"The Ninth Wave"
Galina Churak
Curator of the exhibition and head of the department of painting of the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries
When we unpacked “The Ninth Wave” on the eve of the opening of the exhibition, everyone began to take pictures next to this painting. It seems that we all know both the work and the artist - whether we love him or not, this is still one of Aivazovsky’s hits. The viewer has always had a certain attitude towards him: there is a simple-minded viewer who likes everything. And there is a snobbish and critical viewer. It may seem that there was too much commerce in Aivazovsky, his work was focused on the public and on success - hence the long-established rejection of Aivazovsky.
Art developed in its own complex and often contradictory way, but Aivazovsky was, as it were, born a romantic and remained one throughout his life. He had an interest in the freedom of the elements, and with this is connected the romantic state that many of us experience in our youth.
I love Aivazovsky for his dedication to the subject and the enormous skill of the artist, which did not betray him until his old age. “The Wave,” for example, was painted at the age of 70, and he still stood in front of the huge canvas without fear, his hand and eye unerringly determining the correct stroke. The work forces us to come closer and closer, we are captivated by the pattern of the waves, the shape and depth of the abyss. In such works, the dramas of humanity and the world are played out - almost reaching the point of cosmism.
Researchers of his writing always say that the artist’s techniques are clear; he does not use so many colors, but he knows how to lay them out in layers with such skill that he creates a bottomlessness and variety of shades, light and color. His paintings convey a sense of the power of light flows - the illumination of the crest of a wave, the boiling and rush of water, and notice how, in the midst of all this, he can incredibly precisely set a counterpoint, a color stroke that collects a different energy.
"Black Sea"
Everyone knows the picture from Tretyakov Gallery“The Black Sea” at one time amazed Kramskoy with the fact that there is nothing in it except the sky and waves, but there is an ocean, immense and boundless, eternally moving, eternally swaying, like the breath of the world and a symbol of human destiny. It is no coincidence that in Kramskoy’s painting “Inconsolable Grief” a woman who has lost a child appears against the background of this very picture - as a symbol of fate and human destiny, a symbol of perseverance. Kramskoy said that among the 3000–4000 paintings by Aivazovsky, there are several dozen that are absolutely ideal in their execution.
“Inconsolable Grief”, Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy
I had different attitudes towards Aivazovsky, but now I understand that he is much richer than just a painter of the sea. In each painting, his skill is combined with deep feelings and serious thoughts - and all this creates that image of the world.
Aivazovsky is not the first Russian artist to turn to depicting the sea - but no one has painted it the way he began to depict it. Shchedrin, wonderful artist beginning of the century, he was older - and for Aivazovsky he became an idol. He also painted the sea, but more coastal scenes - he did not like the open sea, he considered the movement of the waves too sloppy. Aivazovsky’s main merit is that he put the image of the sea on a par with serious historical painting. Landscape has always been underestimated in our country, but Aivazovsky equalized it and brought it to the same level of significance as large historical canvases.
"View of Venice. San Giorgio"
If I could take any work home, I would choose “View of Venice. San Giorgio." Seascape written on a board, and the basis itself gives the artist the opportunity for absolute smooth painting. This painting is remarkable because it has absolute clarity, purity and peace: the location is so well chosen and the foreground is wonderfully related to the calm water, the expanse of the sky and the calm clouds. By the way, in addition to the sea, we will also show several portraits at the exhibition - this is uncharacteristic for Aivazovsky, he did not paint them very often. Among them there is an absolutely wonderful portrait of the traveler Platon Chikhachev, painted in Italy. An absolutely romantic image: a dreamy pose, a red cap on the head, the deck of a sailboat, the sea and a fading perspective.
We are not trying to rehabilitate Aivazovsky, but with this exhibition we want to show his diversity and depth. Yes, during his lifetime he was a commercial artist, he thought through where and how to organize exhibitions, but most of them were held for charitable purposes - he gave admission money to poor students and young artists, peasants who suffered from crop failure. He was a worthy man - and our first artist to receive the Order of the French Legion - twice. Having incredible fame in Europe, he lived all his life in Feodosia, where he was born. For the residents of this then small provincial town, he installed a water supply system, which supplied him with 50,000 buckets of water per day. He opened a library and built an archaeological museum. He donated money to Armenian schools and churches, and gave paintings to decorate Armenian churches.
Of course, a person cannot be perfect in every way. In the memories of him you can find such a funny moment: Aivazovsky loved it when he was awarded orders. He has such a large portrait that we couldn’t even get it: in it he depicts himself in a full admiral’s uniform with all the orders that he ever had.
What helps a person to be happy? A job that brings pleasure, close people and creativity. For some people, creativity is both a hobby and work, while for others it is the contemplation of beauty. At school we study the paintings of great artists and prepare written works about them. Probably every person wrote Aivazovsky’s “The Tempest”. Let's remember the amazing work of the brilliant painter.
A few words about the author of the picture
Now we will talk about the author of the painting, familiar from childhood. Later we will write an essay on the painting “The Storm”. Aivazovsky Ivan Konstantinovich was born in the amazingly beautiful port city of Feodosia. This is probably why he was in love with the sea, its romance and power since childhood. Hovhannes Ayvazyan (the artist’s real name) was born on July 29, 1817. The boy grew up in poverty and studied at the Simferopol gymnasium. His passion for art led him to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he learned from the outstanding masters of that time. After his studies, Aivazovsky traveled a lot, and in 1847 he became a professor at his alma mater.
Before writing an essay on the painting “The Storm” (Aivazovsky), I would like to note that the author of the painting excelled in seascapes and even worked as an artist at the naval headquarters. The most famous works are “The Black Sea” and “The Ninth Wave,” although he enjoyed depicting Ukrainian and Caucasian landscapes and episodes from Armenian history. In total, the painter’s creative heritage includes about six thousand canvases, into which he put his soul. And in addition to his favorite work, Ivan managed to engage in charity and public affairs, helped his hometown, founded a museum and art gallery, and contributed to the construction of the railroad. Ivan Konstantinovich died at the venerable age of 1900, having begun work on another canvas, in Feodosia, where he was buried.
Amazing picture
You cannot write an essay on the painting “The Storm” (I.K. Aivazovsky) without knowing what is depicted in it. It was created by Ivan Konstantinovich in 1851, like a continuation of the canvas “Storm at Sea at Night” (1849). It was painted in oil on canvas and is kept in the State Russian Museum.
According to Aivazovsky’s biographers, the artist in his youth, already famous, was caught in a storm. The storm was so strong that the ship was considered sunken, and newspapers published about Ivan’s death. Concerns about life and admiration for the power of the elements, the confrontation between people and nature were reflected in the memory, and then appeared from under the master’s brush, surprising everyone.
Description of the painting “Storm”
Two-thirds of the canvas is occupied by the sky: gloomy, overcast. In the foreground is a foaming sea. The waves seem to be pumping, playing with the ship. The ship tilted very much from the strong wind, the sails were torn, the rigging was broken. A piece of the mast fell into the water, and the crazy whirlpool carried it into the distance. Looking at the picture, you literally hear the alarming cries of the seagulls that are trying to find shelter, the rumble of thunder, and the doomed cries of the crew. It’s easy to write an essay based on the painting “The Storm” (Aivazovsky), because it seems to be alive. Even just looking at a reproduction leaves a very strong impression, and what a thrill you get when you admire the original! Now describe Aivazovsky’s painting “The Storm” and you too.
Remembering school
How to write an essay based on Aivazovsky’s painting “The Storm”? First you need to make a plan. The work should have a short introduction, a main part devoted to the canvas, and a conclusion. For example, like this.
Man has always admired the sea, its strength and power, its immensity and mystery. When a storm came, it seemed to the little people that they had somehow angered the forces of nature, and they tried to understand why. But they were unable to tame the elements; they could only wait, watching its games. These are the thoughts that engulf someone who looks at the brilliant canvas “Storm” by I. Aivazovsky.
The painting depicts a ship caught in a storm. Waves of terrible height mercilessly turn them in different directions, as if playing with the destinies of the people on board. A strong wind broke the rigging, carried away part of the mast somewhere and tilted the ship. It seems that it is about to fill with water and sink to the bottom, taking the desperate sailors with it. And only the seagulls will witness the tragedy, and only they will sing a sad song over their grave.
The sky is silent. Clouds of all shades of blue and gray hid the sun behind them. True, occasionally rays daylight they are still making their way, giving people at least some hope. Maybe the elements have already had enough of a storm and will move away, leaving the ship afloat? Maybe the wind has played enough with the ship and will fly upward, accelerating Who will win this time - the little man or Mother Nature? Who knows?
Aivazovsky is a brilliant master, as he was able to convey with colors the realistic grandeur of the sea, as well as its indomitable power. It only seems to a person that he is the king of nature, but in fact he is her child: small, disobedient and helpless. He must understand that his efforts are in vain, and come to terms with the fate that the elements have prepared for him. However, the team fights to the end, and a ray of light gives them hope for salvation.
Instead of a conclusion
The artist and his canvas make the viewer think about life and their place in it. After all, our existence is a small ship in a huge sea, which either sails in calm or fights a storm. And how this voyage ends depends on us and our actions.
- Read your essay carefully and write down the main ideas of each paragraph or subsection. Skim through them and leave only those that you consider most relevant to your work. Offering the reader all the conclusions for each small fragment of text, you will only bore him with this and make the work drawn out.
- Think about how to write down your conclusions so as not to repeat what was said in the introduction and the main body of the work. Perhaps you will rephrase them or present them from a slightly different perspective. If you find it difficult to formulate the first thought, start with any template phrase that will concentrate the reader’s attention on the ending of your work. For example, these could be phrases: “Summing up...”, “Thus...”.
- Write down the most significant conclusions, re-read them and try to make them more vivid. Are there any doubts in your formulations about your competence, uncertainty, expressed by the phrases: “I don’t fully understand...”, “I doubt...”, “I’m not a big expert in this matter...”? It is better to remove such phrases, since the author of the essay must demonstrate that he has thoroughly understood the named problem.
- If the essay contains a thesis statement, mention it in the conclusion, but try to submit it to some new form. The same applies to the question posed in the work, which requires an answer.
- Work hard on the last sentences, because they should sound very expressive and impressive. Perhaps you will touch some feelings of your readers, call them to a specific action, make them smile with an ironic phrase, or surprise them with an apt statement. But be extremely careful to final phrase don't ruin the work. The elegant expression must be in harmony with the entire work, otherwise it will look pretentious and give the reader the impression that you lack taste.
Ministry of Education Russian Federation
World art culture
Essay
on the topic: Aivazovsky Ivan Konstantinovich
Completed by: 9th grade student
Checked:
I. Introduction... 4
II. Creativity of I. Aivazovsky... 5
1. Marinism... 5
A. Romantic landscape… 5
b. Aivazovsky I.K. – founder of Marinism... 5
2. Patriotism of I.K. Aivazovsky’s creativity... 7
A. The attractive power of the sea... 7
b. Patriotism... 7
V. The Aivazovsky phenomenon... 8
3. List of some paintings by the artist... 9
A. Brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships... 9
b. Volga near the Zhiguli Mountains... 9
V. Italian landscape. Evening… 10
Caucasus Mountains from the sea... 10
d. Sea battle in the Chios Strait... 10
e. Niagara Falls… 11
and. Fishermen on the seashore... 11
h. Calm sea... 12
And. Chesme fight… 13
III. Analysis of some of the artist’s paintings... 14
1. “Battle of Chesme” (1848)… 14
2. “The Ninth Wave” (1850)… 15
3. “Rainbow” (1873)… 16
4. “Among the Waves” (1898)… 17
IV. Biography of the artist... 19
V. Conclusion... 25
VI. Literature… 26
VII. Application… 27
1. Photos of attractions… 27
A. Aivazovsky Fountain… 27
b. Monument to Aivazovsky... 28
2. Photos of some paintings... 28
A. Battle in the Chios Strait... 28
b. Storm on the North Sea... 28
V. Italian landscape. Evening… 29
3. Portraits of the artist... 29
. Introduction
Painting has many genres. I decided to focus on the landscape, and the main thing for me was to see beautiful world nature through the eyes of a famous artist. I wanted to see the sea in the picture. And, following my goal, I came across the painting “The Sea”, the author of which was I.K. Aivazovsky... I also came across an article: “The first monument to Aivazovsky in Russia was opened.” It turns out that on September 15, 2007, in the suburb of St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, a bust of the artist was installed on Makarovskaya Embankment. The artist’s great-great-granddaughter Irina Kasatskaya took part in the opening ceremony of the monument. The author of the monument is Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Gorevoy. He is also the author of the bust of Peter the Great in Priozersk Leningrad region, monuments to Semenov-Tien-Shansky in Kyrgyzstan, high reliefs of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow and others famous works. The opening of the monument in the fortified city of Kronstadt was timed to coincide with the 190th anniversary of the painter. At one time he served at the Main Naval Staff, and his bust was erected on the initiative of the Kronstadt Naval Assembly. In addition to the monument, the artist’s celebrity is evidenced by the fact that there is an Aivazovsky fountain and an Aivazovsky Art Gallery. I have included photographs of these attractions (the fountain and the monument) in the appendix.
I was interested in this artist, since in his paintings, first of all, you can see the sea. His fame amazed me. And the opening of the monument left no doubt at all about the choice of topic for the essay.
Aivazovsky I.K. is a marine painter, and therefore I decided to start the essay with an explanation of the term marineism.
. Creativity of I. Aivazovsky
1. Marinism
A. Romantic landscape
Significant contribution to development romantic landscape contributed by I.K. Aivazovsky. A painting depicting the sea is called a marina, and an artist who paints the sea element is called a marine painter. The most famous marine painter is Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky. Wise people said that a person will never get tired of looking at water and fire. The ever-changing sea, sometimes calm, sometimes agitated, its changing color, unbridled elements - all this became the main theme in Aivazovsky’s work. The name of Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky is one of the most popular in Russian art. The famous marine painter left a truly enormous legacy. Most of Aivazovsky’s paintings are dedicated to the sea, sometimes calm and quiet in the bright rays of the setting sun or in the radiance of moonlight, sometimes stormy and furious.
In the painting “Seashore” the image of the sea appears in its lyrical and romantic interpretation. The landscape clearly demonstrates creative method artist. “The Seashore” was clearly composed and written without nature, but the artist’s imagination accurately recreated the typical character of the seashore, the state of nature before an approaching thunderstorm.
b. Aivazovsky I.K. - founder of Marinism
By the end of the first half of the 19th century, another movement emerged within the Russian romantic landscape - Marinism. The founder of this genre in Russian painting was Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky. In the 19th century, the sea element attracted artists from many countries. In marine species, the tradition of romanticism lived the longest.
Aivazovsky’s own painting style was already taking shape by the 40s of the 19th century. He departs from the strict classical rules construction of the picture, skillfully uses the experience of Maxim Vorobyov, Claude Lorrain and creates colorful paintings in which various effects of water and foam, warm golden tones of the coast are skillfully conveyed.
In several large paintings - “The Ninth Wave”, “The Black Sea”, “Among the Waves” - majestic images of the sea were created using the shipwreck theme typical of a romantic painting.
Aivazovsky influenced Russian landscape painters, primarily Alexei Petrovich Bogolyubov. But Bogolyubov, who once began as an imitator of Aivazovsky, at the end of the 60s was already critical of the famous master. In his notes, excerpts from which are given in Yagodovskaya’s work, he wrote: “Although he (Aivazovsky) and I pursued the same direction, he never interfered with me, because I was always a naturalist, and he was an idealist - I always wrote sketches, without which writing a picture would be unthinkable for me, but he declared in print that this was nonsense and that one should paint with the impression of looking at nature.”
Bogolyubov was known as a “Russian Frenchman”; he mastered the techniques of plein air painting. His painting, which seemed to bridge the gap between Russian and French landscapes, remained little known, but Aivazovsky’s art, which is more in line with the people’s need for spectacular, impressive paintings of nature, is still extremely popular.
Thus, in the first quarter of the 19th century, the romantic direction actively developed landscape painting, freeing himself from the features of the speculative “heroic landscape” of classicism, painted in the workshop and burdened with the burden of purely cognitive tasks and historical associations. The landscape during this period is understood as a portrait of a given area. Painted from life, it expresses the artist’s worldview through the directly depicted view, a real-life landscape motif, although with some idealization, the use of romantic motifs and themes.
2. Patriotism of creativity of Aivazovsky I.K.
A. The attractive power of the sea
The name of the great artist Ivan (Hovhannes) Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (1817-1900) enjoyed wide popularity during his lifetime. His brilliant works have taken pride of place not only in Russian and Armenian painting, but also in the treasury of world art.
Dedicating your brilliant talent sea painting, he created unforgettable poetic images the sea in its most diverse manifestations. Aivazovsky's deeply meaningful and humanistic art placed him on a par with the best masters of realistic art of the 19th century.
The sea has always had a huge attractive force for artists. There is not a single Russian painter who, having visited the sea, would not try to depict it. For some, these were episodic studies that were not related to the main course of development of their art, while others returned to this topic from time to time, devoting significant place depicting the sea in his paintings. Among the artists of the Russian school, only Aivazovsky devoted his great talent entirely to marine painting. By nature he was endowed with a brilliant talent, which quickly developed thanks to fortunate circumstances and thanks to the environment in which his childhood and youth passed.
b. Patriotism
Aivazovsky survived two generations of artists, and his art covers a huge period of time - sixty years of creativity. Starting with works rich in bright romantic images, Aivazovsky came to a soulful, deeply realistic and heroic image sea elements, creating the painting “Among the Waves.”
Before last day he happily retained not only the undulled vigilance of his eye, but also his deep faith in his art. He walked his path without the slightest hesitation or doubt, maintaining clarity of feelings and thinking into old age.
Aivazovsky's work was deeply patriotic. His merits in art were noted all over the world. He was elected a member of five Academies of Arts, and his Admiralty uniform was strewn with honorary orders from many countries.
V. The Aivazovsky phenomenon
Creative biography the artist is quite clear and transparent. I. Aivazovsky did not know ups and downs. He was not haunted by failures, was not upset by the disfavor of the authorities, was not disturbed by the attacks of criticism and the indifference of the public.
The works he created were bought by Nicholas II, Alexander III and other European monarchs. I. Aivazovsky traveled all over Europe, visited America and Africa. His 55 lifetime personal exhibitions were an unprecedented phenomenon. Some of them went on a pan-European tour.
The essence of the phenomenon of I. Aivazovsky is in the clearly expressed role and features of the creative method. I. Aivazovsky developed stable signs of an individual manner literally in the first years of his professional studies and followed them all his life.
This feature makes it difficult to judge the evolution of his pictorial language and makes any periodization of the artist’s work imperfect. Once proven stories appear again and again, sometimes decades later. However, this constancy does not cause addiction, irritation, or boredom. The subject area, within the boundaries of which the artist’s creative imagination exists, requires turning to irrational, extreme situations: the sea, sun, fire, clouds are neither ordinary nor unchangeable.
3. List of some paintings by the artist
A. Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships
The feat of the Mercury crew dates back to the time Russian-Turkish war 1828-29. A Russian brig, on patrol duty, met with two Turkish battleships. At the enemy’s offer to surrender, the commander of the brig, captain-lieutenant A.I. Kazarsky ordered to respond with artillery fire. The Russian ship had 18 guns against 184 enemy ones. After a difficult battle, the Mercury forced the Turkish ships to retreat.
Genre: Battle genre
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1892
Original dimensions, cm: 212x339
b. Volga near the Zhiguli Mountains
Aivazovsky swam along the Russian Volga River, capturing the places that produced pleasant impression or just liked it. This is the picture “Volga near the Zhiguli Mountains”, where every person will see with a new look long-familiar and at the same time unknown beautiful places practically from a bird’s eye view.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: River landscape
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1887
Original dimensions, cm: 129x219.5
V. Italian landscape. Evening
For life I.K. Aivazovsky retained an enthusiastic attitude towards the nature of Italy, where he first visited in the 1840-1844s... Attract attention technique performance of this work. In the 40-60s, the painter gave preference to such careful finishing of details and varnishing the surface of the paint layer.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Seascape
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1858
Original dimensions, cm: 108x160
Caucasus Mountains from the sea
One of the best paintings recent years life of I.K. Aivazovsky.
The color scheme is based on subtle gradations of blue and gray colors different shades. The picture amazes with its richness of tonal and color transitions. The dark blue, snow-covered Caucasus Mountains served as the backdrop for the image of the agitated sea, painted with a thin layer of highly liquefied paints, which formed transparent smudges in some places. They organically entered into the picturesque structure of the picture, enhancing the impression of the transparency of sea water.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Seascape
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1899
Original dimensions, cm: 57x92
d. Sea battle in the Chios Strait
June 24, 1770. The ships of the opposing squadrons converged on the “pistol shot”, white clouds of cannon smoke rose to the tops of the masts. The foreground shows an artillery duel between Russian and two Turkish ships.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Battle genre
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1848
Original dimensions, cm: 195x185
e. Niagara Falls
In 1892 I.K. Aivazovsky traveled to North America, where an exhibition of his works was held with great success.
The painting, painted shortly after returning from overseas, pleases with the freshness of its color and the perfectly conveyed feeling of moist air. Despite the sky covered with gray clouds, the landscape is permeated with the light of the sun's rays, transforming the water and the shore. A remarkable decoration of the canvas is a rainbow, which Aivazovsky, judging by the drawings in his American travel album, actually observed above the waterfall. The matte surface of the canvas and light painting style are common for the artist’s works of those years.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: River landscape
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1893
Original dimensions, cm: 126x164
and. Fishermen on the seashore
Aivazovsky began to paint a picture, depicting the sky, or as he called it, following his teacher at the Academy of Arts M.N. Vorobyov - air. No matter the size of the canvas, Aivazovsky painted “air” in one session, even if it lasted up to 12 hours in a row. It was with such a titanic effort that the conveyance of the airiness and integrity of the color scheme of the sky was achieved. The desire to complete the picture as quickly as possible was dictated by the desire not to lose the unity of the mood of the motive, to convey to the viewer a frozen moment in the life of a moving sea element. The water in his paintings is a boundless ocean, not stormy, but swaying, harsh, endless. And the sky, if possible, is even more endless. The plot of the picture, the artist said, is formed in my memory, like the plot of a poem by a poet; Having made a sketch on a piece of paper, I begin to work and do not leave the canvas until I express myself on it with my brush.” Speaking about his paintings, Aivazovsky noted: “Those paintings in which main strength- the light of the sun... must be considered the best.”
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Ships
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1852
Original dimensions, cm: 93.5x143
h. Calm sea
The sea... Its boundless distance and luminous sunrises, witchcraft moonlit nights and no one depicted the fury of storms as poetically and inspiredly as I.K. Aivazovsky. The artist loved the sea very much, and he connected his work with it. In his works he created the image of a free and poetic sea element. Aivazovsky wrote about the sea in different time days and in different weather, depicting it both raging and calm. He knew the sea and the secrets of its movements very well. The artist made annual trips to the seas, studying the effects of lighting and the nature of the sea.
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Seascape
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1863
Original dimensions, cm: 45x58.5
And. Chesme fight
This battle took place during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. On the night of June 26, 1770, the Russian fleet entered Chesme Bay, where the Turkish fleet was stationed. The Russian squadron consisted of 7 ships and four fire ships. After an artillery duel between the squadrons, the fireships went on the attack... The Russian detachment did not lose a single ship. The enemy burned 15 battleships, 6 frigates and over 30 ships of other classes, 1 was captured battleship and 5 galleys. In the report on the results of the battle, Admiral G.A. Spiridov wrote: “The fleet was attacked, smashed, broken, burned, sent into the sky, sunk and reduced to ashes.” These words of the official report convey to us the pride of the sailors who won the unequal battle. A. conveys the drama and tension of the night battle at Chesma in the 1848 painting by juxtaposing two opposing elements - water and fire. Enemy ships are burning with huge fires, and the flames, breaking the darkness of the Mediterranean night, are reflected in the dark water of the bay. Russian ships stand out in clear silhouettes against the background of flames. In the foreground you can see the boat returning to the squadron with the crew of Lieutenant Ilyin’s fireship (which particularly distinguished itself in battle).
Original technique: Oil on canvas
Genre: Battle genre
Era: 19th century painting
Year of original creation: 1848
Original dimensions, cm: 193x183
III. Analysis of some of the artist's paintings
1. “Chesme Battle” (1848)
Aivazovsky's paintings of the forties and fifties are noted strong impact romantic traditions of K.P. Bryullov, which affected not only the painting skill, but also the very understanding of art and Aivazovsky’s worldview. Like Bryullov, he strives to create grandiose colorful canvases that can glorify Russian art. Aivazovsky has in common with Bryullov his brilliant painting skills, virtuosic technique, speed and courage of execution. This was very clearly reflected in one of the early battle paintings, “The Battle of Chesme,” written by him in 1848, dedicated to an outstanding naval battle.
After the Battle of Chesma took place in 1770, Orlov, in his report to the Admiralty Board, wrote: “...Honor to the All-Russian Fleet. From June 25 to 26, the enemy fleet (we) attacked, smashed, broke, burned, sent to heaven, into ashes converted... and they themselves began to dominate the entire archipelago..." The pathos of this report, pride in the outstanding feat of the Russian sailors, the joy of the victory achieved was perfectly conveyed by Aivazovsky in his film. When we first look at the picture, we are overcome with a feeling of joyful excitement, as if from a festive spectacle - a brilliant fireworks display. And only with a detailed examination of the picture does the plot side become clear. The battle is depicted at night. In the depths of the bay, burning ships of the Turkish fleet are visible, one of them at the moment of the explosion. Covered in fire and smoke, the wreckage of the ship flies into the air, turning into a huge blazing fire. And on the side, in the foreground, the flagship of the Russian fleet rises in a dark silhouette, to which, saluting, a boat with the crew of Lieutenant Ilyin, who blew up his fire-ship among the Turkish flotilla, approaches. And if we come closer to the picture, we will discern the wreckage of Turkish ships on the water with groups of sailors calling for help, and other details.
Aivazovsky was the last and most prominent representative of the romantic movement in Russian painting, and these features of his art were especially evident when he painted sea battles full of heroic pathos; in them one could hear that “music of battle”, without which battle painting devoid of emotional impact.
2. “The Ninth Wave” (1850)
The romantic features of Aivazovsky’s work were especially pronounced in the painting “The Ninth Wave,” painted in 1850. Aivazovsky depicted the early morning after a stormy night. The first rays of the sun illuminate the raging ocean and the huge “ninth wave”, ready to fall on a group of people seeking salvation on the wreckage of the masts.
The viewer can immediately imagine what a terrible thunderstorm passed at night, what disaster the ship’s crew suffered and how the sailors died. Aivazovsky found the exact means to depict the greatness, power and beauty of the sea element. Despite the dramatic nature of the plot, the picture does not leave a gloomy impression; on the contrary, it is full of light and air and is completely permeated with the rays of the sun, giving it an optimistic character. This is greatly facilitated by the color scheme of the picture. It was written by the most bright colors palettes. Its color includes a wide range of shades of yellow, orange, pink and purple in the sky in combination with green, blue and violet in the water. The bright, major color palette of the picture sounds like a joyful hymn to the courage of people defeating the blind forces of a terrible, but beautiful in its formidable greatness, element.
This painting found a wide response at the time of its appearance and remains to this day one of the most popular in Russian painting.
The image of a raging sea element excited the imagination of many Russian poets. This is clearly reflected in Baratynsky’s poems. Willingness to fight and faith in final victory are heard in his poems:
So now, ocean, I thirst for your storms -
Worry, rise to the stone edges,
It makes me happy, your menacing, wild roar,
Like the call of a long-desired battle,
As a powerful enemy, I feel somewhat flattered anger...
This is how the sea entered the formed consciousness of young Aivazovsky. The artist managed to embody in marine painting the feelings and thoughts that worried the leading people of his time, and to give deep meaning and significance to his art.
3. "Rainbow" (1873)
In 1873, Aivazovsky created outstanding picture"Rainbow". The plot of this picture - a storm at sea and a ship dying off a rocky shore - is nothing unusual for Aivazovsky’s work. But its colorful range and painterly execution were a completely new phenomenon in Russian painting of the seventies. Depicting this storm, Aivazovsky showed it as if he himself was among the raging waves. Hurricane wind removes water dust from their crests. As if through a rushing whirlwind, the silhouette of a sinking ship and the vague outlines of a rocky shore are barely visible. The clouds in the sky dissolved into a transparent, damp veil. A stream broke through this chaos sunlight, lay like a rainbow on the water, giving the painting a multicolored coloring. The whole picture is painted in the finest shades of blue, green, pink and purple colors. The same tones, slightly enhanced in color, convey the rainbow itself. It flickers with a subtle mirage. From this, the rainbow acquired that transparency, softness and purity of color that always delights and enchants us in nature. The painting “Rainbow” was a new, higher level in Aivazovsky’s work.
Regarding one of these paintings by Aivazovsky F.M. Dostoevsky wrote: “The storm... of Mr. Aivazovsky... is amazingly good, like all his storms, and here he is a master - without rivals... In his storm there is rapture, there is that eternal beauty that amazes the viewer in a living, real storm...”
4. "Among the Waves" (1898)
In 1898, Aivazovsky painted the painting “Among the Waves,” which became the pinnacle of his work.
The artist depicted a raging element - a stormy sky and a stormy sea, covered with waves, as if boiling in a collision with one another. He abandoned the usual details in his paintings in the form of fragments of masts and dying ships, lost in the vast expanse of the sea. He knew many ways to dramatize the subjects of his paintings, but did not resort to any of them while working on this work. “Among the Waves” seems to continue to reveal the content of the painting “Black Sea” in time: if in one case the agitated sea is depicted, in the other it is already raging, at the moment of the highest formidable state of the sea element. The mastery of the painting “Among the Waves” is the fruit of the artist’s long and hard work throughout his life. His work on it proceeded quickly and easily. The brush, obedient to the artist’s hand, sculpted exactly the shape that the artist wanted, and put paint on the canvas in the way that the experience of skill and the instinct of a great artist, who did not correct the stroke once laid, told him. Apparently, Aivazovsky himself was aware that the painting “Among the Waves” was significantly superior in execution to all previous works of recent years. Despite the fact that after its creation he worked for another two years, organizing exhibitions of his works in Moscow, London and St. Petersburg, he did not take this painting out of Feodosia; he bequeathed it, along with other works that were in his art gallery, to his hometown of Feodosia.
But the painting “Among the Waves” did not exhaust creative possibilities Aivazovsky. Subsequently, he created several more paintings, beautiful in execution and content.
. Biography of the artist
... My sincere desire is that the building of my art gallery in the city of Feodosia, with all the paintings, statues and other works of art located in this gallery, constitute the full property of the city of Feodosia, and in memory of me, Aivazovsky, I bequeath the gallery to the city of Feodosia, my hometown.
From the will of I.K. Aivazovsky
Aivazovsky Ivan Konstantinovich (1817-1900) - Russian painter of Armenian origin, unrivaled marine painter. In 1837 he graduated from the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, class of landscape painter M. N. Vorobyov. In 1840 he went to Italy, then visited France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, and England. In 1844 he returned to St. Petersburg as a renowned European artist, a member of the Rome, Paris and Amsterdam academies. At home, he was also awarded the title of academician, and then was appointed artist at the Main Naval Staff. In 1845 he left St. Petersburg and finally settled in his native Feodosia, choosing the most favorable conditions for creativity. In 1847 he was recognized as a professor at the Academy of Arts. During his lifetime, more than 120 personal exhibitions took place in cities in Europe and America. Created about six thousand paintings...
The outstanding painter Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky entered the history of world art as a romantic marine painter, a master of Russian classical landscape, conveying on canvas the beauty and power of the sea element.
1817
Aivazovsky was born on July 29, 1817 in Feodosia in the family of a bankrupt Armenian merchant. There are still legends in the city about a boy who drew with samovar coal on the whitewashed walls of the houses of the Armenian settlement.
1831-1833
With the assistance of the Governor of Tavrida A.I. Kaznacheev (until 1830 he was the mayor of Feodosia and in every possible way encouraged the boy’s first steps in drawing), the talented teenager was admitted to the Taurida Gymnasium in 1831, and in 1833 he was enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg, which He graduated with a big gold medal and the right to travel to Crimea and then to Europe.
Already in the academic period, creativity young artist was noticed by his great contemporaries A. S. Pushkin, V. A. Zhukovsky, I. A. Krylov, M. I. Glinka, K. P. Bryullov, personal acquaintance with whom could not but affect the development and character of his art.
Two years of work in Crimea were unusually fruitful and useful for the young artist. Finding himself again on the shores of the Black Sea, in his native Feodosia, Aivazovsky works enthusiastically, closely studies nature, paints views of Yalta, Gurzuf, Sevastopol, Feodosia, and Kerch from life.
1840
In 1840, Aivazovsky, along with other boarders at the Academy of Arts, went to Rome to continue his education and improve his skills in landscape painting. He went to Italy as an already established master, having absorbed all the best traditions of Russian art. The years spent abroad were marked by tireless work. He gets acquainted with classical art in the museums of Rome, Venice, Florence, Naples, and visits Germany, Switzerland, Holland, France, England, Spain, and Portugal.
In a short time, Aivazovsky becomes the most famous artist in Europe. His paintings arouse unprecedented interest among viewers. He is greeted by the writer N.V. Gogol, artist A.A. Ivanov, professor of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts F.I. Jordan, and the famous English marine painter J. Turner, who were living in Italy at that time.
By this time, the painter’s creative method had also developed, to which he was faithful throughout his life. He writes from memory and imagination, explaining it as follows: “... the movements of living elements are elusive to the brush: painting lightning, a gust of wind, a splash of a wave is unthinkable from nature...”.
1844
In 1844, after four years abroad, Aivazovsky returned to his homeland as a recognized master, academician of the Rome, Paris and Amsterdam academies of arts. Upon returning to Russia, he was elevated to the rank of academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and was subsequently assigned by royal decree to the Main Naval Staff with the title of painter and the right to wear the uniform of the Naval Ministry. At this time, the artist was barely 27 years old, but already had a brilliant school of painting behind him, a huge creative success, world famous landscape painter.
1845
In 1845, Aivazovsky begins construction of his house in Feodosia. He was always drawn to his homeland, to the Black Sea. The house is being built according to the marine painter’s own design in the style of Italian Renaissance villas, and is decorated with casts from antique sculptures. Adjacent to the living rooms is a spacious studio, in which he would later create most of the six thousand paintings he painted. Among them are the landmark works “The Ninth Wave”, “The Black Sea”, “Among the Waves”. From the walls of his workshop will come talented artists A. Fessler, L. Lagorio, A. Ganzen, M. Latry, K. Bogaevsky.
1847
Living permanently in Feodosia, the painter works a lot, but does not confine himself within the walls of his studio. He leads a big social activities, is engaged in archaeological excavations, often travels to St. Petersburg and Moscow, constantly opens exhibitions of his works in major cities of Russia and abroad, takes part in international exhibitions. In 1847, he was awarded the title of professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, and later he became an academician of two more European art academies, Stuttgart and Florence.
His house and workshop are visited by artists I. E. Repin, I. I. Shishkin, G. I. Semiradsky, a famous collector. M. Tretyakov, Polish violin virtuoso Heinrich Wieniawski, writer A.P. Chekhov and others.
1871
In Feodosia, Aivazovsky lived a long life full of creative fire and indomitable energy. At the main facade of the artist’s house there is a bronze monument, on the pedestal of which there is a laconic inscription: “Feodosia to Aivazovsky.” In this a short phrase grateful descendants harbored a great sense of admiration, pride and deep respect for their famous fellow countryman, the first Honorary Citizen of Feodosia, who did a lot for the economic and cultural development cities. In addition to opening an art gallery in Feodosia in 1871, Aivazovsky built an archaeological museum building according to his own design and at his own expense, and became one of the organizers of the first public library. He constantly takes care of architectural appearance hometown. With his participation, the buildings of the concert hall and the dacha of the famous publicist and editor of the newspaper “Novoye Vremya” A.S. Suvorin were designed and built. According to the artist's design and thanks to his energy, a sea trade port and a railway were built.
1887-1888
Aivazovsky Fountain - unique business card Feodosia. The city has long experienced difficulties with water supply; there was a catastrophic shortage of fresh water. In July 1888, the writer A.P. Chekhov, who was visiting Feodosia, wrote: “There are no trees or grass in Feodosia.” The problem was solved in 1887, when, to improve the city’s water supply, I.K. Aivazovsky donated 50 thousand buckets of water to the city every day from the Su-Bash estate (now the village of Aivazovskoye, Kirov district).
The construction of the water pipeline was carried out in the spring and summer of 1888; the city spent 231,689 rubles on its construction, a very large amount for those times. Water arrived in the city already in September, and on October 1 (September 18, old style) 1888, the day of the official opening of the water supply system, a fountain was launched on Novo-Bazarnaya Square.
In its shape, the fountain is a rectangular oriental-style structure with large canopies from the roof, built from local shell rock, and the stone cladding has been partially preserved. The fountain was built with funds and according to the design of I.K. Aivazovsky. Its laying took place on September 12, 1887 after a service in the Feodosia Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
The City Duma was going to name the fountain after Alexandra III, relevant documents were prepared and sent to the authorities. Without waiting for a decision to be made, the city authorities prepared a foundation slab on which the words “Emperor Alexander” were engraved. However, taking into account the merits of I.K. Aivazovsky, the Highest Decree that followed in September 1888 ordered to give the fountain the name of the great artist. In this regard, on the foundation slab of the fountain, instead of the words “Emperor Alexander”, “I. K. Aivazovsky,” apparently there was no money for a new slab, so it was decided to cut out its center with the inscription and insert a block with new text. If you look closely at the foundation slab, you can clearly see the details of the letter “I” in front of the first letter in the name of I.K. Aivazovsky bigger size, from the word “Emperor”, and after the end of the name the details of the letter “A” from the word “Alexandra”.
A fee was charged for using the Feodosia-Subash water supply system, but they drank water from the fountain for free. In the center of the fountain, above the tap, there was a silver mug with the inscription: “Drink to the health of Ivan Konstantinovich and his family.” After some time, an oriental-style pavilion appeared near the fountain (the building has not survived): on the left there was a cheburek shop, on the right they prepared kebabs, the cafe was called “Fontanchik”. In the warm season, tables were placed behind a light fence directly under open air. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, this corner of the city was very popular among the townspeople.
1900
On April 19, 1900, there was a canvas on the easel with the begun painting “The Lost of the Ship” - it remained unfinished.
The whole city said goodbye to the artist. The road to the Church of St. Sergius was strewn with flowers. The military garrison of Feodosia paid their last respects to their artist.
In his declining years, as if summing up his life, Aivazovsky said to his interlocutor: “Happiness smiled on me.” His big life, which covered almost the entire 19th century, from its beginning to the very end, was lived calmly and with dignity. There were no storms and cataclysms in it, so frequent in the master’s paintings. He never once doubted the correctness of his chosen path and until the end of the century he conveyed the precepts of romantic art, with which he began. creative path, seeking to combine heightened emotionality with a realistic depiction of nature.
. Conclusion
Aivazovsky taught many generations of people to see the sea correctly and enjoy its amazing beauty. He created about 6,000 works. Aivazovsky painted the sea sometimes as joyful, shining with countless reflections of the sun, sometimes as stern and gloomy, sometimes as solemnly calm, but most often he depicted it as raging, with a roar, bringing down gigantic foam shafts onto the coastal rocks and throwing ships like shells. Wonderful paintings by I.K. Aivazovsky adorn many museums around the world. But truly Art Gallery in Feodosia was and remains a treasury of his creations: more than 400 paintings by the artist are exhibited there.