West European Art (France, England, Germany)
West European art in the collection of our museum is presented by the paitings, sculpture and porcelain produced by Italian, Flemish, French and German masters of XIV-XIX centuries.
The art of XIV century shows the process of difficult passage from medieval into new artistic thinking and humanistic feeling of the world. This new period in development of art is known in the world history as “Epoch of Renaissance”. It was brightly reflected in Italy, where Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo created their masterpieces. Renaissance culture was based on principles of humanism, affirmation of merit and beauty of person, his intellect and will, his creative vigour.
Harmonic clarity and still greatness of person, his feelings and relation with nature defines creative activity of many painters of that period. The works, brightly characterizing processes of renewal medieval art are in the collection of our museum. It’s first of all not large-sized horizontal icon “Pyeta” (perhaps, one of the sides of case), produced by unknown master of XIV century from Florence. There is flat interpretation of Christ’s body, his conditional anatomy (medieval characteristics). However figures of sorrowing oppositely are full of life palpitation. In this context we should mention “Regretting Maria Magdalene”, the work of painter of the first half of XVI century Geampetrino (Gean Pietro Ricci). The painter used subject about remorse of dissolute woman only like motive for delighting female charm.
In the collection of our museum “Carrying the Cross”, work of unknown master of late XVI century from Venice, and “Christening of Chlorinda”, work of unknown master, represent the art of Italy. With particular free manner of brush, “Madonna” pictured in light colors in the work of Geovanni Batista T’epolo (1696-1770) – painter of universal talent.
Early XIX - late XX centuries of Italian art in the collection of the museum are presented by creative activity of Francesco Bruneri. His work “Returning of representatives of civilization”, delicately reflected interior in Rococo style, the work is particular for Italian painting genre, depicting life of clergy.
The official movement – Baroque was affirmed in the art of France in XVII century. The main characteristics of this movement are smart figures, idealization of models with surrounding rich accessories. Simon Vue (1590-1649) – the head of French baroque preached and developed it in his creative activity. S.Vue trained numerous students to the principles of his art and created the movement of academic painting by means of his followers. The Glory, sitting on the clouds among amours keeps garland of confession in her hand. It is the still life, consisting of palette with brushes and gypsum sculpture of female head in the foreground. Amour, playing musical instruments embodies the Art. The picture called to express lyrical and philosophical thinking.
The founder and head of Classicism that was formed in struggle against Baroque, was Nicola Pussen (1594-1665). He tried to balance and sense the composition of his works, and as in geometry calculated and reconciled position of the personages. The landscape “Italian view” by Nicola Pussen is represented in the collection of our museum.
In 1800-s in art of France along with historical genre and landscape, the development of still life and animalistic genre started. Gean Batist Udri (1686-1755) in his creative activity was interested in expressing hunting scenes. It was animalistic picture which gained him popularity. His creative activity in collection of the museum is represented by picture “Hunting wild boar”, where painter expressed the moment of apotheosis of hunting, when enraged dogs throw themselves on a victim. Other animalist painter De Penne, on the contrary, bases compositions of his works on contemplation and pacification of intercourse between people, animals and nature. There are two not large- sized pictures of this wonderful painter in the collection of our museum.
Among masterpieces of French art the worthy place belongs to “Galant scene” by Antuann Vatto (1684-1721). He is known as the founder of so called “galant genre”, the painting of intimate state of mind, delicate movements and feelings.
French painter Maria Luisa Elizabeth Vije-Lebren (1755-1842) with great flexibility combined main tendency of classicism in her art. In the portrait works almost all of her models, especially women, are depicted as if playing no complicated repeating roles; cheerful coquettish simpleton, tender and loving mother, thoughtful dreamer, or amiable lively woman. Totally more than 660 portraits were created by this painter. One of them is “Portrait of Maria Fedorovna”, which is in collection of our museum.
Dutch painters showed us beauty of country’s nature, appearance, feelings and thoughts of the people of that time. Dutch paintings of XVII century, as a rule were not large-sized works, so the name “Small Dutch” came from it. The Dutch painters could express with amazing elegancy gleam of atlas fabric, transparent pulp of lemon, deep pile carpet, light of sun illuminating a room. There are fine examples of Dutch still life, landscape and paintings of common genre in the funds of the museum. In the landscapes by Jan Van Gohen (1596-1659), one of the greatest representatives of Dutch realistic landscape, beloved motives of painter, like valley and water smooth of broad rivers with cities and settlements on their banks, in gloomy day are expressed. The painting of Nicolas Berkhem “Landscape with cows” characteristically corresponds to it.
In XVII century national Flemish school of art was formed. Creative activity of Jackob Jordance (1599-1678), assistant and follower of Paul Piter Rubens, is differentiated by democratic tendency and direct self-expression. Rather no large- sized picture “Birth of Christ” depends to early period of J.Jordance’s creative activity. In this picture painter expressed evangelic scene like common one, with composition full of figures of Flemish ordinary people. The bull and domestic birds, impersonating reconciliation strengthened feeling of country scene. Only nimbus around the head of Maria reminds about religious characteristics of procedure.
Common genre painting of Flandreau, going up to traditions of narrating Dutch painting of XVI-XVII centuries, is presented by painting of Jan Batist Lambrekhts (1621-1674) “Scene in tavern”.
High achievements of English art of second half of XVIII century depend to portrait genre, having got steady arranged traditions, coming from national portrait miniature. In the struggle against passed, aged schemes, the new principles of realistic portrait started to appear. Mostly all English portraits are characterized by will of painters to create plethoric alive character by using traditional schemes of folk portrait at the same time. As an example of English folk portrait, “Female portrait” of XVIII century from the collection of our museum can be represented. Here is the depiction of young lady on dark green background.
In XIX century leading position in English painting belonged to landscape, being in advance of development of this genre in European art. This period in collection of our museum is represented by “Landscape with cows”, work of unknown English artist of realistic movement.
Two works of unknown masters prove high painting culture of Spain in XVII century; they are “Still life with basket of apples”, where the principles of “caravagism” are used and hunting scene “Dogs and shouted game”.
The gothic style still predominated in art of Germany in early XV century. More active centers of art life were nothern German cities. Here delicate and refined art was composed, related with traditions of post gothic miniature. They still kept golden background and flat treating of figures with their multiscale arbitrariness of proportions. Great blossoming of fine arts in Germany marked later XV- early XVI centuries. The art of XVI century was rich in contrasts; leading styles were painting and engraving. The road with little bridge above stormy river is depicted in landscape by Reinhart Johann Christian. One can see mountains far away and trees, on the right side, along the road painter depicted figures of men and women.
One of the unique exhibits of the museum is “Ascension of Maria”, altar icon with rare icon graphical subject. The icon was damaged in Ashgabat earthquake in 1948 and was reconstructed by restorer P.Baranov, in restoration center named after I.Grabar in Moscow. At the present time this masterpiece serves as decoration of the Museum of fine arts of Turkmenistan.
During XIX century German art earned one of leading places in European culture. The base movements in painting of that period were classicism and romanticism. The most vivid scene of romantic art was developed in genre of landscape and portrait. In the painting “Landscape with fiords” by German painter F.Grebbe, who lived in Norway for many years, skillfully expressed quiet state of nature, grandeur of mountains, beauty of melting snow are shown. The picture is painted in restful color gamut, without garish contrast of light and shade.
Sorrow and grief of widow is reflected in portrait “Widow” by G.Shlezinger so really, that every spectator, watching this painting can feel sufferings of heroine. Dramatics of the painting is expressed by dark tones, accenting mourning of young lady.
Collection of west European art in the Museum of fine arts of Turkmenistan has authentic masterpieces with vivid characterizing process of development of European culture during several centuries.