The artist Ivan Aivazovsky (Hovhannes Ayvazyan) is one of the greatest marine painters of all time, a poet of the water element, who left a significant mark on the history of Russian painting. “The sea is my life”, - expressed with the names of the sea expanses fascinate the viewer with their realism. The artist is called the inimitable genius of seascapes, the author of about 6,000 paintings, many of which went to charity.
The life of an inimitable marine painter
The artist was born on July 17, 1817 in the city of Feodosia in the family of an Armenian businessman, who soon went bankrupt. The urban beauties of the gently sloping shores predetermined its entire future. The boy's childhood passed in poverty, but at a young age Ivan showed abilities in music and drawing. Initially, the future artist studied at an Armenian parish institution, then at the Simferopol gymnasium.
In 1833, Aivazovsky became a student, where after he studied in the landscape class with M. N. Vorobyov. The predetermining role for the artist was the visit to F. Tanner, who has special skills in depicting water. The artist noticed the talent of the young man and took him to him, where he shared his techniques and skills.
The year 1837 became a decisive one. At this time, the name of the unique marine painter, Aivazovsky, often began to sound. Paintings with the names "Moonlight Night in Gurzuf" (1839) and "Sea Coast" (1840) were recognized by the teachers of the academies, for which the artist was awarded a medal.
Since 1840, he visited many countries where he actively worked, as a result of which he became popular. After returning, Aivazovsky was transferred to the main naval headquarters, and was also awarded the title of academician of the Academy of Arts. Later, he actively visited European countries, where he contemplated the expanses of the world and gained new impressions.
In 1847, the artist was accepted into the ranks of honorary members of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Throughout his life, Aivazovsky opened an art school, an art gallery, held more than 120 exhibitions.
Mastery and creativity of the genius of the sea element
The majesty and emotionality of sea battles are very clearly expressed in the work of Aivazovsky. Perhaps this is due to the phenomenal observation of the artist, because he never painted a picture from nature, but only took notes and notes. “The movements of living jets are elusive for the brush,” said Aivazovsky. The paintings with the names "Chesme Battle" and "The Ninth Wave", riddled with a cycle of actions, just emphasize the artist's peculiarity of observing and subsequently reproducing events.
Amazing work speed
The unusualness of the artist can be traced not only in observation, but also in the speed of execution. Only Ivan Aivazovsky could do a lot of work in such a short time. Paintings with the names "Black Sea Landscape" and "Storm" the artist created in just 2 hours, and doing the work with a kind of technique. Particularly impressive are the sea battles depicted on the canvas, the plot of which is perceived in one breath. The drama turns into an expression of the spiritual warmth of light, which emphasizes the unusual style. Looking at the creations of the master, you literally feel this swiftness and whirlpool of waves. The transfer of mood proceeds with a slight duality of silence and rage. The significant success of the master lies in the transfer of realism of what is happening, because only a genius can depict the emotional composition of the sea element in this way.
The most popular creations of the artist
During the reforms of the sixties and seventies, art flourished. This time is considered to be the heyday just when Aivazovsky worked. Paintings with the names "Storm at Night" (1864) and "Storm on the North Sea" (1865) are considered the most poetic. Consider two Aivazovsky. Photos with names are presented below.
"The Ninth Wave" (1850)
The artist devoted 11 days to this painting. Initially, Nicholas I purchased the work for the Hermitage. In 1897, the canvas was transferred to the State Russian Museum. The work "Clouds over the sea, calm" is also in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
"Clouds over the sea, calm" (1889)
Looking at the sea surface, the majesty of clouds and air space, we can see how multifaceted the light spectrum is. Light in his works is nothing but a symbol of life, hope and eternity. We see how unique the master's creations are. This artist remains the most famous and favorite among the audience to this day.
And van Aivazovsky entered the history of art as a great marine painter - a master of depicting the sea. But he also had paintings in other genres: some were written in those years when he was just looking for himself, others were the fun of an already recognized master. Let's take a look at the canvases in which Aivazovsky is hardly recognizable.
Aul Gunib in Dagestan. East side view
Aul Gunib in Dagestan. View from the east side. 1869. Timing
Aivazovsky undertook a journey to the Caucasus and Transcaucasia in 1868. This painting depicts the village of Gunib - the last headquarters of Imam Shamil, where he was hardly captured in 1859. So this canvas is not just a mountain landscape, but also a praise for Russian weapons, as was often the case with Aivazovsky.
Athens Acropolis
Athens Acropolis. 1883. Kyiv National Museum of Russian Art
In 1882, Aivazovsky married a second time - to the widow of a Feodosia merchant, Anna Nikitichna Sarkizova. Together with her, he goes to Greece, which only in 1832 gained independence from Turkey. The artist looks at the hill of the Acropolis from below, through the columns of the temple of Olympian Zeus: the Parthenon is no longer a mosque, and the minaret next to it has been demolished.
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid at Giza. 1878. Private collection
Aivazovsky arrived in Egypt in 1869 - he was invited to the grand opening of the Suez Canal. He also visited Cairo and traveled along the Nile. It was one of the many long-distance travels of the artist - it was not for nothing that back in 1853 he was elected a full member of the Russian Geographical Society.
Windmill by the sea
Windmill on the seashore. 1837. Timing
The year of painting the canvas was a turning point for the artist: shortly before that, his teacher complained about a 19-year-old student, and Aivazovsky's paintings were removed from the exhibition by order of Nicholas I. However, Karl Bryullov and others began to bother for the young man, the disgrace was removed, the emperor looked at his paintings, granted him money and sent him to accompany his son Konstantin on a voyage across the Baltic.
View of the Grand Cascade and the Grand Peterhof Palace
View of the Grand Cascade and the Grand Peterhof Palace. 1837. GMZ "Peterhof"
The young Aivazovsky showed such success in his studies that the period of his studies was reduced by two years, and already in 1837 he was released with a gold medal. His paintings began to be popular (for example, the emperor bought six works for three thousand rubles), he also received special orders - including views of coastal cities: Peterhof, Revel, etc. Aivazovsky began to send more and more money to impoverished parents to Feodosia, which he was very proud of.
View of Moscow from Sparrow Hills
View of Moscow from the Sparrow Hills. 1848. Timing
The place from where the peasants look at the Golden-domed is not only the best viewpoint of Moscow. For the people of that time, it was a memory of the recent scandal: in 1817, the first Cathedral of Christ the Savior was laid here. A million rubles have sunk into the void. The eight-year lawsuit ended in 1835, the construction director, architect Vitberg, was exiled to Vyatka. The current temple on Volkhonka was founded in 1837 and was still under construction in the year the picture was painted.
During the harvest in Ukraine
During the harvest in Ukraine. 1883. Feodosia Art Gallery. Aivazovsky
The Crimean native Aivazovsky has a whole series of Little Russian landscapes - almost all of them are steppe. Obviously, his “marine” soul was inspired by the infinity of spaces, grasses swaying in the wind, and heavenly expanses. Chumatsky carts drawn by oxen and distant mills are like ships and rocks in him, and therefore Ukrainian paintings by Aivazovsky turn out to be romantic, not realistic genre.
Eastern scene (In the boat)
Eastern scene (In the boat). 1846. GMZ Peterhof
In the landscapes of Aivazovsky, people can be found infrequently. But with Shishkin, who invited assistants to write people and even bears, he cannot be compared in this matter: Aivazovsky knew how to write human figures. Proof - for example, this picture in a fashionable oriental style, which reflects the impressions of a visit to Istanbul and other eastern cities.
Dante points the artist to unusual clouds
Dante points the artist to unusual clouds. 1883.
Feodosia Art Gallery. Aivazovsky
The plot chosen by Aivazovsky is enigmatic. Perhaps they are referring to Dante's lines in the Divine Comedy: "The color with which the sunrise / Or the hour of sunset embraces the clouds."
Ca d'Ordo palace in Venice by moonlight
Palace Ca d "Ordo in Venice by moonlight. 1878. GRM
Aivazovsky visited Venice several times. Moreover, in this city, in the academy of the Mekhitarist order on the island of San Lazar, lived his brother, Archbishop of the Armenian Church Gabriel (Gabriel), who already as a child showed such learning abilities that after the parochial school he was sent to study theology in Venice. Later he became famous as a theologian and writer (in particular, he translated Krylov's fables into Armenian).
Sheep
Sheep. 1858. Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts. Vrubel
A peaceful landscape with grazing sheep was created a few years after the much more dramatic depiction of the same nature in the painting Sheep Driven by a Storm into the Sea. Aivazovsky himself came to Paris in the year of the painting, where his brother Gabriel was preparing to take the rank of bishop, and the artist used all his extensive connections and acquaintances to help him.
Petersburg. Crossing the Neva
Petersburg. Crossing the Neva. 1870s Kyiv National Museum of Russian Art
Looking at Aivazovsky's paintings depicting St. Petersburg, you usually remember that Peter I founded this city precisely as a seaport. The artist liked its fortifications, bays, embankments. But not when looking at this canvas, cold and unfriendly. Aivazovsky divorced his first wife, they say, precisely because of his dislike for St. Petersburg and social life: she wanted to live in the capital and revolve in society, while he preferred Crimea and work.
Aivazovsky Ivan Konstantinovich, part 1 (1817 - 1900)
I.N. Kramskoy argued that Aivazovsky "is a star of the first magnitude, in any case, and not only with us, but in the history of art in general."
P.M. Tretyakov, wanting to buy a painting for his gallery, wrote to the artist: "...Give me your magical water such that it would perfectly convey your incomparable talent."
In painting, Aivazovsky was, above all, a poet. The artist said about himself: “The plot of the picture is formed in my memory, like the plot of a poem by a poet, having made a sketch on a piece of paper, I get to work and do not leave the canvas until I express myself on it with my brush.”
During his long life he wrote up to 6000 works. The best of them entered the treasury of world culture. His paintings are in many galleries around the world.
Portrait of the artist Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky
1841
Oil on canvas 72 x 54.2
Moscow
Ivan (Hovhannes) Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was born on July 17 (30), 1817 in Feodosia. Aivazovsky's ancestors in the 18th century moved from Western (Turkish) Armenia to the south of Poland. At the beginning of the 19th century, the merchant Konstantin (Gevorg) Gaivazovsky moved from Poland to Feodosia. After the plague epidemic that befell Feodosia in 1812, the Gaivazovsky family had a hard time. The wife of Konstantin Hripsime, a skilled embroiderer, helped support the family, which included two daughters and three sons.
Aivazovsky received his primary education in the Armenian parish school, and then graduated from the Simferopol gymnasium, in which the city architect Koch helped him to appoint. In 1833, with the assistance of the Feodosia mayor A. Kaznacheev, Aivazovsky went to St. Petersburg, and according to the presented children's drawings, he was enrolled in the Academy of Arts in the landscape class of Professor M. N. Vorobyov. Then he studied in the battle class with A. Sauerweid and for a short time with the marine painter F. Tanner invited from France.
Already in 1835 he was awarded a silver medal of the second denomination for "Study of Air over the Sea". In 1837, for three sea views and especially for the painting “Calm”, he was awarded the First Gold Medal and the academic course was reduced by two years, with the condition that during this time he painted landscapes of a number of Crimean cities. As a result of a trip to the Crimea, views of Yalta, Feodosia, Sevastopol, Kerch and the paintings “Moonlight Night in Gurzuf” (1839), “Storm”, “Seashore” (1840) appeared.
Aivazovsky I.K. Moonlit night in Crimea. Gurzuf.
1839
Sumy Art Museum
"Coast"
1840
Canvas, oil. 42.8 x 61.5 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
Windmill by the sea»
1837
Oil on canvas 67 x 96
St. Petersburg
Seashore at night
1837
47 x 66 cm
Canvas, oil
Romanticism, realism
Russia
Theodosius. Feodosia Art Gallery. I.K.
Kerch
1839
In 1839, Aivazovsky took part as an artist in a naval campaign to the shores of the Caucasus. On board the ship, he meets M. P. Lazarev, V. A. Kornilov, P. S. Nakhimov, V. N. Istomin, and gets the opportunity to study the designs of warships. Creates the first battle canvas - "Landing at Subashi".
“Landing N.N. Raevsky at Subashi"
1839
Canvas, oil. 66 x 97 cm
Samara Art Museum
There he also met the decommissioned Decembrists M. M. Naryshkin, A. I. Odoevsky, N. N. Lorer, who took part in the case under Subashi. The Crimean works of the artist were successfully exhibited at the exhibition at the Academy of Arts, and as an encouragement, I.K. Aivazovsky was given a business trip to Italy.
"Naval Battle of Navarino (October 2, 1827)"
1846
Oil on canvas 222 x 234
St. Petersburg
"Naval battle at Vyborg on June 29, 1790"
1846
Canvas, oil. 222 x 335 cm
Higher Naval Engineering School named after F.E. Dzerzhinsky
"Naval battle at Revel (May 9, 1790)"
1846
Oil on canvas 222 x 335
Naval School. F. E. Dzerzhinsky
St. Petersburg
Russia
In 1840, Aivazovsky went to Italy. There he met with the bright figures of Russian literature, art, science - Gogol, Alexander Ivanov, Botkin, Panaev. At the same time, in 1841, the artist changed the name Gaivazovsky to Aivazovsky.
Azure grotto. Naples
1841
74 x 100 cm
Canvas, oil
Romanticism, realism
Russia
Donetsk. Donetsk Art Museum,
View of the Venetian Lagoon
1841 76x118
The artist's activity in Rome begins with the study and copying of the works of the masters of the past, he works a lot on natural studies. In one of his letters, Aivazovsky said: “I, like a bee, collect honey from a flower garden.” Throughout his life, he returned to the landscapes of Italy, the harmonious coexistence of man and the sea in this country was imprinted in his memory as a model of beauty. Aivazovsky created about fifty large paintings in Italy. The success of the artist brought romantic seascapes "Storm", "Chaos", "Naples Bay on a moonlit night" (1839) and others. His painting “Chaos” was acquired by the Vatican Museum. Pope Gregory XVI awarded the artist a gold medal. The artist's talent is recognized by art connoisseurs and colleagues. A. Ivanov notes the ability of Aivazovsky in depicting the sea, the engraver F. Jordan claims that Aivazovsky is the pioneer of the genre of marine painting in Rome.
"Chaos. World creation"
1841
Oil on canvas 106 x 75
Museum of the Armenian Mekhitarist Congregation
Venice. Island of St. Lazarus
"Gulf of Naples"
1841
Oil on canvas 73 x 108
View of Constantinople at night
1846 120x189.5
"View of Constantinople by Moonlight"
1846
Oil on canvas 124 x 192
State Russian Museum
St. Petersburg
Russia
1850
Oil on canvas 121 x 190
Feodosia
Bay of Naples on a moonlit night
1892
Oil on canvas 45 x 73
Collection of A. Shahinyan
New York
In 1843, the artist's journey begins with an exhibition of paintings across Europe. “Rome, Naples, Venice, Paris, London, Amsterdam honored me with the most flattering encouragement,” Aivazovsky recalled. One of them is the title of academician, awarded by the Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts. As the only representative of Russian art, he participated in an international exhibition organized at the Louvre. Ten years later, he was the first foreign artist to become a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
"Shipwreck"
1843
Oil on canvas 116 x 189
Feodosia Art Gallery. I. K. Aivazovsky
Feodosia
Russia
In 1844, two years ahead of schedule, Aivazovsky returned to Russia. Upon his return to his homeland, the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts honors him with the title of academician. The Naval Department awarded him the honorary title of the artist of the Main Naval Staff with the right to wear the Admiralty uniform and instructed the “extensive and complex order” to paint all Russian military ports on the Baltic Sea. During the winter months of 1844-1845. Aivazovsky fulfilled a government order and created a number of beautiful marinas.
"Russian squadron on the Sevastopol roadstead"
1846
Canvas, oil. 121 x 191 cm
State Russian Museum
In 1845, together with the expedition of F.P. Litke, Aivazovsky visited the coast of Turkey and Asia Minor. During this voyage, he made a large number of pencil drawings, which served him for many years as material for creating paintings, which he always painted in the studio. Returning from the expedition, Aivazovsky leaves for Feodosia. “This feeling or habit is my second nature. I willingly spend the winter in St. Petersburg, - the artist wrote, - but it will blow a little in the spring, I am attacked by homesickness - I am drawn to the Crimea, to the Black Sea.
View of Feodosia
1845
70 x 96 cm
Canvas, oil
Romanticism, realism
Russia
Yerevan. State Art Gallery of Armenia
Theodosius. Sunrise
1852 60x90
In Feodosia, the artist built a studio house on the seashore and finally settled here. In winter, he usually visited St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia with his exhibitions, sometimes he traveled abroad. During his long life, Aivazovsky made a number of trips: he visited Italy, Paris and other European cities several times, worked in the Caucasus, sailed to the shores of Asia Minor, was in Egypt, and at the end of his life, in 1898, he traveled to America. During sea voyages, he enriched his observations, and drawings accumulated in his folders. The artist spoke about his creative method: “A person who is not gifted with a memory that preserves the impressions of wildlife can be an excellent copyist, a living photographic apparatus, but never a true artist. The movements of the living elements are elusive for the brush: writing lightning, a gust of wind, a splash of a wave is unthinkable from nature. The plot of the picture is formed in my memory, like the plot of a poem in a poet ... ".
Meeting of fishermen on the shores of the Gulf of Naples 1842 58х85
"Meeting of fishermen"
Canvas, oil. 58 x 85 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
"Gondelier at sea at night"
1843
Oil on canvas 73 x 112
State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan
Kazan
Russia
"Venetian Lagoon. View of the island of San Giorgio»
1844
Wood, oil. 22.5 x 34.5 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
Mill on the seashore 1851 50x57
"Sunrise in Feodosia"
1855
Oil on canvas 82 x 117
Yerevan
"Georgievsky Monastery. Cape Fiolent»
1846
Oil on canvas 122.5 x 192.5
Feodosia Art Gallery. I. K. Aivazovsky
Feodosia
View of Odessa on a moonlit night
1846
122 x 190 cm
Canvas, oil
Romanticism, realism
Russia
"View of Odessa from the sea"
1865
Oil on canvas 45 x 58
State Art Gallery of Armenia
Yerevan
Aivazovsky's painting of the forties and fifties was marked by a strong influence of the romantic traditions of K. P. Bryullov, which affected the artist's painting skills. Like Bryullov, he strives to create grandiose colorful canvases. This was very clearly reflected in the battle picture “Chesme Battle”, written by him in 1848, dedicated to an outstanding naval battle. The fight is depicted at night. In the depths of the bay, burning ships of the Turkish fleet are visible, one of them at the time of the explosion. Enveloped in fire and smoke, the wreckage of the ship, which has turned into a blazing fire, is flying into the air. In the foreground, the flagship of the Russian fleet rises in a dark silhouette, to which, saluting, a boat approaches with the crew of Lieutenant Ilyin, who blew up his firewall among the Turkish flotilla. On the water, you can discern the wreckage of Turkish ships with groups of sailors calling for help, and other details.
"Chesme battle June 25-26, 1770"
1848
Oil on canvas 220 x 188
Feodosia Art Gallery. I. K. Aivazovsky
Feodosia
Review of the Black Sea Fleet in 1849
1886 131x249
"Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships"
1892
Canvas, oil
"Brig" Mercury "after defeating two Turkish ships, meets with the Russian squadron"
1848
Oil on canvas 123 x 190
State Russian Museum
St. Petersburg
"Storm at sea at night"
1849
Oil on canvas 89 x 106
Palaces-museums and parks of Petrodvorets
Peterhof, Leningrad region
Aivazovsky's contribution to battle painting is significant. He captured episodes of the Sevastopol defense, repeatedly referred to the heroic deeds of the Russian navy: “Each victory of our troops on land or at sea,” the artist wrote, “pleases me, as a Russian at heart, and gives an idea how the artist can depict it on canvas...”.
"Storm"
1850
Oil on canvas 82 x 117
State Art Gallery of Armenia
Yerevan
Aivazovsky was the last and most prominent representative of the romantic trend in Russian painting. His best romantic works of the second half of the 1940s and 1950s are: “Storm on the Black Sea” (1845), “Georgievsky Monastery” (1846), “Entrance to the Sevastopol Bay” (1851).
Entrance to the Sevastopol Bay 1852
View of Constantinople by moonlight
1846
124 x 192 cm
Canvas, oil
Romanticism, realism
Russia
St. Petersburg. State Russian Museum
View of the Leander Tower in Constantinople
1848
Canvas, oil
58 x 45.3
Tretyakov Gallery
The largest marine painter in Russian painting of the 19th century, I.K. Aivazovsky, traveled a lot and often included images of famous architectural structures in his seascapes. The Leandrov (Maiden) Tower depicted in the painting was built in the 12th century on a small rock at the entrance to the strait of Istanbul Harbor and has long served as a lighthouse and a mooring place for ships. It is still used as a lighthouse today. The tower rises against the background of a golden sky, the rays of the setting sun paint the surface of the sea water in mother-of-pearl tones, and the silhouettes of the buildings of the ancient city appear in the distance. Soft sunlight romanticizes the landscape created by the artist.
"Moonlight night"
1849
Oil on canvas 123 x 192
State Russian Museum
St. Petersburg
sunset on the sea
1856
121.5x188
“Night in the Crimea. View of Ayudag»
1859
Oil on canvas 63 x 83
Odessa Art Museum
Odessa
Storm
1857
100x49
The fifties are associated with the Crimean War of 1853-1856. As soon as the rumor about the Battle of Sinop reached Aivazovsky, he immediately went to Sevastopol, asked the participants in the battle about all the circumstances of the case. Soon, two paintings by Aivazovsky were exhibited in Sevastopol, depicting the Sinop battle at night and during the day. Admiral Nakhimov, highly appreciating the work of Aivazovsky, especially the night battle, said: "The picture is extremely well done."
"Sinop battle (daytime version)"
1853
Canvas, oil
"Sinop battle on November 18, 1853 (the night after the battle)"
1853
Canvas, oil. 220 x 331 cm
Central Naval Museum
The capture of the Turkish military transport Messina on the Black Sea by the Rossiya steamship on December 13, 1877
The battle of the steamer "Vesta" with the Turkish battleship "Fekhti-Bulend" in the Black Sea on July 11, 1877
In the work of Aivazovsky, one can find paintings on a wide variety of topics, for example, images of the nature of Ukraine. He loved the boundless Ukrainian steppes and depicted them with inspiration in his works (“Chumatsky Convoy” (1868), “Ukrainian Landscape” (1868)), while coming close to the landscape of the masters of Russian ideological realism. Aivazovsky's closeness to Gogol, Shevchenko, Sternberg played a role in this attachment to Ukraine.
Chumaks on vacation
1885
Convoy in the steppe
"Ukrainian landscape with chumaks in the moonlight"
1869
Canvas, oil. 60 x 82 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
Windmills in the Ukrainian Steppe at sunset
1862 51х60
"A flock of sheep in a storm"
1861
Oil on canvas 76 x 125
Collection of A. Shahinyan
New York
Surroundings of Yalta at night
1866
Neighborhood of Yalta
1863
20.2x28
Storm in the North Sea
1865 269x195
Sunset on the sea
1866
Moonlit night on the Bosphorus
1894 49.7x75.8
After the storm. Moon rise
1894 41x58
"View of the sea from the mountains at sunset"
1864
Oil on canvas 122 x 170
State Russian Museum
St. Petersburg
"Global flood"
1864
Oil on canvas 246.5 x 369
State Russian Museum
St. Petersburg
"Death of Pompeii"
1889
Oil on canvas 128 x 218
Rostov Regional Museum of Fine Arts
Rostov
to be continued...
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http://www.artsait.ru/art/a/aivazovsky/main.htm
Of course, we are talking about Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, the great master of the Russian school of painting.
Captivating Taurida. Memories of youth
For the older generation of Theodosians, Ivan Konstantinovich forever remained in the memory of a little boy, endlessly drawing with charcoal images of sailing ships, windmills and towers of ancient fortress walls.
The house of the Aivazovsky family towered over the deserted coast of the South Sea. The landscapes of Feodosia were very different from the luxurious southern coastal landscapes: Yalta or Gurzuf. The ridge of the sheer Crimean mountains dissolved into the boundless cold steppe, and the wide strips of sea and sky with an sometimes invisible horizon were all that could be endlessly admired here.
Steppe, despite the brevity of landscapes, is surprisingly diverse. Often the bright sun is replaced by a rebellious storm. The children's half of the inhabitants were especially happy about the storm, because huge waves brought fragments of longboats and coins that had turned green with time to the shore.
The imagination of the young Aivazovsky clearly painted pictures of the unequal battle of ordinary fishermen with the raging sea. Most likely, this subsequently prompted the artist to write a series of works dedicated to people "courageous with the storm." - this is a particularly expressive story in his painting.
A game of contrasts: the cold calm of the Baltic and sunny Italy
Thanks to the field training practice from the Academy of Arts, Ivan Konstantinovich received a unique opportunity to see the subtle beauty of the north. The exercises on the Baltic coast gave the artist not only a store of new impressions, but also an acquaintance with the Russian fleet, to which Aivazovsky remained attached for life. During his visit to the Baltic, the young artist created seven full-scale paintings, which already at that time surpassed all student works.
Allowed Aivazovsky to thoroughly study the design of sailing ships. A new feature has appeared in the artist's work - the subjects of his paintings are becoming more diverse. Masterfully executed seascapes are enriched with various themes, as evidenced by the titles of academic works: “Part of Kronstadt with different ships”, “Two ships illuminated by the sun”, “Gloomy night: a ship on fire at sea”, “Shipwreck”.
But the last stage in the final formation of the nature of Aivazovsky's work was the period of a business trip to Western Europe. His path lay through Trieste, Vienna and Berlin to the shores of the Gulf of Naples. The contemplation of the charming Italian landscapes and the pictorial heritage of the old masters of Florence and Rome marked a new stage in the development of the artist.
Not only the motives of the canvases have changed, but also the approach to the creative process itself. Ivan Konstantinovich decided to become a studio artist. Having transferred the easel from the air to the workshop, Aivazovsky did not move away from the sea. Many years of experience in observing and studying nature gave the artist the opportunity to reveal his potential more widely. Using his amazing visual memory and rich imagination, Ivan Konstantinovich began to work on creative works.
The western business trip opened up almost everything for marine painters for Aivazovsky. Even the artist himself lost count of the works written during this period. Presumably, he created more than 80 canvases - from large paintings to quick sketches. The recognition of the European public was very important for the painter, but the greatest impression was the high appreciation of his work by the English landscape painter William Turner, who also admired the poetry of the sea.
“Forgive me, great artist, if I made a mistake, taking the picture for reality ...” - these words of Turner best characterized the unsurpassed talent of the Russian marine painter.
Battle motifs in Aivazovsky's painting
Ivan Konstantinovich reacted vividly to all events that disturb society. His art served as a means to express his feelings. The wayward, recalcitrant sea has become an excellent subject for reflecting the situation in the artist's homeland. Like any creator, the great Aivazovsky sought to conduct educational activities. The theme of seascapes in this regard only played into his hands. After all, the beauty of nature, violent or static, is accessible and understandable to all strata of society.
Many works devoted to the struggle of the Russian fleet in the Crimean War were written by the master during the "battle" period of creativity. Such works as "The Siege of Sevastopol" or "The Loss of the English Fleet at Balaklava" truthfully tell about bygone events, being not only artistic, but also historical property.
But not only the military episodes of the coast of Taurida inspired Aivazovsky to create battle paintings. The artist's interest in deep narrative plots was also manifested in the depiction of the pages of history and. The epic seascapes of the island of Crete and Aivazovsky's beloved Naples helped to reveal the composition.
Path to the ocean. Completion of the creative path
Ivan Nikolaevich accomplished his most distant thing, being at a rather advanced age. Aivazovsky went to America for only two months: the path was not easy, and now and then terrible storms covered him. The boundless ocean expanse made such a strong impression on the artist that he painted his paintings right on the deck of the ship.
Aivazovsky had a chance to see many marine species, but the cold power of the ocean made a real revolution in the landscape painter's attitude. His work took on truly titanic proportions. With amazing energy, Ivan Konstantinovich created canvases depicting the restless expanse of the ocean, icebergs of incredible size and a gloomy stormy sky.
Aivazovsky did not stop working fruitfully until the last heartbeat. The unceasing stream of creative development, combined with devotion to his favorite topic, made Ivan Nikolayevich a standard of excellence for many generations of artists.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
After the end of the war in 1856, on his way from France, where his works were exhibited at an international exhibition, Aivazovsky visited Istanbul for the second time. He was warmly welcomed by the local Armenian diaspora, and also, under the patronage of the court architect Sarkis Balyan, was received by Sultan Abdul-Mejid I. By that time, the Sultan's collection already had one painting by Aivazovsky. As a sign of admiration for his work, the Sultan awarded Ivan Konstantinovich with the Order of Nishan Ali, IV degree.
The third trip to Istanbul, at the invitation of the Armenian diaspora, I. K. Aivazovsky makes in 1874. Many artists of Istanbul at that time were influenced by the work of Ivan Konstantinovich. This is especially evident in the marine painting of M. Jivanyan. The brothers Gevork and Vagen Abdullahi, Melkop Telemaku, Hovsep Samandjiyan, Mkrtich Melkisetikyan later recalled that Aivazovsky also had a significant influence on their work. One of Aivazovsky's paintings was presented by Sargis Bey (Sarkis Balyan) to Sultan Abdulaziz. The Sultan liked the picture so much that he immediately ordered the artist 10 canvases with views of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. While working on this order, Aivazovsky constantly visited the Sultan's palace, made friends with him, as a result, he painted not 10, but about 30 different canvases. Before the departure of Ivan Konstantinovich, an official reception was arranged for the padishah in honor of awarding him the Order of Osmania II degree.
A year later, Aivazovsky again goes to the Sultan and brings him two paintings as a gift: “View of St. Petersburg from the Holy Trinity Bridge” and “Winter in Moscow” (these paintings are currently in the collection of the Dolmabahce Palace Museum).
Another war with Turkey ended in 1878. The San Stefano peace treaty was signed in a hall whose walls were decorated with paintings by a Russian artist. It was a symbol of future good relations between Turkey and Russia.
Paintings by I. K. Aivazovsky, who were in Turkey, were repeatedly exhibited in various exhibitions. In 1880, an exhibition of the artist's paintings was held in the building of the Russian embassy. Upon its completion, Sultan Abdul-Hamid II presented I.K. Aivazovsky with a diamond medal.
In 1881, the owner of the art store Ulman Grombach held an exhibition of works by famous masters: Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Breigl, Aivazovsky, Jerome. In 1882, an art exhibition of I.K. Aivazovsky and the Turkish artist Oskan Efendi took place here. The exhibitions were a huge success.
In 1888, another exhibition was held in Istanbul, organized by Levon Mazirov (nephew of I. K. Aivazovsky), which presented 24 paintings by the artist. Half of the proceeds from her went to charity. Just these years account for the first graduation of the Ottoman Academy of Arts. Aivazovsky’s style of writing is traced in the works of the Academy graduates: “The sinking of the Ertugrul ship in Tokyo Bay” by the artist Osman Nuri Pasha, the painting “The Ship” by Ali Jemal, some marinas of Diyarbakir Tahsin.
In 1890, Ivan Konstantinovich's last trip to Istanbul was. He visited the Armenian Patriarchate and the Yildiz Palace, where he left his paintings as a gift. On this visit, he was awarded the Order of the Medjidie I degree by Sultan Abdul-Hamid II.
Currently, several famous paintings by Aivazovsky are in Turkey. In the Military Museum in Istanbul there is a painting of 1893 “A Ship on the Black Sea”, a painting of 1889 “A Ship and a Boat” is stored in one of the private collections. In the residence of the President of Turkey there is a painting “Sinking during a storm” (1899).
