Russian art

Russian art

The earliest according to the age exhibits of museum collection belongs to Russian art of XVII century. Since the reforms of Peter the Great and radical changings in Russian mode of life, earthly elements have definitely taken their place in art. Changings have touched all spheres: economy, culture and art of Russian state. Artists were asked to perpetuate images of representatives of authorities, figures of science and culture, to paint sightseeing of new capital- Petersburg, its numerous palaces and monuments. New generation of painters drew out new genre of portrait order, created works, which were put on the same rank as the best works of west European art. F.Rokotov, D.Levitsky and V.Borovikovsky were the heads of this pleiad. “Portrait of Catherine II” (1779), painted by F.Rokotov (1735(6)-1808(9)), attracts attention by its delicate painting and spiritual richness of figurative characteristics. F.Rokotov in his creative activity always aspired to intimate feeling and psychological complication in portraying human nature. With the skill of painter-psychologist, D.Levitsky in “Portrait of Anna Davia Bernucci” (1779) magnificently expressed shining humid eyes of Italian actress, gleaming with intellect and penetration. The portrait presented in our museum is author’s reproduction of the painting of the same name from Tretyakov gallery. Creative activity of V.Borovikovsky (1757-1825) in collection of our museum is presented by reproduction from his work “Alexander and Constantine Pavlovich in childhood” (1780). The painter was one of the best representatives of sentimental movement. He tried to make people closer to nature, animating the background by romantic landscape. 

Painter George Christophe Groth, who came from Germany in 1741, lived in Russia for nearly 9 years, he left remarkable trace in the history of Russian art. As royal court-painter of Elizabeth Petrovna, he repeatedly portrayed members of royal family. These portraits were repeated by other painters under supervision of the author. Knee-length “Portrait of Catherine Alexeevna with the fan in hand” is one of them. 

Precursor of new romantic and realistic painting of XIX century was one of the best portrait-painters of XVIII century S.S.Shukin (1762-1828). The painter won great popularity by length-portrait of Pavel I, for which he was honored the title of academician. “Portrait of Pavel I” (1796) with the signature of S.Shukin from the collection of our museum depends on the number of portraits similar to ones from Pavlovsky palace-museum and Hermitage.  

The greatest representative of historical painting was G.Ugryumov (1764-1823), who was talented teacher of Russian Academy of arts. He was one of the first who called his attention to national Russian history. His sketch of painting “Capturing Kazan”, ordered to the painter for Mikhailovsky house in Saint Petersburg, is represented in the museum collection.

In the early XIX century in Russian painting romanticism was developed. This period in the collection of the museum is represented by works of O.Kiprensky (1782-1836) “Portrait of boy” (1832), and K.Bryulov (1799-1852) “Italian morning” (1832), “Fortunetelling” (1830), “Female portrait” (1822-1834). 

In the collection of the museum rather widely and variously presented the following period in development of Russian art, second half of XIX century early XX century, the period of unification of painters into “Association of mobile exhibitions”. Activity of this unification is signified by great development of Russian national art, forming movement of critical realism. Visitors of the museum can see works of such vivid representatives of this movement as “Drinking tea in Mytishch near Moscow” (1960) by V.Perov (1834-1882), “Peter the Great Interrogating the Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich at Peterhof” (1871) by N.Ge (1831-1894), author’s replica of famous work “Rooks have come” (1889) by A.Savrasov (1830-1897). The work of delicate brush strokes of I.Repin (1874-1930) “Gaidamak” (1902) is painted in wide and free manner particular to the brightest representative of critical realism of Russian art. There is an inhabitant of Zaporozhye in red cap, sitting on the bank of storming Dnepr.

Variously gifted innovator in painting, one of the most talented students of I.E.Repin was V.A.Serov (1865-1911), who was inborn portrait-painter, extraordinary expresser of spiritual world of social representatives. The pearl of collection of museum is his small-sized work “Portrait of Lvova” (1893). Painting of V.A.Serov charms spectator by its purity and color depth, by its nuance and transition of close tones, and excites by its decorative contrasts. 

Expresser of great power of Russian nature is I.Shishkin. Really no one among landscape-painters could express power and beauty of Russian forest with such swing in their works. “Landscape” (1897) by I.Shishkin depicts edge of a forest with wooden small house and broken wooden hedge among birches and pine- trees. 

I.Levitan (1861-1900) expresses variety and beauty of nature poetically and sensually in his works of art. Nature in creative activity of the painter is not impassioned object of painting. Plain grown over with bushes, with slim trunks of birches and dark green fir trees here and there is depicted in landscape “Young wood” (1884), so particular motive in creative activity of I.Levitan.

Landscape painting is represented by works of painters, who started their creative way in the first half and fruitfully developed it in the second half of XIX century, by I.Aivazovsky (1817-1900) and A. Kuindzhi (1842-1910).

The realistic sides of creative activity of I.Aivazovsky are reflected in “Seascape” (1898) and “In storm” (1897). Landscape “Sheep in steppe” is the rare exception in the creative activity of painter of seascapes, where entirely realistic scene of herding sheep is represented in the romantic background of sunset. Just as I.Aivazovsky, landscape painter A. Kuindzhi was fond of unusual and especial condition of nature and he represented in his works such moments. Spectators are amazed by unusual colors and extraordinary modeling of illumination of depicted things in such works like “Surf” (1901), “Snow tops” (1899), “Winter” (1898).

Typical representative of impressionism in Russian painting was K.Korovin (1861-1939).

Landscape “Coachmen” (1916) is the finest example from the creative activity of this remarkable painter, which corresponds to peculiarities of his talent, temperament and attitude to the reality. His paintings are always invention. For K.Korovin, landscape is first of all artistic knowledge of nature and person.

There are bright, hot paints, strong and sometimes unexpected confrontation of tense and rich colors in the works of N.Rerikh (1874-1947), which  more close to decorative panel than to picture. His “Arrows of sky, spears of Earth” (1915) is epic work, full of confusing red coloring, which can depend to historic genre: plot of the painting is wafted by heroic pages from Russian history.

Russian art of Soviet period passed in difficult, complicated and inconsistent way. Especially it is shown in the 20’s of XX century – period of existence and struggle of different creative groups and movements. In the 30’s official movement- social realism was developed, which really became the only movement in Soviet art until 70’s.

The 20’s of XX century in the collection of the museum are presented by painting “Sleeping baby” (1924) by painter-symbolist K.Petrov-Vodkin (1878-1939) and “Landscape” (1920) by painter-futurist D.Burlyuk. R.Falk is considered to be from younger generation of “The Jack of diamonds” group. In his works he tried to leave out casual and concentrate attention on the main thing. He was interested in expressing sense of light and atmosphere. The landscape “Zagorsk Frost” (1950) is delicately worked out by painter in pearl soft tones of pink color, the variety of texture gives the feeling of moving cold air.

The 30’s and 60’s of XX century in Soviet art are presented by works of such famous masters as A.Daineka (1899-1969), P.Kotov (1889-1953), N.Romadin (1903-1980), U.Pimenov (1903-1977), A.Laktinov (1910-1972) and many others. It should be noted about the finest still life “Lilac in basket” (1938) painted by P. Konchalovsky (1876-1957), who really amazes spectator by picturesqueness of the work. That’s why “Lilac” from our exposition, sounds like apotheosis of eternal life of world and the poetic charm. 

There is collection of miniature of XVIII-XIX centuries in our museum, created by foreign painters who worked in Russia as well as Russian painters.

Ideas and tastes of that period and artistic movements, developed in Russian art are reflected in the miniature. Collection of Russian sculpture is represented by creative activity of I.Shreder (1835-1908), R.Bakh (1859-1933), N.Sverchkov (1817-1898) and others.

Collection of Russian porcelain of XVIII- XIX centuries is rich and various, it contains works, produced in Popov factory, Kornilov brothers’ factory, Kuznetsov factory and other Russian porcelain manufactures. Notable place among works of Russian porcelain belongs to porcelain of Soviet period, produced in Leningrad porcelain factory of Lomonosov.