan, M. V. Nesterov. Completion of work on the painting "On the Lake of Tiberias (Genisaret)".
1889
Summer - at the dacha in Zhukovka on Klyazma.
1890
Paris. The painting “On the Lake of Gennesaret” (“Dreams”) is on display at the Meissonier Salon.
Purchase of the Bekhovo estate on the Oka; exchange with local peasants of the land of Bekhov for land on the banks of the Oka.
1890–1910
Works on paintings from the cycle "From the Life of Christ" and at the same time on the manuscript "Jesus from Galilee".
1891
Work on the reorganization of the Academy of Arts.
Start of construction of a manor house in Bork according to his own project. Creation of the painting "Early snow".
1892–1893
Furnishing the house in Borok manor as a museum.
Creation of paintings “Getting cold. Autumn on the Oka near Tarusa”, “Golden Autumn”. Work on the project of the church of the technical school in the city of Kologriv, Kostroma province.
1894
Finishing work on the painting "Dreams".
november
Trip to Rome.
1895
Rome: work on the painting "Among the teachers". Construction of the Admiralty and Fachwerk in the Borok estate.
May
Travel to Paris.
1896
Completion of work on the painting "Among the Teachers".
1897–1898
Scenery sketches for Gluck's Orpheus at the Russian Private Opera by S. I. Mamontov. Beginning of work in the Committee for the creation of the Museum of Fine Arts named after Emperor Alexander III in Moscow.
1899
Second trip to the East. Continuation of work on the cycle of paintings "From the Life of Christ".
1902
Working on a wall painting project for the Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
1903
Creation of a church project for the village of Bekhovo.
1904
Construction of a workshop according to his own project - the Abbey - in the estate of Borok. Continuation of work on the gospel cycle.
1906
Completion of the construction of the church in the village of Bekhove.
"My Artistic Testament". Staging of Polenov's opera "Ghosts of Hellas" in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
1907
Consecration of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Bechov.
Journey through the cities of Germany and Italy.
1909–1910
Exhibitions of paintings from the cycle "From the Life of Christ" (Petersburg, Moscow, Prague).
1910
Journey through the cities of Germany.
1911
Journey through the cities of France, Spain, Greece. At the expense of Polenov, a school is being built in the village of Strakhovo, located near Byokhov.
1914
Exhibition of paintings from the cycle "From the Life of Christ" in Moscow in favor of the wounded soldiers of the First World War.
1915
Construction of a house for the Section for the Promotion of Factory and Village Theaters (since 1921 - the House of Theater Education named after academician V. D. Polenov) according to the Polenov project in Moscow on a plot of land purchased with his funds.
1918–1919
Life in the estate Borok. The work of the Polenov peasant theater.
1920–1921
Work on the light theater-diorama "Around the World Journey": 65 paintings were created.
1924
The first solo exhibition at the State Tretyakov Gallery on the occasion of the artist's 80th birthday.
1926
Polenov was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Republic.
1927
July
July 18 - death of the artist in Bork: buried in the cemetery in Bechov.
1939
A gift to the state from the Polenov family of the museum's collections. The estate Borok was renamed into the museum of V. D. Polenov.
