Biography Nikolai Ge, the artist was born in 1831 in the family of a nobleman in the city of Voronezh. His grandfather emigrated from France to late XVIII century during the Great french revolution. Nicholas spent his early childhood in the countryside, and in 1841 he moved to Kyiv, where he was educated at the First Kyiv Gymnasium. After graduating from high school
In 1850, Ge entered the Kiev University at the Department of Physics and Mathematics, but was disappointed in exact sciences, leaves this institution and goes to study at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, where he learns the truth of painting, studying for no less than seven years with P. Basin.
Nikolai Ge felt the greatest attraction to the work of the painter K.P. Bryullov, which was accordingly reflected in the early paintings of Ge, namely in the work of Saul at the sorceress of Endor, which in 1857 brought him a large gold medal and a business trip abroad. The dramatic plot of this picture, the facial expressions of the characters and other features are reminiscent of Bryulovsky's accent with its romantic handwriting and brushwork. During these years, the artist Ge developed another direction of creativity, which manifested itself in portraits. They were attended rigorous approach to the subject, in 1850 Portrait of the father, by 1855 he was completing the canvas Portrait of Merkulov and others.
In the next creative period of his life in 1857, Ge creates sketches of the Death of Virginia in 1858, he completes the paintings The Love of the Vestal Virgin and the Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. After these works, Nikolai leaves historical themes and writes a lot from life, making a train to Naples, where he writes many different sketches. In 1860, he moved to Florence, where he tried to write the sketch "The Death of Lambert", which he soon abandoned.
In 1861, Nikolai began to write The Last Supper, and in 1863 he brought it to St. Petersburg for an exhibition in Academy of Arts. The audience admired
picture. For the "Last Supper" Ge, having jumped the title of academician, receives the title of professor. At the beginning of 1864 he returned back to Florence and wrote sketches on the gospel theme ("Brothers of the Savior", "Christ and Mary, sister of Lazarus", etc.), and also began big picture"Messengers of the Resurrection", which he graduated in 1867 and sent to the Academy of Arts for an exhibition, but the picture was not accepted. In the same year he paints a portrait of Herzen, whom he met in Florence. This picture is considered the best of those written by him, Nikolai Ge continues to work from nature. "Heralds of the Resurrection" has no success even after the artist's friends exhibit it in an art club. The writing of a new work, "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane", also ends in failure.
In 1869, Ge returned to Russia and joined the community of artists of the Wanderers, where in 1871 he exhibited his works. famous painting Interrogation in Peterhof of Peter the Great Tsarevich Alexei, which was accordingly noticed by the Russian community, the work was liked by Pavel Tretyakov, who highly appreciated the content historical work and who bought it.
In the 1870s, Ge, the artist is going through a difficult creative period and for three years he did not create a single work. In 1876-1879, he settled on a farm near Chernigov, where he actually lived for many years. A serious upheaval took place in his soul: he gravitates towards religion and morality. In his notes, he writes that one should live by rural labor, stating that art cannot be traded.
In 1882 Ge met in Moscow famous writer Tolstoy Lev Nikolaevich, and in 1884 he painted his portrait. In 1880 to 1890 Philosophy, morality and psychological shades of life, expressed in the plots of the Gospel, become significant postulates of Ge's work. This is especially noticeable in the works created in 1889 by Christ and Nicodemus.
In 1890, the painting What is Truth?, in 1893, Golgotha was painted, the work remained unfinished. Continuing work on religious themes, Ge writes the work Exit from the Last Supper, the paintings of Judas and the Crucifixion were painted by the artist in several variations. At the same time, he painted portraits of Kostychev, Likhacheva, N.I. Petrunkevich, self-portrait, makes illustrations for L.N. Tolstoy "What makes people alive", and also sculpts a bust of the writer.
In many newspapers, a discussion of Ge's latest paintings flares up. The picture "What is truth?" removed from the exhibition, and its subsequent transportation to Europe and America did not bring success. The same fate takes the "Court of the Sanhedrin", and in 1894 - and "Crucifixion", it was also removed from the exhibition and shown in a private apartment, then it was moved to London. Ge found himself in his paintings. Ge died in his farm on June 13, 1894. main feature and the merit of Ge was that he was the first to understand and catch the new realistic direction in biblical themes.
(1831-1894)
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge, the famous Russian painter, master of portraits, historical and religious paintings, was born on February 27, 1831 in Voronezh, in the family of a landowner. The artist's grandfather was a French emigrant who came to Russia at the end of the 18th century. Nikolai spent his childhood in the countryside, and in 1841 he was brought to Kyiv, where he entered the First Kyiv Gymnasium. At the end of the gymnasium, Ge entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kyiv University, and a year later he transferred to St. Petersburg University. In 1850 he left science and entered the Academy of Arts, where he studied in the workshop of P. Basin. Ge graduated from the Academy with a large gold medal for Saul at the Witch of Endor in 1857 and was sent abroad. For six years of travel, he visited Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy. Ge paints portraits, and also tries to take on historical themes, making sketches (“Death of Virginia” (1857), “Love of the Vestal Virgin” (1858), “Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple” (1858)). But Ge does not like his work, and he makes a trip to Naples, where he again begins to write many sketches from nature. In 1860 he moved to Florence. Nikolai Nikolaevich returned to St. Petersburg in 1863 and presented his painting “ The Last Supper". The work made a deep impression on the public, and the artist was awarded the title of professor of historical and portrait painting, bypassing the title of academician. In early 1864, Ge returned to Florence, where he began to draw sketches for gospel stories(“Christ and Mary, sister of Lazarus”, “Brothers of the Savior”, etc.), and also takes on a new large painting “Messengers of the Resurrection”. At this time, he met and became close to Herzen and painted in 1867 his portrait. In 1867, Nikolai Nikolaevich finished his painting "Messengers of the Resurrection" and sent it to the exhibition of the Academy of Arts, but it was not accepted there. Also not successful and his new work, "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane." In 1870 Ge returned to St. Petersburg. There he began to paint pictures on subjects from Russian history. At the first exhibition of the Wanderers in 1871, he exhibited his painting "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei in Peterhof", which turns out to be quite successful. In 1875, Ge left St. Petersburg forever and went to Ukraine, where he bought a small farm. He temporarily abandons art and is fond of issues of religion and morality. In 1882 Ge met Leo Tolstoy in Moscow, and in 1884 painted his portrait. Then followed new row paintings on religious subjects - "Exit from the Last Supper" (1889), "What is truth?" (1890), "Judas" (Conscience) (1891), "Sanhedrin" (1892) and "Crucifixion". At the same time, he paints portraits of his contemporaries, as well as a self-portrait. Ge makes illustrations for L. N. Tolstoy's story "How people live" and sculpts a bust of the writer. The fate of his last works was very dramatic: he destroyed the painting "Mercy" (1880); the work "Exit from the Last Supper" (1889) was criticized by church censorship; painting “What is truth?”. Christ and Pilate (1890) was withdrawn from the exhibition for blasphemy in the depiction of Christ; he destroyed the first version of the "Crucifixion" (1892), and another version of the "Crucifixion" at the beginning of 1894 was forbidden to be shown by the emperor Alexander III, and Ge showed it only in his apartment, etc. Ge died on his farm on June 13, 1894.
A. S. Pushkin in the village of Mikhailovsky.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge- the famous Russian painter, master of portraits, historical and religious paintings, a skilled landscape painter.
Nikolai Ge was bornFebruary 27, 1831in Voronezh, in the family of a landowner. Early childhood Nicholas passed in the village, and in 1841 he was brought to Kyiv, where he entered the First Kyiv Gymnasium. After graduating from the gymnasium, he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, first at Kyiv, then at St. Petersburg University. In 1850, Nikolai Ge left the university and entered the Academy of Arts, where he studied under the guidance of P. Basin. Ge stayed at the academy for seven years. For the work "Achilles mourns Patroclus" he received a small gold medal in 1855.
Achilles mourning Patroclus. 1855.
From this canvas, the viewer hears not only the echo of the biblical drama - Nicholas I died a year before, and the mythical despot Saul (it was he who was likened to the Russian Tsar in Herzen's "Polar Star") the prophet on the canvas predicts a quick death. The formidable shadow of the prophet Samuel Ge gave in the picture the features of the beloved critic Belinsky. Ge showed that he was not only a born colorist, but also a master, able to experience the fruits of fantasy with his own heart. For the canvas, the artist was awarded a large gold medal, which gave him the right to stay abroad for six years as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts.In Paris on him strong impression produced the Salon of 1857 and a posthumous exhibition by Paul Delaroche. In Rome, he met Alexander Ivanov.
Portrait of the artist's wife A.P. Ge. 1858.
Nikolai Gefor a whileabandons work on historical themes and writes from life, travels to Naples, where he writes many sketches. In 1860 he leaves Rome and moves to Florence. In 1861, Ge began to paint The Last Supper, and in 1863 he brought it to St. Petersburg and exhibited it at the autumn exhibition at the Academy of Arts.The picture made a splash close to, which Bryullov once produced with the canvas “The Last Day of Pompeii”.
All Petersburg rushed to the exhibition at the Academy of Arts. The novelty of the approach to the mythical event that struck everyone was its radical rethinking. Gyo took away from the gospel plot its ecclesiastical meaning, and from the images of the apostles - canonical spirituality. Christ appeared to the artist as a man and only a man, moreover, blasphemously acquired a portrait resemblance to Herzen, the publisher of The Bells. And in the indignant Apostle Peter, the author of the unusual “religious” picture was recognized. But even more unexpected was the image of Judas. The master did everything to actor turned out to be "titanic" (Gyo's own expression). Later, revealing his plan, Gyo said that at the "Last Supper" there is "a gap between one student and a beloved teacher, that gap that occurs among us from generation to generation, from century to century."Ge's painting made a strong impression on the public. For The Last Supper, Ge received the title of professor, bypassing the title of academician.
The Last Supper. 1866.
At the beginning of 1864, Ge returned to Florence, wrote many sketches for gospel stories (“Christ and Mary, the sister of Lazarus”, “Brothers of the Savior” and others), began a new large painting “Messengers of the Resurrection”. During this stay in Florence, Ge met and became close to Herzen and painted his portrait in 1867.Herzen readily agreed to pose and, as Ge recalled, came to the sessions with "German precision." Herzen noted in a letter that Ge was performing his portrait in Rembrandtian style, and this casually thrown phrase has a deep meaning. The artist deliberately chose a half-length type of portrait, focused only on the face, excluding even the image of hands, created a biography portrait outstanding personality at the turning point of life. He saw the wonderful past of the aristocrat who became a fighter and the bleak present of an emigrant, torn from his roots and less and less understood by his homeland.
In 1867, Nikolai Ge completed his painting "Messengers of the Resurrection", andNicholasGe sends her to the exhibition of the Academy of Arts, but she is not accepted there. The artist's friends exhibit his painting at an art club, but it is not successful. The same fate befell his new work, "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane."
In the Garden of Gethsemane. 1869.
In 1870, Nikolai Ge returned to St. Petersburg. failure with it latest paintings on religious topics forced Ge to leave such subjects for a while, and he again turned to history, this time Russian, dear and close to him. At the first exhibition of the Wanderers in 1871, Ge exhibited the painting "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei in Peterhof."
Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich in Peterhof. 1871.
According to Ge's memoirs, he conceived the painting when he returned to Russia after ten years of living in Italy. “... I returned from there a perfect Italian, seeing everything in Russia in a new light. I felt in everything and everywhere the influence and trace of the Petrine reform. This feeling was so strong that I involuntarily became interested in Peter and, under the influence of this passion, conceived this picture. Psychologism, the confrontation of two worldviews - makes the picture tense, makes you peer into it. There is no division into "positive" and "negative" characters in it. “While painting the picture, I had sympathy for Peter,” said the artist. - But then, having studied many documents, I saw that there could be no sympathy. I inflated my sympathy for Peter, saying that his public interests were higher than his father’s feelings, and this justified cruelty, but killed the ideal ... ”Ge achieved the main thing: the death sentence is ready to be signed not by a crowned executioner who is alien to doubts, but by a father wounded in the heart , a politician who weighed everything, but still a vacillating person. Such multidimensional characters were not yet known in Russian historical painting.
Portrait of A.G. Slyusareva. (Gapka with oxen). 1875.
In the portrait - Agafya Ignatievna Slyusareva, later the wife of N. N. Ge, the artist's son
Portrait of A.A. Potekhin. 1876
The portrait of the playwright A. A. Potekhin is the last canvas of the St. Petersburg cycle. The author of "peasant" dramas, a man who has experienced a lot, who knew the Russian village firsthand - such is Potekhin on the canvas. Some internal strings seem to be stretched in it to the limit, a heavy knotted hand with swollen veins is tightly intercepted by another, eyebrows are convulsively drawn together - this is the most intense, full of tragic anguish image of Ge of the 1870s. The calm thoroughness of the pictorial manner here has exhausted itself, one more step, and it will explode.
Later paintings by Nikolai Ge
In 1875, Nikolai Ge left St. Petersburg forever and moved to Ukraine, where he bought a small farm. In 1884 Ge painted a portraitL. N. Tolstoy,whom he metin Moscow in1882 .
This was followed by a new series of paintings by Ge on religious subjects - "Exit from the Last Supper" (1889), "What is truth?" (1890), "Judas" (Conscience) (1891), "Sanhedrin" (1892) and "Crucifixion" in several versions.
"What is truth?" Christ and Pilate. 1890.
Ge infirst wrote a picture-parable. Everything in it is exaggerated, even poster-like, the conflict is exposed. The artist broke not only with the church, but also with the centuries-old pictorial canon - "you can not write a" beautiful "Christ after tens of thousands of Christs, Husses, Bruns have been burned and killed." Again, his canvas aroused fierce controversy. “How could it happen that the government allowed public display of a blasphemous picture, deeply offending religious feelings, and at the same time undoubtedly tendentious,” wroteChief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod of the VictoriousAlexander III. Ge's painting "What is truth?" soonwasprohibited. Tolstoyliked the pictureand he persuaded Tretyakov to buy it, but the painting was in storage for a long time.
At this time, Ge painted portraits of Likhacheva, Kostychev, N. I. Petrunkevich, self-portrait. He makes drawings for Leo Tolstoy's story "What makes people alive" and sculpts a bust of Leo Tolstoy.
Self-portrait. 1893.
Road in the forest.
Bridge in Vico
Portrait of N.I. Kostomarov. 1870.
(1831-1894)
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge, the famous Russian painter, master of portraits, historical and religious paintings, was born on February 27, 1831 in Voronezh, in the family of a landowner. The artist's grandfather was a French emigrant who came to Russia at the end of the 18th century. Nikolai spent his childhood in the countryside, and in 1841 he was brought to Kyiv, where he entered the First Kyiv Gymnasium. At the end of the gymnasium, Ge entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Kyiv University, and a year later he transferred to St. Petersburg University. In 1850 he left science and entered the Academy of Arts, where he studied in the workshop of P. Basin. Ge graduated from the Academy with a large gold medal for Saul at the Witch of Endor in 1857 and was sent abroad. For six years of travel, he visited Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy. Ge paints portraits, and also tries to take on historical themes, making sketches (“Death of Virginia” (1857), “Love of the Vestal Virgin” (1858), “Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple” (1858)). But Ge does not like his work, and he makes a trip to Naples, where he again begins to write many sketches from nature. In 1860 he moved to Florence. Nikolai Nikolaevich returned to St. Petersburg in 1863 and presented his painting The Last Supper at the exhibition. The work made a deep impression on the public, and the artist was awarded the title of professor of historical and portrait painting, bypassing the title of academician. At the beginning of 1864, Ge returned to Florence, where he began to write sketches for gospel stories (“Christ and Mary, the sister of Lazarus”, “Brothers of the Savior”, etc.), and also takes on a new large painting “Messengers of the Resurrection”. At this time, he met and became close to Herzen and painted in 1867 his portrait. In 1867, Nikolai Nikolaevich finished his painting "Messengers of the Resurrection" and sent it to the exhibition of the Academy of Arts, but it was not accepted there. Also not successful and his new work, "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane." In 1870 Ge returned to St. Petersburg. There he began to paint pictures on subjects from Russian history. At the first exhibition of the Wanderers in 1871, he exhibited his painting "Peter I interrogates Tsarevich Alexei in Peterhof", which turns out to be quite successful. In 1875, Ge left St. Petersburg forever and went to Ukraine, where he bought a small farm. He temporarily abandons art and is fond of issues of religion and morality. In 1882 Ge met Leo Tolstoy in Moscow, and in 1884 painted his portrait. This was followed by a new series of paintings on religious subjects - "Exit from the Last Supper" (1889), "What is truth? "(1890), "Judas" (Conscience) (1891), "Sanhedrin" (1892) and "Crucifixion". At the same time, he paints portraits of his contemporaries, as well as a self-portrait. Ge makes illustrations for L. N. Tolstoy's story "How people live" and sculpts a bust of the writer. The fate of his last works was very dramatic: he destroyed the painting "Mercy" (1880); the work "Exit from the Last Supper" (1889) was criticized by church censorship; painting “What is truth?”. Christ and Pilate (1890) was withdrawn from the exhibition for blasphemy in the depiction of Christ; he destroyed the first version of "The Crucifixion" (1892), and another version of the "Crucifixion" at the beginning of 1894 was forbidden for demonstration by Emperor Alexander III, and Ge showed it only in his apartment, etc. Ge died on his farm on June 13, 1894.
The Russian artist with French roots, Nikolai Ge, filled his whole life with the preaching of spiritual beauty. His last works unusually excited, imbued with emotionality, sincerity and spirituality. On the day of his death, we offer to recall the 7 great paintings of the painter.
"The Judgment of King Solomon" (1854)
He could have become a mathematician, but the passionate desire to create was stronger. After two years of study at the mathematical department of the philosophical faculty of St. Petersburg University, Nikolai Ge in 1850 entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. The time of study fell on the last gloomy years of the reign of Nicholas I. Students were credited with strict adherence to the canons of classicism and its main themes: mythological subjects And ancient heroes. Young Ge decides that if you follow, then the best. In those years, Karl Bryullov was a role model for many at the Academy, and Nikolai, who admired the author of Pompeii, was no exception.
“The Judgment of King Solomon” is a work that is written in an absolutely Bryullov style: bright and colorful. Famous biblical story about the provocative decision of King Solomon to cut a child in two, which caused a quarrel between two women, each of whom claimed that she was the mother of the child. The canvas is written in accordance with academic canons - classical composition, characteristic "speaking" gestures and expressive postures.
"The Last Supper" (1866)
After graduating from the Academy, Nikolai Ge, trying to free himself from the "stuffiness" of the country frozen in anticipation and without waiting for the issuance of financial subsidies for an internship, leaves with his young wife for Italy. The result of attempts to create a reporting, program canvas Ge becomes the creation a large number sketches, but none of the ideas come to life. In happy family life several years fly by, and there is still nothing to report to the Academy. Ge reads a lot, works and does not stop for a single day in search of ideas for his first great canvas. And then one day the theme itself finds the artist.
In the process of studying the life of Christ, one of the key gospel events clearly stands before Ge. All that remains is to transfer it to the picture. The artist has been looking for a long time among friends and acquaintances for those who would have an internal or external resemblance to the disciples of Christ. As a result, he writes the Apostle Peter from himself, and as a starting point for writing central character becomes Herzen. The picture-revelation shocked the viewer with truth and realism. Yes, that's exactly what happened! A cramped and twilight room, through the rag on the window you can see how the blue of the night sky is fading, a low table on three legs, behind which the characters are placed - all this is amazingly convincing. In the foreground is the dark silhouette of Judas, nervously throwing on his cloak as he walks. Young John jumped up impetuously, Peter looks after the traitor in bewilderment, the rest of the apostles are shocked. And only Jesus froze in a detached and mournful pose - he knows what will happen: the inevitable betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, a painful death.
The picture was accepted by the public, and Ge at such a young age became a professor at the Academy of Arts - it was an unprecedented case. However, the church thought otherwise: the interpretation of the plot was recognized as non-canonical, there was “unacceptable materialism” on the canvas. As a result, the painting was forbidden to be reproduced.
"Heralds of the Resurrection" (1867)
The new work of the artist "Messengers of the Resurrection" in Russia, no one understood and did not recognize. They refused to accept her for an exhibition at the Academy of Arts. Exhibited in the art club of friends, the picture was also not successful. The same fate befell the first version of the painting "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane". Both in St. Petersburg and at the Munich exhibition of 1869, where the artist sent her along with the Messengers of the Resurrection, her images were considered far-fetched and speculative. Ge was given to understand that he did not justify the hopes placed on him. Only years later, the public will grow to understand the plot, but in the days when Ge returned from sunny Italy to gray St. Petersburg and so needed support, the public remained indifferent.
"Christ with His Disciples Enters the Garden of Gethsemane" (1889)
After a series of paintings on historical theme, frustrated by the lack of understanding of his work and harsh criticism, the master, having lost faith in his talent, leaves St. Petersburg in 1875 and settles in the Chernigov province. He radically changes his life: he builds an unusual workshop with a system of mirrors, masters the stove business and starts laying stoves, and occasionally paints portraits of his neighbors to earn money. Acquaintance in 1862 with Leo Tolstoy becomes fateful for Ge: he understands that he is not alone in search of the ideal, he clearly sees that creativity can serve life itself. The artist returns to work at a qualitatively new level.
While in St. Petersburg they almost forgot about Nikolai Ge, on one of traveling exhibitions his painting “Christ with His Disciples Enters the Garden of Gethsemane” appears. The work undoubtedly deserves the right to stand on a par with the best paintings: exciting and disturbing mood, extraordinary beauty of color, plot. The apostles solemnly descend the steps into the darkness, and only Jesus stops for a moment to raise his eyes to the infinitely beautiful starry sky. The painting was again subjected to harsh criticism of the church.
"Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" (1869-1880)
Ge with renewed vigor turns to gospel themes - his canvases now sound like passionate sermons. He rewrites the Garden of Gethsemane and shows the viewer already ready for the great sacrifice of Christ. He leaves all doubts in the Garden of Gethsemane and without fear goes to the end towards his destiny. The artist's paintings began to appear regularly in St. Petersburg: they were removed from exhibitions, subjected to merciless censorship and persecution. But, exhibited in private apartments, the works of the master gathered crowds of spectators. The banned paintings were talked about, they were discussed in the newspapers and taken abroad. The master was pleased: "I will shake all their brains with the sufferings of Christ ... I will make them weep, not be touched." Ge becomes the apostle of the new art. He tells young artists about a form that can convey a feeling. He himself writes the way he teaches: without nature, without a sketch, without a contour.
“What is truth? Christ and Pilate (1890)
The construction of the canvas is able to overturn the traditional understanding of the understanding of good and evil, light and shadow. Pilate stands in a mighty stream sunlight, while Christ seems, on the contrary, plunged into darkness. But if you take a closer look at the canvas, you can see that the procurator is standing against the sun and his face is plunged into darkness. The dark folds of the toga entangle Pilate's body like ropes. On the contrary, the face of Christ, tormented by torture, is illuminated, his clothes turn purple when looked at closely, and a divine radiance appears around the entire figure. Two personalities, two worldviews were shown by the master in an unconventional and bold way. It is clear that the church did not accept this view. She was shocked by the image of Christ, which absolutely did not correspond to the centuries-old tradition of depicting the Savior as a spiritually perfect and outwardly beautiful person. Tretyakov initially refused to buy the painting, but after an angry but reasoned letter from Tolstoy, in which he scolded the patron for "collecting dung" and "refusing to take the pearl," Tretyakov changed his mind and purchased the painting.
Calvary (1893)
"Golgotha" Ge remained unfinished. The public saw it after the death of the master. The innovative form of the work, using the favorite technique of opposing characters, is filled with the deepest moral sense. The Son of God is sent to shameful death. From the left, a hand invades the field of view, which, with an imperious gesture, signals the beginning of the execution. Jesus knows what he has to go through. He wrings his hands frantically and raises his eyes to heaven, to the Father. In the Passion Cycle, Ge also writes two versions of the Crucifixion, which, when looked at, create a depressing impression.
"What is truth?" and "Golgotha" produce the effect of an exploding bomb. The indignant clergy and the public turn to the king and he orders the paintings to be removed from the exhibition. “Can this ragamuffin and vagabond be Christ? Can you paint like this? This Ge has completely forgotten how to write!”
Nikolai Ge died on June 13, 1894. Until the end of his days, he was sure that art can help a person to see clearly and improve this world a little.
