The Black Sea is the constant and most frequent subject of Ivan Aivazovsky’s images. A native of Feodosia, the great marine painter knew his native shores almost by heart, which is why the waters of the Black Sea are so diverse in his work. “The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, which attracts with its simplicity and inner strength. It depicts nothing but the sea, and that is what makes it subtle and beautiful.
Marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky
The real name of the recognized master of the seascape is Hovhannes Ayvazyan, he comes from the family of an impoverished Armenian merchant. Due to his difficult financial situation, young Aivazovsky could not afford decent training in the art of drawing and painting until he attracted the attention of the chief architect of Feodosia with his natural talent.
After initial help from his benefactor, Aivazovsky was able to quickly achieve recognition and popularity. His unique manner of depicting water in general and seascapes in particular played a big role in achieving the status of academician of art.
The painter's talent was not limited to images of the sea, as evidenced by his numerous portraits, rare genre compositions and subjects on religious themes. However, Aivazovsky’s only and unquenchable passion was the sea.
The Black Sea in the works of Aivazovsky
Despite the fact that “The Black Sea” (a painting by Aivazovsky, painted in 1881) is the only painting with that title, the great marine painter often depicted the waters of the Black Sea on his canvases. The artist was born in Feodosia and lived there most of his life. Aivazovsky believed that it was impossible to draw water from life, since it is the most fickle and changeable of the elements. However, the shores and waves of his native Black Sea were so familiar to him that he could depict their various states from memory.
Among the huge artistic heritage author greatest number The paintings are dedicated to the Black Sea, which was the artist’s constant theme. Aivazovsky depicted the Black Sea in all its guises - in calm and storm, day and night, in the rays of the morning sun or in the fire of sunset. The work of the great marine painter leaves no doubt about his love and affection for his native shores.
Description of Aivazovsky’s painting “Black Sea”
Despite the frequent depiction of his native shores, in Aivazovsky’s creative heritage there is only one painting, which is simply called “The Black Sea.” This canvas was created by the artist in 1881 and offers viewers a view of the endless sea expanse, frozen on the canvas just before the storm begins. The second title of the painting is “A storm begins to break out on the Black Sea.”
“The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, characterized by simplicity of plot and practically perfect proportions compositions. The canvas depicts a darkened sea with frequent, restless, but not yet high waves, decorated with small foamy crests. Such waves, penetrated by rays of light and as if glowing from within, were called “Aivazovsky’s waves” by the artist’s contemporaries.
The horizon line divides the picture almost perfectly into two equal parts - a stormy sea below, a darkened sky above, and between them a thin strip of land and a lonely sail rushing towards it are barely visible through a curtain of fog.
Analysis of the picture
“The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, which attracts the eye with its relaxed harmony and unusually realistic color palette. In addition to the fact that the picture is compositionally divided in half into sea and sky, the elements of these two parts seem to be reflected in each other.
The dark clouds on the right merge and form an equilateral wedge with the dark waves of the stormy sea. The play of light and shadow in the painting creates a lively composition, the dynamism of which is emphasized by the horizon line tilting slightly to the left.
The symmetry of the forms in the painting is the opposite of the asymmetry in the application of colors: while the sky is replete with a rich palette of shades, including lilac, blue, azure, gray and ivory, the sea spread out under the sky cannot boast of such chromatic diversity. The sea in Aivazovsky’s painting “The Black Sea” is made in bluish-green, muted tones. The painting “Black Sea” (Aivazovsky masterfully depicted the state of the water element) should captivate not with the abundance of details and riot of colors, but with the realism, natural beauty and power of the raging sea.
The Black Sea in other paintings by Aivazovsky
The Black Sea was eternal theme Aivazovsky and never left the canvases on which the great marine painter worked for long. The artist’s works glorify the beauty, variability and natural power of the water element, so it is not surprising that the Black Sea, close to Aivazovsky, is shown in his paintings in all its diversity and inconstancy.
The calm and serene Black Sea can be seen in the paintings “Entrance to Sevastopol Bay” and “Gurzuf”, and its waters, penetrated by the rays of the setting sun, are depicted in the paintings “View of the Sea from the Crimean Mountains” and “Sunset on the Crimean Shores”. The description of Aivazovsky’s painting “Storm on the Black Sea” is complicated by the fact that in the marine painter’s heritage there are three paintings with the same name.
Aivazovsky depicted the Black Sea in the first rays rising sun(“Sunrise in Feodosia”) and in a stormy wind (“View of Odessa from the sea”). In the artist’s paintings they are absorbed in fog (“ Foggy morning") or illuminated by the bright moon ("Feodosia. moonlit night"). Each image of the Black Sea indicates that the marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky carefully kept it in his memory all his life and even in Italy he did not stop painting views of his native shores.
Ivan Aivazovsky was born into the family of a bankrupt businessman, so his childhood was spent in poverty, but the boy’s talent was noticed and he was helped. He adopted some things from a local architect, then studied at the Simferopol gymnasium, where his success in drawing impressed influential people who contributed to his admission to the Academy of Arts.
Ivan Konstantinovich did not immediately determine his own interests. Decisive role his visit to St. Petersburg played a role in his work French artist F. Tanner, who mastered the techniques of depicting water. In 1836, Tanner accepted the young man as his assistant and taught him the techniques he knew. Already in the fall of the same year, Ivan Aivazovsky presented five seascapes. These paintings were rated very highly, and reviews appeared in newspapers. And in 1837, for two new works he was given a large gold medal and awarded the title of artist, these paintings were “The Great Raid in Kronstadt”, “Calm on the Gulf of Finland”. In the spring of 1838, Ivan Konstantinovich returned to Feodosia, where he set up a workshop for himself, in which he began to work, gaining experience in writing from life.
From 1840 to 1844 Aivazovsky stayed in Italy as a foreign pensioner from the Academy of Arts, and also visited Germany, France, Spain, and Holland. During these four years, the artist worked fruitfully and exhibited his works, which were a great success everywhere. After returning from his travels, Aivazovsky received the title of academician of the Academy of Arts, and was also assigned to the Main Naval Staff. All this allowed Ivan Aivazovsky the following year to go with the expedition of the famous Russian navigator and geographer F. P. Litke to Turkey, Greece, Asia Minor and gain new impressions, which he later used in his paintings. Aivazovsky also repeatedly visited the Caucasus, Egypt, Nice, Florence, and even America.
In 1846, Aivazovsky built himself a new spacious workshop in Feodosia, where he mainly worked. Now he worked more, relying on his rare visual memory and techniques that he had learned a long time ago and had since perfected them, bringing them to automatism. The artist could write big picture in a couple of hours, which he did more than once, showing off his skill and talent to amazed spectators.
Aivazovsky’s legacy was a whole visual encyclopedia of the sea, which he captured in a variety of states. He left 6,000 paintings, which are of unequal value. Among them there are templates, of average quality, and excellent ones, such as the well-known “The Ninth Wave” (1850) or “The Black Sea” (1881). In addition, Aivazovsky wrote a lot of historical battle paintings, which tell about the victorious battles of the Russian fleet. The sea is what he painted with skill and love. Trying to paint simple landscapes, Aivazovsky received more modest results; depicting a person, he became helpless.
Aivazovsky said that the sea is his life. The artist believed that, having lived three hundred years, he would still see something new in the sea even after such a time. Aivazovsky was not the only one who gave his life to the sea, but only he managed to give himself entirely to this magical element. Love for the sea and talent allowed us to convey all the beauty of the sea element. Over the course of his entire life, Aivazovsky, just imagine, painted about six thousand paintings, most of which depicted the sea. This article will examine the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky, or rather ten of them, because it is impossible to describe all six thousand in one article.
Storm at sea at night
Opens the Top 10 most famous paintings by Aivazovsky "Storm at Sea at Night". The painting has become an example of emotional painting, which clearly and in detail conveys the character of the sea element and shows its temperament. The picture can be called a living creature that has gone wild in the vast expanses of the sea. The “Storms at Night” palette amazes, first of all, with its combination of golden and dark shades. The night moon covers the waves of the sea, as if with “trembling gold.” The ship itself is presented as if it were alien, among the beauty of the sea.
Koktebel Bay
"Sea. Koktebel", "Sea. Koktebel Bay" or simply "Koktebel Bay"– one of the most beautiful paintings Aivazovsky, with the creation of which were associated best years his childhood. In the picture the author depicts his homeland - Feodosia. This is where he spent his childhood. Art connoisseurs say that it was while painting this painting that Ivan Aivazovsky achieved the true mastery of a “marine painter.” In the painting, the author successfully combined pink, orange and lilac colors, which allowed the painting to impart a unique warmth coming from the Black Sea, which it radiates to this day.
Rainbow
No less famous painting Aivazovsky is a canvas "Rainbow", which is on at the moment stored in Tretyakov Gallery. The picture depicts a storm and people’s attempt to escape from the power of the sea. Aivazovskaya takes the viewer to the very epicenter of a powerful hurricane that does not want to stop. But still, in last moment a rainbow appears - it becomes hope for sailors desperately trying to survive.
Sunset on the sea
One of the most famous paintings by the marine painter Aivazovsky - "Sunset at sea", now stored in the city of Kostroma - in Kostroma art museum. The artist’s skill was appreciated by Tretyakov and Stasov. First of all, the painting was attracted by the living movement of nature, which the author was able to show by depicting the expanses of sky and sea. Attention is drawn to the endless variability of the shapes of the sea surface. Somewhere the picture shows calm calm, and somewhere – raging elements. The steamer seems alien among the “wild” marine nature.
Naval battle of Navarino
Aivazovsky painted not only “peaceful marinas”, but also loved to depict battle scenes of key naval battles. One of these works was the famous painting by Aivazovsky - "Naval Battle of Navarino". The powerful Russian fleet, together with its allies, opposed the Turkish fleet in battle, which was ultimately completely defeated. The victory over the Turkish fleet accelerated the development of the national liberation war in Greece and amazed Aivazovsky. Having heard the feats, the author embodied the battle on canvas. The picture conveys all the cruelty of a naval battle: boarding, volleys of naval artillery guns, debris, drowning sailors and fire.
Sinking ship
Among the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky, "Sinking Ship"- one of the most tragic works, because it shows the death of a sailing ship, which cannot contain the full power of the sea elements. The shipwreck is conveyed in such detail that it makes any viewer worry about the crew of the unfortunate ship. A small ship cannot withstand such large and powerful waves. Aivazovsky paid special attention to detail when writing. To see them, you have to look at the picture for hours and only then can you feel all the pain of the ship and the sailors fighting death.
Bay of Naples
During a trip to Italy, Aivazovsky painted one of his most famous paintings - "Bay of Naples". Europe was so amazed by the skill of the Russian author that it called him one of best artists throughout Europe. King Ferdinand Charles and Pope Gregory XVI personally expressed a desire to see the painting by the Russian author. After what they saw, they were amazed by Aivazovsky’s skill, and the Pope presented him with a gold medal. While painting the painting, Aivazovsky finally identified himself as a marine painter who uses methods of creating paintings from memory.
Brig "Mercury"
One of the most famous and at the same time most battle paintings by Aivazovsky is the canvas "Brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships." The painting depicts the battle of “Mercury” against two Turkish battleships, which occurred in 1829 off the coast of the Bosphorus. Despite the enemy's ten-fold superiority in guns, the brig emerged victorious and inspired Aivazovsky to paint a painting that immortalized the memory of Russian sailors. Now the painting is in storage in Feodosia art gallery Aivazovsky.
View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus Bay
"View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus Gulf." During his trip to Ottoman Empire, Aivazovsky liked the great city and its ports most of all; the author did not ignore the Bosphorus Bay itself.
Returning home, Aivazovsky painted a painting, which in 2012 was valued at more than three million pounds sterling, or 155 million. Russian rubles. The painting depicts in detail the port of Constantinople, a mosque, Turkish ships, the sun, which is about to disappear behind the horizon, but most of all the blue water surface attracts and allows the canvas to be called one of the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky.
Ninth va
Without any doubt, Aivazovsky’s most famous painting was "The Ninth Wave". At the moment, the painting is in storage at the Russian Museum. Art lovers say that it is in this painting that the romantic nature of the great artist is conveyed in most detail. The author shows what the sailors had to endure after their ship was wrecked by the power of the sea. Bright colors Aivazovsky depicted all the power and strength not only of the sea elements, but also the strength of the people who managed to overcome it and survive.
- great Russian marine painter. For my creative life wrote huge amount stunning paintings, which today are considered a real treasure of Russian and world art. Here you can see five paintings that can be called the most famous, but it is worth adding here that in fact there are many, many more famous paintings by Aivazovsky. Dozens of paintings by this master are known not only to art historians and connoisseurs of painting, but even to those people who are not keen on art, and this is not surprising, since Aivazovsky’s work cannot leave anyone indifferent.
The most famous and famous paintings of Aivazovsky
Ninth Wave
The Ninth Wave is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name of this artist. Indeed, the painting “The Ninth Wave,” which is currently in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, is without any doubt considered the artist’s most famous painting. The ninth wave is a riot of elements, a tragedy of people who survived a shipwreck and are now trying to escape on the wreckage of their ship.
Chesme fight
The painting “Chesme Battle” is also very famous work Ivan Aivazovsky. This painting shows in all its colors one of the most heroic battles in history. Russian fleet. Russian and Turkish ships clashed in an irreconcilable battle, which turned the sea into a field of battle and fire. The Battle of Chesma took place on June 26, 1770.
Among the waves
The painting “Among the Waves” is sea poetry of incredible intensity. The song of the sea was reflected in the raging waves. Indescribable power and beauty sea waves provides strong impact to any viewer who literally begins to feel with his skin all the splendor of the sea element.
Navarino battle
In his film “The Battle of Navarino,” Aivazovsky conveyed his impression of the battle, in which the English, French and Russian fleet took part against the Turkish-Egyptian one. The plot centers on the Russian ship Azov.
Rainbow
In the painting “Rainbow” Aivazovsky depicted a powerful storm. In the background is a ship that has tilted under the violence of the elements and is about to sink. In the foreground are people escaping in a boat, which is tossed by the waves like a piece of wood. It seems that no one can survive in this element, but the artist gives hope to the viewer by depicting a rainbow in the foreground as a symbol of salvation and the speedy retreat of the storm.
Famous paintings by Aivazovsky also include such works as “Chaos. The Creation of the World”, “Black Sea”, “Wave”, “Shipwreck”, “Night in Venice”, “View of Constantinople by Moonlight” and many, many others.
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