Few people know Vrubel as a versatile artist who demonstrated mastery in different genres fine arts. His life was short, but complex and fruitful. He studied the works of old masters, developed his own working techniques, experimented, striving for beauty and perfection. This was a genius who created a new milestone in Russian art. He walked ahead of his time as a painter, sculptor, decorator, architect, restorer, researcher, experimenter...
Thanks to his talents and hard work, many types of art moved to a new stage of development.
Getting to know the fantastic fabulous paintings a brilliant artist must start from the youngest school age. However, one must gradually comprehend the master’s art, since most of his creations are understandable to older children.
When getting to know Vrubel’s work, it is important for teachers and parents to draw children’s attention to his ingenious versatility (graphic, sculptural, restoration works, architectural projects...)
Pay attention!!!
Thanks to this trick, your computer will be in perfect condition after every reboot. If your computer is configured in accordance with our recommendations, no matter what happens to your operating system and files, you just need to restart it and it will work again as before.
Biography
The artist was born in 1856 in Omsk, in the family of senior staff adjutant A. M. Vrubel. In 1859, his mother Anna Grigorievna died of consumption. In 1863, A. M. Vrubel married actress E. H. Wessel, who devoted herself to her husband and children. Vrubel's family was constantly moving around his father's place of service. At the age of 5, Mikhail began drawing. At the age of 8, he went to the St. Petersburg drawing school for free students (the family then lived in St. Petersburg, A. M. Vrubel was a volunteer student at the St. Petersburg Military Law Academy). The next year, the Vrubels moved to Saratov and Mikhail hired an art teacher from the Saratov gymnasium, A. S. Godin. Once a copy of Michelangelo's fresco was brought to Saratov " Last Judgment”, which could not help but impress the boy. After inspection, Vrubel reproduced the fresco in all its typical details.
At the age of ten he became interested in theater and music.
In 1870, following a new assignment from his father, the family moved to Odessa. Mikhail was enrolled in the Richelieu gymnasium. He excelled in literature, history, science, and foreign languages.
In a letter to his sister Anna, Mikhail complained that he was going to read “Faust” during the holidays and take 50 English lessons from the textbook, but instead he painted an oil copy of Aivazovsky’s painting “Sunset on the Sea.”
After successfully graduating from high school (receiving a gold medal), Vrubel entered St. Petersburg University. During his university years, he painted illustrations for classical and modern literary works. A graphic work from that time has been preserved - “Anna Karenina’s Date with her Son.”
In 1880, Vrubel, without graduating from university, served a short military service and became a volunteer student at the Academy of Arts.
From 1880 to 1884, he simultaneously studied in the workshop of P. P. Chistyakov, where V. D. Polenov, V. I. Surikov, I. E. Repin, V. A. Serov studied. Here the artist works tirelessly, studying the laws of art of the old masters. Among academicians, he was known as a master of watercolor and an amazing composer of crowd scenes. This early period Vrubel’s creativity creates truthful portraits that accurately convey a person’s state of mind.
In the spring of 1883, Vrubel's composition “The Betrothal of Mary to Joseph” was awarded a silver medal by the Academy. In the fall of 1883, Professor A.V. Prakhov invited Vrubel, on the recommendation of P.P. Chistyakov, to Kyiv to restore the St. Cyril Church. For 5 years (from 1884 to 1889), the artist completed an enormous amount of work: painting the St. Cyril Church, drawing 150 restoration figures and restoring the dome of the St. Sophia Cathedral. He not only restored the frescoes, but also created new works to replace the lost ones.
This is what the famous art critic N.A. Dmitrieva writes about this most important stage artistic biography Rubel:
Such “co-authorship” with the masters of the 12th century was unknown to any of the great artists of the XIX century. Only the 1880s passed, the first search for national antiquities was just beginning, which was of no interest to anyone except specialists, and even specialists were interested in it from a more historical than artistic point of view.<…>Vrubel in Kyiv was the first to build a bridge from archaeological research and restoration to the living modern creativity. At the same time, I didn’t think about stylization. He simply felt like a participant in the earnest work of the ancient masters and tried to be worthy of them.
In 1889, Vrubel moved to Moscow, where he was commissioned for decorative panels. The panels “Venice”, “Spain”, “Princess Dreaming”, “Mikula Selyaninovich” appear...
In Moscow, he works in the same workshop together with K. Korovin and V. Serov, helping S.I. Mamontov in creating an art circle. In the 1890s, the artist turned to the theme of the Demon and evil.
Since 1890, Vrubel has been working in the theater, creating sets for the private opera of S. I. Mamontov.
In 1891, M. A. Vrubel traveled around Europe, visiting Italy, France, Germany (1892), Greece and Constantinople. During these years the artist writes easel paintings, watercolors, decorative panels for Moscow mansions, illustrations for the works of M. Yu. Lermontov. It is Lermontov’s illustrations that are the pinnacle of Vrubel’s graphic mastery.
At the beginning of 1896, the artist came from Moscow to St. Petersburg for the Russian premiere of E. Humperdinck’s opera-fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel.” Vrubel was commissioned to create the scenery and costumes for the opera. At one of the rehearsals, Mikhail Alexandrovich heard the magnificent voice of Nadezhda Ivanovna Zabela, who played the role of Gretel. On the same day, the artist proposed to her. The wedding took place in Switzerland.
Since the fall of 1896, N.I. Zabela was engaged in the Kharkov Opera, and Mikhail Alexandrovich had no orders at that time, and he became interested in theater painting and costume design. Vrubel loved music and theater since childhood. He listened to the opera “Sadko”, where N.I. Zabela sang the role of Princess Volkhova, 90 times. He explained his interest in music to his wife this way:
“I can listen to the orchestra endlessly, especially the sea. Every time I find new charm in it, I see some fantastic tones.”
In 1896-1898, Vrubel turned to fairy-tale and mythological subjects. To the very famous paintings This period includes “Bogatyr”, “Pan” and “The Swan Princess”.
From 1899 to 1900, Vrubel headed the Abramtsevo majolica workshop.
Vrubel fulfills orders for stove compositions, creates a majolica chapel over the grave of A. Mamontov, and develops a project for an extension to the Mamontovs’ house in the “Roman-Byzantine style.” Art critic N.A. Dmitrieva admires the artist’s versatility:
“Vrubel... turned out to be indispensable, since he really could do everything with ease, but he did not compose texts. His talent revealed universal possibilities. Sculpture, mosaic, stained glass, majolica, architectural masks, architectural designs, theatrical scenery, costumes - everywhere he found himself in his element. Decorative and graphic motifs poured out of a cornucopia - Siren birds, mermaids, sea divas, knights, elves, flowers, dragonflies, and everything was done “stylishly”, with an understanding of the characteristics of the material and the environment. It was at this time, in search of “purely and stylishly beautiful”, which at the same time applied the way to everyday life, and thereby to the heart of the public, Vrubel became one of the creators of Russian Art Nouveau - that “new style”, which was layered on the neo-Russian the romanticism of the Mamontov circle, partly growing out of it.”
It was the Abramtsevo pottery that played a crucial role in the revival of the art of majolica in Russia. Ceramics gave Vrubel the opportunity to freely experiment with the plastic and pictorial possibilities of the material, and the lack of craft training with its patterns allowed him to freely realize his fantasies.
This is interesting
Vrubel's decorative works combined painting with architecture, sculpture and applied art. This was the versatility of the artist’s talents.
His most significant sculptural work is the “Gothic” composition “Robert and the Nuns”, decorating the staircase lantern of the Morozov mansion.
The artist A. Matveev wrote about Vrubel’s sculptures: “without Vrubel there would have been no Konenkov...”.
Architectural literature emphasizes the outstanding role of Vrubel in shaping the artistic appearance of works of Moscow Art Nouveau. He is the author of a number of works of architectural ceramics (small sculptures made of majolica and tiles), which decorate important works of Art Nouveau and neo-Russian style (Vasnetsov's house, Yaroslavl station, Yakunchikova's mansion...).
At the Paris World Exhibition in 1900, he received a medal in the applied arts department for works created at the Abramtsevo pottery workshop.
In 1903-1906, the artist experienced serious mental health problems. In 1906, blindness was added to mental illness.
Vrubel had no students or followers. He lived by creativity and did not work for the sake of reward... Success came to him when he was hopelessly ill.
V. A. Vrubel died at the age of 54 on April 14, 1910. Alexander Blok gave a speech over the grave in which he called the artist “a messenger of other worlds”:
“Vrubel came to us as a messenger that the lilac night was interspersed with the gold of a clear evening. He left us his Demons, as spellcasters against purple evil, against the night. I can only tremble at what Vrubel and others like him reveal to humanity once a century. We don’t see the worlds they saw.”
Children of primary and senior school age can be invited to watch a video about the life and work of Vrubel.
Acquaintance with the artist’s work must begin from primary school age. Using examples of paintings from the fairy-tale genre, parents instill in their children artistic taste, form a common culture.
"Pan" 1899
The painting depicts the mythical hero Pan. According to ancient legend, the goat-footed god of forests and fields fell in love with a beautiful nymph and rushes after her. Out of fear, the nymph turns into a reed. Pan makes a pipe from this reed and has been playing a gentle melody on it ever since.
Vrubel's painting seems to convey the content of this beautiful fairy tale. Pan is like a crafty devil. His appearance does not cause fear at all. With one hand he clutches the flute, with the other hand he rests on his furry knee. Curved black horns on his bald head, gray curly hair, a long beard, white eyebrows and mustache, goat legs with a trail of fluff... He is like an old stump overgrown with moss. Pan is bent with old age and tired of life. The artist depicted an old man against the backdrop of a night landscape with the moon floating beyond the horizon. Pan's sly blue eyes resemble the clear water of a forest stream. Vrubel managed to embody in his fairy tale hero the spirit of nature, making it an integral part of it.
Tell your child the ancient Greek story about the birth of the first flute.
One day the forest god Pan fell in love with the beautiful nymph Syringa. The virgin did not like the goat-legged god with a cheerful disposition and a terrible face. She decided to run away from him, but Pan almost overtook her, and Syringa asked the river to hide her. The river turned the beautiful maiden into a reed. Out of resentment, the unfortunate Pan cut off a stalk of reed and made a multi-stemmed flute from it. The sad sound of this flute, similar to the cry of a child, can still be heard in the forests of Greece.
Draw the child's attention to the fact that in Greece the flute is named after the nymph - Syringa; in Russia this musical instrument is called a flute.
After introducing your son (daughter) to the fate of the hero of the ancient world, ask the child to describe the picture.
“The Swan Princess” 1900
The plot of the picture is taken from the work of A. S. Pushkin “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”.
“...They say there is a princess,
What you can't take your eyes off:
During the day the light of God is eclipsed,
At night the earth lights up -
The moon shines under the scythe,
And in the forehead the star is burning.
And she herself is majestic,
Performs like a peahen..."
Before us is a stage portrait of N. I. Zabela in the role of the Swan Princess in N. Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” A luxurious crown strung with pearls shines like silver lace, rings sparkle on the fingers, a cape thrown over the shoulders is bordered with precious stones. Mother-of-pearl tints of colors enliven the picture: the swan princess floats on the gloomy sea, casting an alarming glance.
For a long time, the picture caused controversy - not all critics recognized it as a masterpiece.
Art critic N.A. Dmitrieva described the painting as follows:
“Something alarming sounds in it,” it was not for nothing that this was Blok’s favorite painting. In the deepening twilight with a crimson stripe of sunset, the princess floats away into the darkness and only in last time turned around to make her strange warning gesture. This bird with the face of a maiden is unlikely to become Guidon’s obedient wife, and her sad farewell gaze does not promise well-being. She doesn’t look like Nadezhda Ivanovna Zabela - a completely different person, although Zabela played this role in “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.”
Read a fairy tale by A. S. Pushkin to your child. Tell us that in ancient times all fairy tales had long titles. Ask to repeat the title of this tale (“The Tale of Tsar Saltan, of his glorious and mighty hero Prince Guidon Saltanovich, and of the beautiful Swan Princess”).
Invite your son (daughter) to look at the painting “The Swan Princess” and ask to find its description in the fairy tale by A. S. Pushkin.
(Here she flaps her wings,
Flew over the waves
And to the shore from above
She sank into the bushes.
Started up, shook myself off
And she turned into a princess.)
Draw the child’s attention to the fact that the picture shows the moment of the Princess’s transformation into the Swan. (The right wing rises from sea pearl foam, the left one is covered with plumage. The artist managed to depict the fusion of the image of the Swan and the Princess. There are two creatures here. The hand of the Princess, decorated with rings, resembles an elongated swan neck, the precious stones of the rings resemble the eyes of a swan. Magic happens - the Princess, turning to the viewer, turns into a Swan).
Offer to listen to the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” Help your child feel the animation of the painting to the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov. This will be a confirmation of the artist’s great love for music and literature.
"Bogatyr" 1898-1899
Initially the painting was called “Ilya Muromets”
Hero epic epic presented in the picture as the embodiment of Russian heroic strength. Ilya Muromets resembles a stone rock. His heavy armor shines like precious crystals. He faithfully serves the Fatherland. Small pines grow around the hero. Vrubel expressed the words of the epic in his painting:
“A little above the standing forest, A little below the walking cloud.”
The mighty horse seemed to “grow” into the ground, listening to the mysterious sounds of the forest. Night fell on the earth. The glow of the sunset blazes alarmingly. Ilya Muromets personifies the best traits of the defenders of the Russian Land - steadfastness, invincibility and fearlessness.
Tell your child about the hero of folk tales and epics, Ilya Muromets. According to epics, he was the most powerful and powerful Russian hero. He defended the Russian land from enemies.
Ask your son (daughter) to talk about your feelings for the defender of Rus'.
Modern research can attract a child’s interest in the epic hero. Researchers believe that Ilya Muromets is not a fictional hero, but a historical figure. He defeated Nightingale the Robber, who was hunting along the forest road to Kyiv and whistled to notify his gang of the attack.
Children will be interested in learning the story about the miracle that happened in the life of Ilya Muromets.
Elijah’s grandfather was a pagan (he did not recognize Christianity) and one day he destroyed an icon, after which a curse fell on his family - boys were born crippled. Ilya Muromets was immobilized for 33 years, and suddenly healing occurred. Beggar wanderers came to his house and asked him for water. Ilya stood up and gave water to the elders.
This case remains an inexplicable mystery for many researchers.
The following paintings by Vrubel are complex and unusual and you need to start getting acquainted with them at middle and high school age.
Painting "Princess Dream"
The plot of the picture is taken from the drama French writer Edmond Rostand. According to legend, troubadour Geoffroy Rudel, enchanted by the stories of the pilgrims who saw her, falls in love with Princess Melissinda and lives the dream of meeting her... Before his death, the poet sets off on a long voyage to see his dream in reality. The knight dies happy, as his dream came true - he saw his beautiful Melissinda.
Troubadour Rudel is shown in the drama as a knight of the spirit. Rudel's chivalry is akin to an obsession with a lofty dream, a striving for an ideal. It has always been believed that a knight should be a warrior with extraordinary strength. Writer Rostand introduces his hero strong spirit, not the body. Rudel is exhausted, but his love is alive and real.
M. Gorky in one of his articles wrote about Rostand’s play:
"This play is an illustration of the power of an idea and a picture of the pursuit of an ideal."
In Russia, the premiere of the play “Princess of Dreams” took place in 1896. In the same year, S.I. Mamontov ordered decorative panels for the All-Russian exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod. Vrubel creates fabulous panels: “Mikula Selyaninovich” and “Princess Dream”. These works were rejected by the Academy of Arts and acquired by S.I. Mamontov. Soon Mamontov exhibits the panels in a new pavilion built for them. The height of the canvas “Princess of Dreams” is 7.5 meters, length - 14 meters.
The painting depicts the knight Geoffroy Rudel playing the harp. He calls his Dream, plucking the strings musical instrument. In the hero’s lifeless gaze one can see the hope of meeting the princess of his Dreams, Melisinda. Melisinda flies to him as a vision of divine Beauty in a transparent pearl-pink dress, with fluffy long hair. The princess looks from heaven at the dreaming Rudel, holding a lily in her hand as a sign of pure sublime love. At the last moment of his life, the knight is happy - he sees his beloved.
The artist interprets the plot of the legend of love in the spirit of symbolism. For the dying Prince Rudel, life on earth is a temporary refuge and meeting Melisinda is impossible, but their hearts are united thanks to the magical music of love.
- Why did Rudel go in search of the princess?
- What happened to him during the trip?
- How did Rudel call for his beloved? (He plucked the strings of the harp, playing gentle music)
- How did Melisinda appear to him? (She flew to him like a vision).
- What flower was Greza holding in her hand? What does it mean?
- Why was Rudel called a knight?
Do not forget to conclude: Vrubel depicted in the picture his idea of pure and sublime love. This love story has no happy ending. The Dream Princess is a fairy tale for adults, and such fairy tales often have sad endings.
"Fortune Teller" 1895
The picture was painted in one day. This acute psychological plot was borrowed by the artist from the opera “Carmen”. The model for the painting was a Siberian Cossack woman, the artist’s lover. A woman sits against the backdrop of a lilac-pink carpet, with cards spread out in front of her. Her stony gaze is averted to the side. The face is inscrutable. The fortune teller learned the terrible secret of the future artist in the dropped ace of spades. Her burning eyes anticipate a sad fate.
Introduce your child to the biography of the artist. Ask him to guess what the fortune teller’s gaze portends in Vrubel’s life and work. Ask questions regarding the artist's biography:
- What will be the next life path Vrubel?
- What does he foresee?
- Did the artist believe the predictions?
Draw the child's attention to the texture of the picture. (The painting looks like a mosaic. The paints are applied with a palette knife (a knife for scraping off paints). The fortune teller protrudes from the canvas like a sculpture).
"Demon Seated" 1890
A sad giant sits on the mountain amid an alarming flickering space. There is extraordinary cosmic beauty around him: multi-colored flowers bloom in the form of huge shining crystals.
However, his knees are bent, his arms are twisted, his head is lowered, his gaze is resigned. A tear of sorrow rolls down your cheek.
This is what Vrubel wrote about this painting to his sister Anna on May 22, 1890:
...I am writing a Demon, that is, not exactly a monumental Demon, which I will write over time, but a “demonic” one - a half-naked, winged, young, sadly pensive figure sitting, hugging his knees, against the backdrop of the sunset and looking at the flowering meadow from which branches stretch out to her, bending under flowers.
According to Vrubel,
“Demon means “soul” and represents eternal struggle a restless human spirit, seeking reconciliation of the passions overwhelming it, knowledge of life, and not finding an answer to its doubts either on earth or in heaven.”
In this painting, Vrubel showed the skill of a monumentalist. He paints with broad strokes, which, turning into spots of color, resemble mosaic stones. The choice of colors (lilac, blue, black, gray...) corresponds state of mind the artist, emphasize his melancholy.
The painting is a kind of self-portrait of Vrubel, who has unique abilities, but doubting the truth and unrecognized. This central work artist. Vrubel's hero is complex and symbolic. It presents a special demonism with an image of the general suffering of people involved in the great Russian XIX culture century.
Look at the hero of the picture with your child and describe him. Ask some guiding questions:
- How did the artist present his hero?
- How does the Demon feel sitting on the top of the mountain?
- What colors did Vrubel use in the painting: warm or cold?
- Why is the Demon's figure cut off at the top and bottom? (Thus, the artist represented the loneliness of the hero).
Explain the meaning of Vrubel’s words “The demon is a powerful and majestic spirit.” Please note that the Demon has no diabolical or evil thoughts. He is like a carved sculpture from a precious stone. In it, Vrubel depicted himself, his soul, his experiences. The artist was not understood, not appreciated.
“The Demon Defeated” 1902
This is one of the most tragic works artist. It reveals his biography. The demon, cast down from the heights and spread out on the mountain ridges, is still alive. His arms are broken, pointed fingers dig into his body, and the fire of protest burns in his angry eyes.
Mountains covered eternal ice, illuminated by the last cooling rays of the sunset.
The dark color scheme conveys the hero’s mental exhaustion. This image embodies the tragedy of a broken personality. A disappointed artist, who has not completely squandered his enormous creative potential, from a premonition of a close tragic death falls into agony. It is difficult for him to realize his terrible fate, since he did not fully fulfill his grandiose plans.
Tell your child about recent years life of an artist. The artist's son died. This tragedy became the cause of Vrubel's mental illness. The genius lost peace in the fight against madness and worked continuously.
Researchers' opinions about the significance of Vrubel's work in Russian and world art differ. According to N. A. Dmitrieva, the artist’s place in the history of art is “exclusive and isolated.”
Vrubel created more than 200 various works: paintings, portraits, illustrations, decorative panels, sketches of theater curtains... He made stained glass windows, painted frescoes, created book signs, theatrical decorations, was engaged in applied arts, architecture...
Thanks to Vrubel’s versatility, a new concept—the universal artist—was established for the first time in Russian art.
You can get acquainted in more detail with the biography and work of Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel, the most fantastic artist of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, by reading the fascinating book “Vrubel” by Vera Mikhailovna Domiteyeva from the “Life of Remarkable People” series.
Dear parents! Teach children to understand, compare, evaluate, analyze, express their point of view and emotionally perceive real art.
He owns an entire era in art; Vrubel’s searches are compared to Leonardo’s method. The first symbolist, his style of painting was original and turned out to be prophetic for new directions in painting of the 20th century.
The artist’s father, Alexander Mikhailovich Vrubel, was a military lawyer, a former combat officer, who participated in the Crimean campaign and military operations in the Caucasus. The artist’s mother, Anna Grigorievna Basargina, a relative of the famous Decembrist, gave birth to four children and died when Misha was four years old. Due to his father's service, the family moved frequently. A.M. Vrubel to marry E.Kh. Wessel. Vrubel Jr.'s relationship with his stepmother developed well, and thanks to her vocation (she was a pianist), the artist grew up listening to classical music.
In 1874, M. Vrubel graduated from the famous Odessa Richelieu Gymnasium with a gold medal.
Already at the age of five, the boy drew enthusiastically and, arriving in St. Petersburg, his father enrolled him in the school of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. In Odessa, a boy learns drawing at the Society school fine arts. At the age of nine, M. Vrubel copied Michelangelo from memory. However artistic education the father instilled in his son only for general development. So in 1874 M. Vrubel studied to become a lawyer at St. Petersburg University. But M. Vrubel’s dream remains painting; he attends exhibitions, studies, participates in debates about the purpose of art, and attends evening classes at the Academy of Arts.
After graduating from St. Petersburg University and completing military service, M.A. Vrubel, in 1880 became a student at the Academy of Arts. Vrubel developed a close relationship with another Russian artist at the Academy, V. Serov. And in 1886 he met K. Korovin. His teachers were P. Chistyakov and I. Repin. He was critical of modern art. For example, he told teacher Repin to his face that he couldn’t draw. For his statements, Vrubel received the reputation of an arrogant person, although he looked modest and shy. It is known from memoirs that Vrubel performed in a variety of images. Either he is a “noble gentleman” dressed to the nines (his father was a Pole), then he is dressed in a black velvet suit, trousers and stockings like a Venetian from a painting by Titian, then he surrounds himself strange people: snobs, revelers, circus performers, Italians, poor people, alcoholics (as friend Korovin said).
In 1884, Vrubel left the Academy. On the recommendation of Chistyakov, he goes to Kyiv to A. Prakhov to restore the ancient paintings of the St. Cyril Church. In Kyiv, the Russian artist spent six years studying under the guidance of Prakhov Byzantine icon painting, also works in the Vladimir Cathedral. Vrubel's iconographic daring caused confusion, which is why in 1889 he was removed from this work. Then he moved to Moscow. Here his life and quest are connected with the Moscow house and estate near Moscow in Abramtsevo, owned by the famous art lover, philanthropist and inspirer of the famous art circle, Sava Mamontov. In addition to painting, at this time Vrubel took up sculpture, was engaged in ceramics, design, design of theatrical productions, and decorative panels. In 1890, his painting “Seated Demon” saw the light of day. This picture was conceived back in Kyiv. The painting subsequently became a symbol of the coming era - the era of symbolism, religious reformism, which tempted the then secular culture.
In 1896, Vrubel's first exhibition took place, which was the result of a scandal. The commissioned paintings by Mamantov were rejected by the Academy of Arts, designated as “not artistic.” These were two works: “Princess Dream” and “Mikula Selyanovich”. As a protest, Mamontov organized the exhibition “Vrubel Panels”.
Immediately after the exhibition, Vrubel married the singer Nadezhda Zabela; the young people got married in the summer in Geneva. At the invitation of Mamontov, Zabele becomes the leading artist of his private opera.
In the next five years, the Russian artist created all of his most famous works - this was a fruitful period of his life. He exhibited a lot - at the exhibitions of the “World of Art”, the Vienna Secession, “36”... Although the same A. Benois was always very critical of his pictorial innovations.
In 1899, Vrubel lost his father, and in 1901 his son Savva was born, with a congenital defect - a “cleft lip” - which made a painful impression on the artist. At the beginning of 1902, V. Bekhterev discovered that he had incurable disease(taste of the spinal cord), which threatened with madness. In 1903, Vrubeby’s young son died, a year after his portrait was painted. So Vrubel turns into a permanent resident of psychiatric clinics. Not long before this, he painted a picture, terrible in its doom, “The Defeated Demon.” During periods of darkness, the artist fell either into delusions of grandeur or into complete self-abasement.
Before 1906, there were periods of enlightenment when the artist began to work intensively. In 1905 he was elected academician of painting. This was the last event perceived by his mind. In 1906 he became blind.
The life of the famous Russian artist M.A. Vrubel ended within the walls of the St. Petersburg clinic of Dr. Bari. At the funeral, A. Blok called the artist the author of “drawings stolen from eternity” and “the messenger of other worlds.”
Vrubel was lonely and perplexed as a person, and his paintings were not understood and not accepted by people. Only at the end of his life, when he ended up in a psychiatric hospital, his paintings became famous.
Famous paintings by M.A. Vrubel
The painting “Pan” (1899) opens a series of “nocturnes” by the Russian artist. The continuation was the paintings “The Swan Princess” and “Lilac”. N. Zabela was the niece of N. Ge, who influenced Vrubel’s night stories. Ge was considered a master of night color.
Pan is a character from Greek mythology, depicted, however, by Vrubel under the influence of Russian folklore, which he loved so much at that time. Pan, the deity of forests and fields, is a symbol of the night, which is a window into other worlds inaccessible to daytime consciousness.
The background of the picture is a Russian landscape. God seems to grow out of a mossy stump, and around him are fields, rivers, and birches, asleep in the silence of the night. The eyes of God, blue, luminous, amaze with their bottomlessness. From Greek mythology, only the pipe is involved in the picture. According to mythological stories, Pan was a judge in shepherd's pipe competitions. The half-horn of the moon fills the space of the picture with fantastic light, simultaneously echoing the horns of the deity.
The painting “The Flying Demon” (1899) is an unfinished work. The theme of the demon worried Vrubel all his life and in this work he returns to it again. This picture is a hymn of freedom and beauty. At this time, Vrubel was reading the works of Nietzsche. It is possible that the painting was not completed by the artist because, in an effort to show freedom, he depicted an image of doom.
The demon's face conveys a premonition of tragedy. Huge eyes, deathly pallor, determination, rough sculpting of the face itself creates the image of “world sorrow”. The elongated figure of the demon conveys the feeling of rapid flight. Distinctive features Vrubel's paintings are violet and lilac tones, decorative background.
Vrubel’s painting “The Swan Princess” (1900) is dedicated to N. Zabela, who played the role of the Swan Princess in the play “The Tale of Tsar Saltan.” The composer of the play was Rimsky-Korsakov. This painting was the result of the artist’s friendship with the composer, who recognized N. Zabele. In this work, the artist conveyed a soulful musical image of a fragile and alien creature thrown into our world.
Shown in the background theater scenery- burning orange windows. A lush decorative kokoshnik from Zabela’s stage costume on the head of the Swan Princess. The virtuosity of using a brush is visible in the image of the plumage, the rays of the setting sun play on it. Shimmering colors, subtle transitions of gray and pink make this work almost truly “sound” like unearthly music. This picture is the breakthrough into the otherworld that the Symbolists called for.
The painting “Lilac” (1900) is associated with the farm of N. Ge in the Chernigov province, where Vrubel saw thickets of blooming lilacs. “Lilac” represented the design of the pictorial language of symbolism. This is one of Vrubel’s most complex works; he also depicted philosophical meaning, namely, bridging the gap between form-appearance and essence-meaning. The painting “Lilac” reconciled Vrubel with A. Benois, who admitted that while standing near the painting, he smelled spring flowers.
Vrubel calls the heroine of the film Natasha, connecting her with Pushkin’s world. The girl embodies the soul of lilac.
Masterpiece of Vrubel M.A. – painting “Demon Seated”
The painting “Demon Seated” was painted in 1890 and is in the State Tretyakov Gallery, in Moscow. This image was conceived by the Russian artist while working in Kyiv; it is inspired by Lermontov’s poem and is in tune with the era of symbolism. Vrubel worked on the painting already in Moscow, in Mamontov’s house, in the studio provided. Vrubel wrote to his father about his painting: “The demon is not so much an evil spirit as a suffering and mourning spirit, with all this a powerful, majestic spirit.” A. Blok fell in love with the painting, calling it “a symbol of our time.” The artist wrote to his sister: “My search is exclusively in the field of technology. The rest has already been done before me, just choose.” In this he means the appeal of painting to literature. V. Vasnetsov also sensitively portrayed literary works in his paintings.
When the artist painted the demon, at the beginning of the work, it fit quite well on the canvas. By the end of the work, the demon had grown so much that the artist had to build on the canvas; in the final version, the Demon is depicted with a cut off head. The background only in this picture is realistic. At the same time, it seems theatrical - fantastic, motionless, decorative. It echoes the emptiness of the soul. The artist himself mentioned more than once that demon is translated from Greek as “soul.” The coloring of the picture is a contrast of colors: the predominant lilac color fights with the occasional orange-golden color. The way Vrubel wrote “the demon” could not be written by any of his contemporaries. The artist boldly dissects a single form into separate facets, turning the world he created into a mosaic of skillfully cut precious stones. Vrubel's “demon” combines beauty, intelligence, greatness, power and at the same time impotence, helplessness (as can be seen from his hopelessly clasped hands). Blok saw the “demon” as “a young man in the oblivion of “Boredom.” The Demon's entire body is made up of metal muscles.
- Virgin and Child
- Tamara in a coffin
- Tamara and the demon
» Twelve
» Thirteen
» Fourteen
» Fifteen
» Shestnad
» Seventeen
» Eight
» Nineteen
» Twenty
» Door one
» Door two
» Door three
» Double quarter
» Double fifth
» Door six
» Door of the seventh
» Door eight
» Door nine
» Thirty
» Tr. first
» Tr.second
» Tr. third
» Third Thursday
» Tr.fifth
» Tr.sixth
» Part seven The art historian A.M. Efros once said about Vrubel that it was as if he had spent his whole life without leaving in a magic opera, contemplating theatrically unusual creatures. The remark is unfair (because all his life Vrubel contemplated wildlife and living people), but also not without accuracy: there really is something of a “magic opera” in his paintings. But does that make them any less beautiful? The arts are not separated from each other, and the influence of music and theater on painting is just as possible as any other. Here is the Sea Princess - at the rising of the month she stands quietly among the thickets of reeds, wearing a crown of pearls. Long red-brown hair softly pours over her shoulders and arms and flows down like a stream - they are akin to the water element, just like the princess’s flowing robe of elusive delicate shades, which are difficult to even name: such overflows happen on the calm surface of the lake on a clear evening. What is this - a sea princess from Russian fairy tales, or an image inspired by the music of “Sadko”, or a portrait of Zabela in the role of Volkhova? Most likely, this is an image that the artist dreamed of, where impressions from fairy tales, music, and the appearance of Zabela merged together, and most of all, from contemplating river backwaters in the quiet evening hours, from looking at the amazing shapes and colors of plants, shells , starfish and water lilies. Of course, this is not a portrait of the artist’s wife in the role of the Sea Princess, but the Sea Princess in the guise of his wife - you need to feel this difference. The concept of the painting contains a hidden antithesis to “The Seated Demon.” Here, as there, a fantastic humanoid creature is presented face-to-face with a mysterious twilight landscape, and in both cases the inner meaning, the subtext of the picture is determined by the relationship between this creature and nature. But the Demon is rejected by nature, she is petrified for him, his whole figure and face express melancholy and longing. The princess is in harmony with nature. Look at the calmness in her posture, in the barely noticeable half-smile. The hands are lowered, and the fingers are intertwined almost in the same way as the Demon's, but there is no painful tension in this movement - the hands fall easily, like the wings fall. The princess is ready to disappear, to overflow like a river, and this is not scary for her: she herself is a river, she herself is nature. Actually, the entire Russian fairy-tale and epic theme in Vrubel opposes the theme of the Demon, like the opposite pole. In the Demon, everything is at the limit of tension, everything is dramatic, but here the cantilena sounds softly, here the Snow Maiden, showered with snow stars, smiles tenderly and drowsily, languidly waves away the little birds of the Red Spring, in the diamond glow of the morning thirty-three heroes emerge from the sea.
The tragedy of Vrubel's Demon is the tragedy of an intellect that has lost its soil, that very mother damp earth on which Mikula Selyaninovich firmly stands. The demon is tormented by insoluble questions about the meaning of existence; the characters of the folk epic do not wonder about them. They are elemental beings, their existence is immersed in the existence of the entire cosmic whole, from which they do not separate themselves: this is the “music of the whole person.”
Let us again not discuss how historically correct such an understanding or such a feeling of Russian legendary antiquity is. It may not be true, but Vrubel created his fairy tales, just like his Demon. This, however, does not mean that he did not delve into the primary sources. When creating, for example, “The Bogatyr,” he sincerely got used to the world of epic tales. His canvas was painted almost simultaneously with Vasnetsov’s “Bogatyrs”, which created a sensation at the exhibition in 1899. Rimsky-Korsakov, like many, was delighted with Vasnetsov’s work. In this picture, the three heroes are shown, however, without the hyperbolism characteristic of epics and outside their majestic melodious mode. Vrubel sought to come closer to the style of folklore. He made his hero - Ilya Muromets - stocky, huge, sitting on a bull horse. Such a “peasant hillbilly” can fight with a “ninety pood” club, drink one and a half buckets worth of wine, as the epic says; he is “heavy from the strength, as from a heavy burden,” but he rides “a little higher than the standing forest, a little lower than the walking cloud” - in the picture the tops of the fir trees can be seen at the horse’s feet. The forest is pristinely dense, two hawks lurk in its thick ligature. Broad-shouldered, squat, like a bear, the hero looks vigilantly and sharply, listens sensitively, his clothes and armor are patterned, elegant - also in accordance with the epic, which speaks of the panache of the “old Cossack” Ilya:
Ilya put on silk bast shoes,
He put on a pouch of black velvet,
He put a Greek land hat on his head.
After Vrubel’s knight, Vasnetsov’s heroes will perhaps seem both lightweight and somewhat prosaic. But still, Vrubel, if I may say so, went too far in depicting the hero’s earthly power. There is some kind of artificial bloat in the figure of the knight and, especially, his horse. (Zabela’s sister wrote in her diary: “His horse is wider than it is long.”) Vrubel felt the power of the heroic epic, but he was probably closer to more fragile and lyrical images, “melting and slipping away,” similar to those his wife created on stage. Big line fairy tales married by two famous paintings, which are certainly remembered by everyone who knows at least some of Vrubel’s paintings - “The Swan Princess” and “Pan”. Both were written at the turn of the century - “Pan” in 1899, “The Swan Princess” in 1900.
Different opinions have been expressed about the merits of “The Swan Princess” - not everyone agrees to consider it a masterpiece, but “Pan” is unanimously recognized as the pinnacle, if not of Vrubel’s entire work, then of his fairy-tale suite. The result of artistic work is often unpredictable and unexpected. It happens that an artist devotes months, even years, to a cherished idea, carefully preparing, thinking, writing and rewriting, but the thing never comes to fruition. And sometimes great works are created suddenly, as if impromptu. Vrubel wrote “Pana” in two or three days, taking, with his characteristic impatience, a canvas with a portrait of his wife he had begun. They say that the impetus was reading A. France’s story “Saint Satyr”. And the artist first called his painting “Satyr”. The Hellenic goat-footed god and the Russian goblin are united on it into one person. But there is more in it from the devil - both the Russian landscape and the appearance of Pan. Where did this appearance come from, where did the artist get this remarkable bald head, round, browed, blue-eyed face, overgrown with wild curls? Usually the heroes of Vrubel’s paintings bear a portrait resemblance to someone he knew, and contemporaries had no difficulty guessing who served as the prototype. But “Pan” does not seem to have been identified; in any case, no one posed for the artist for him and there was no search for a type. Did Vrubel spy such an old man somewhere in a Ukrainian village or did he just imagine him? moonlit night at the sight of an old mossy stump - unknown. But viewers of different generations find in “Pan” a resemblance to someone they met and whom Vrubel could not meet - proof of how vital and tenacious this fairy-tale grandfather is.
And at the same time, he is completely fantastic, he is the forest undead, the personification of what one imagines and imagines when lost at night. A gray stump begins to move, ram's horns curl under the shaggy moss, a gnarled hand detaches itself, clutching a multi-stemmed pipe, and suddenly round blue eyes open, like phosphorescent fireflies. As if responding to the silent call of the forest owner, the moon slowly creeps out from behind the horizon, the surface of the river and a small blue flower flash with a blue glow. The goblin is both the soul and the body of these copses and swampy plains; the curls of his fur are like a rising crescent, the bend of his arm echoes the bend of a crooked birch tree, and he is all gnarled, brown, made of earth, moss, tree bark and roots. The magical emptiness of his eyes speaks of some kind of animal or plant wisdom, alien to consciousness: this being is completely elemental, infinitely far from that painful reflection that cramps the mighty muscles of the Demon.
“The Swan Princess” is different. She does not have the serenity of the “Sea Princess” - in fairy world anxiety creeps in, prophetic premonitions creep in. A.P. Ivanov spoke about this picture: “Isn’t it the Virgin of Resentment herself who, in the words of the ancient poem, “splashes her swan wings on the blue sea” before the days of great disasters?”
Vrubel M.A. Self-portrait. 1904 - 1905. Paper, charcoal pencil, sanguine. State Tretyakov Gallery
Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel (March 5, 1856, Omsk, Region of the Siberian Kirghiz, Russian Empire- April 1, 1910, St. Petersburg) - Russian artist at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, who worked in almost all types and genres of fine art: painting, graphics, decorative sculpture and theatrical art.
A special place in the work of M.A. Vrubel is occupied by the poetry of M.Yu. Lermontov, with many of her aspirations close to the artist’s worldview. Romantic pathos, powerful rebellious images (primarily the tragic image of the Demon), humanism, protest against the suppression of the individual, conviction in the high purpose of art (the theme of the Prophet) - all this found a response in the works of M.A. Vrubel. Lermontov's theme appeared in his work in 1884-1885 and continued throughout his life.
The first was the drawing “Head of the Prophet” (pencil). The emergence of the theme of the Prophet in Vrubel is usually associated with A.S. Pushkin. In fact, both Pushkin's and Lermontov's The Prophet provided the artistic impetus for the appearance of this image. The artist began working on illustrations for Pushkin’s poems later (in 1898 - 1899), and all paintings on this topic reflect the moment of the meeting of the future prophet with the six-winged seraphim. From Lermontov's poem comes the image of a lonely Prophet accomplishing the feat destined for him.
Vrubel M.A. Prophet. 1898. Oil on canvas. State Tretyakov Gallery
The idea of the unrealized painting “An Angel Flew Through the Midnight Sky” based on a poem by M.Yu. also dates back to 1884-1885. Lermontov “Angel” (pencil sketch).
The theme of the Demon is of exceptional importance for Vrubel. The first version of “The Demon” (1885-1886) has not survived. In 1887 - 1888, the artist created the first versions of the sculptural Demon. In his view, this is “... a spirit that is not so much evil as suffering and sorrowful, but at the same time a powerful spirit... majestic.”
Vrubel M.A. Demon Head. 1889. Paper, pressed charcoal, sanguine. State Tretyakov Gallery
Vrubel M.A. Demon Head. 1890 - 1891. Paper, mixed media
In 1890, the painting “Seated Demon” appeared, first presented in 1903 at the World of Art exhibition (oil). A sketch for this painting (watercolor, whitewash, pencil) is also known. But this is not yet the “monumental” Demon that Vrubel dreams of writing, but, in his words, only “demonic.”
Vrubel M.A. Demon sitting. Sketch. 1890
.jpg)
Vrubel M.A. Demon sitting. 1890. Oil on canvas. State Tretyakov Gallery
“The Seated Demon,” according to the fair observation of S. Durylin, is associated with the first appearances of this image in Lermontov—his youthful verse. “My Demon” (1829; “...among the numb winds, / He sits sad and gloomy”) and one of the early editions of the poem “Demon” (1833 - 1834): “How often on the icy peak / Alone between heaven and earth / Under the roof of a fiery rainbow / He sat gloomy and dumb.”
In 1889, the artist’s attention was attracted by “Song about... the merchant Kalashnikov.” Only one illustration by M.A. is known. Vrubel to this work - “Kiribeevich at the Tsar’s Feast” (color watercolor; private collection).
In the same 1889, at the suggestion of P.P. Konchalovsky, editor of the anniversary Collected Works of M.Yu. Lermontov, Vrubel begins a series of illustrations for this publication (1891, edition by I.N. Kushnerev). The first volume contained 3 illustrations to the poet’s lyrics - “Mermaid” (black watercolor), “Jewish Melody” (black watercolor; private collection) and “Journalist, Reader and Writer” (black watercolor). In the last illustration, Vrubel gave the three nameless characters specific features of V.G. Belinsky, I.I. Panaev and M.Yu. himself. Lermontov, creating one of the most interesting posthumous portraits of the poet. The second volume of the publication contained illustrations for the poems “The Demon”, “Ishmael Bey” and the novel “A Hero of Our Time”.
Vrubel M.A. Mermaid
Vrubel M.A. Jewish melody. 1890
Vrubel M.A. Journalist, reader and writer
Vrubel made more than 20 drawings for “Demon” (counting variations), but only 11 were included: “Flying Demon” - splash screen (black watercolor), “Camels looked in horror” (black watercolor), “A horse rushes faster than a doe” (black watercolor, whitewash; pencil, initial sketch; Lermontov’s House), “Demon and Tamara” (“Don’t cry, child”; black watercolor, whitewash), “Flying Demon” - splash screen (black watercolor; original location unknown), “Demon walls of the monastery" (black watercolor), "Demon and Tamara" ("Love me!"; black watercolor, whitewash), "Tamara in the coffin" (black watercolor, whitewash), "Angel with the soul of Tamara and the Demon" (black watercolor) , “Head of the Demon against the backdrop of mountains” (black watercolor, whitewash), “Monastery on Kazbek” (black watercolor). The following illustrations were not included in Kushnerev’s edition: “Demon looking at the valley”, “Tamara’s Dance”, “A horse rushes faster than a doe”, “Demon at the walls of the monastery”, “Love me!” (second and third options), “Tamara in the coffin” (second option), “Head of the Demon” (second option), “Tamara’s Head,” “Flying Demon.”
Vrubel M.A. Tamara and Demon. 1890 - 1891. Paper, black watercolor, whitewash. State Tretyakov Gallery
Deep penetration into the poetry of M.Yu. Lermontov allowed the artist to create a series of illustrations that convey the pathos of the poem; the power and tragedy of Vrubel's Demon correspond to Lermontov's image. However, in some versions there are traits of neurasthenicness that are alien to the hero of the poem. Undoubtedly, the image of Tamara is consonant with Lermontov’s: the joy of life, despair, invincible passion, the peace of death - all these contradictory states are perfectly expressed by the artist. Working on illustrations mainly in black watercolor, sparingly introducing whitewash, ink, and sepia, Vrubel achieves amazing picturesqueness; the richness of shades creates the impression of multicolor. Illustrations by M.A. Vrubel to “The Demon”, in terms of their philosophical depth and innovative techniques, have no analogues among the illustrations created by his predecessors, contemporaries and artists of later times.
Vrubel M.A. Flying Demon. 1899
To the poem “Ishmael Bey” by M.A. Vrubel completed a suite of three illustrations (all reproduced in the second volume of Kushnerev): “The Old Chechen Man” (black watercolor), “Zara’s Farewell to Izmail Bey” (black watercolor, whitewash, sepia), “The Corpse of Izmail Bey” (black watercolor). In the center of this suite is the farewell scene, the tragedy of separation. Severity harmonizes with this mood mountain landscape. The artist also conceived an illustration for the poem “The Fugitive” - “Harun ran faster than a doe” (the location of the original is unknown; it was not reproduced).
Vrubel M.A. Zara's farewell to Izmail Bey. 1891
Vrubel M.A. Old Chechen man
To “Hero of Our Time” by M.A. Vrubel completed 4 illustrations (included in the second volume of Kushnerev): for “Bela” - “Kazbich and Azamat” (two versions: the first - black watercolor, whitewash; the second - black watercolor), for “Princess Mary” - “Pechorin” (black watercolor), there were also more early version(black watercolor), “Princess Mary and Grushnitsky at the source” (black watercolor, whitewash), “Duel of Pechorin with Grushnitsky” (black watercolor, whitewash).
Vrubel M.A. Kazbich and Azamat. 1890 - 1891
Vrubel M.A. Princess Mary and Grushnitsky. 1890 - 1891
Vrubel’s best illustration of the novel is the duel scene. Constructed as a mise-en-scène of a complex dramatic work(arrangement of figures, poses, gestures), it helps to understand the meaning tragic ending. In the image of Pechorin, Vrubel reveals contrasting features: masculinity and pride, loneliness and weakness, cruelty and constant reflection.
Vrubel M.A. Duel between Pechorin and Grushnitsky. 1890 - 1891
Vrubel's illustrations were not appreciated and understood by his contemporaries and were subjected to merciless criticism (Pepo, S. Vasiliev). To the editor P.P. Konchalovsky, with the support of a few artists (primarily K.A. Korovin, L.O. Pasternak and V.A. Serov), hardly managed to achieve the inclusion of Vrubel’s illustrations in Kushnerev’s publication.
Vrubel’s polychrome sculpture “Head of the Demon” dates back to 1894; it was exhibited in 1898 at the “Exhibition of Russian-Finnish Artists” in St. Petersburg. In the 90s a decorative bas-relief “Head of the Demon” (polychrome majolica) was created. A face with sharpened features, with a tense, fierce expression - this Demon is closest to the image latest edition poem: “And again he remained, arrogant, / Alone, as before, in the universe / Without hope and love!..”.
Vrubel M.A. Demon Head. 1890. Painted plaster. State Russian Museum
From the end of 1899 to 1900, Vrubel worked on the large canvas “The Flying Demon” (oil). This is Vrubel’s last “Lermontov” Demon - an outcast, aimlessly wandering century after century in the desert of the world. The picture as a whole was not finished; Apparently only the head is completed.
In 1901 - 1902, the artist created the monumental canvas “The Defeated Demon” (oil), for which he completed a number of preliminary sketches. The search continued on the completed canvas: the Demon’s face changed many times. In the latter version, the Demon is the embodiment of suffering, hatred, despair and pride. “The defeated demon” - angry, but exhausted, with broken wings on which he can no longer fly - is not Lermontov’s image. At M.Yu. Lermontov is not there defeated Demon: defeated, having learned the futility of crazy dreams, he is still powerful...
Vrubel M.A. The demon is defeated. 1902
In the spring of 1902, the painting was presented at the 4th exhibition of the World of Art. And this work of the artist was not understood by the public. There were hostile reviews in the press. A positive review belonged to M. Sudkovsky. Al also praised the picture. Benoit.
Throughout his life, the artist carried another Lermontov image - the Prophet. Returning to it again in 1904, he creates an easel work that amazes with its depth and strength (charcoal, pencil, whitewash, watercolor; the second option is charcoal, pencil, whitewash). It is this tragic image of the Prophet, who has already known the bitterness of rejection, that is most autobiographical in Vrubel’s work. It is no coincidence that it resembles a self-portrait, also painted in 1904 (Italian pencil, charcoal, chalk; another option is charcoal, sanguine).
Vrubel M.A. Head of the Prophet. 1904 - 1905. Paper on cardboard, charcoal, graphite pencil, watercolor. State Tretyakov Gallery
Vrubel's works on Lermontov's themes are reproduced in editions of the poet's works, monographs about the artist, and albums. The best of them are facsimilely reproduced in the album “Vrubel. Drawings for production M.Yu. Lermontov" (1964).
Lermontov Encyclopedia. M., 1980. S. 94 - 95.
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel (1856 - 1910) distinguished himself in many genres of art. In painting, he became the founder of the Russian symbolic movement of the Art Nouveau style. Vrubel wrote such a sensational “Lilac” in precisely this style, but in the heyday of his creative activity he did not have significant public recognition, was not accepted by the artistic community and was condemned by critics.
Official recognition came to the artist only towards the end of his life: in 1905 he became an academician of painting.
Vrubel belonged to the circle of “Mirsussniki”, that is, to the association creative personalities around the magazine "World of Art". Together with them, he, being captured by the ideas of Slavophilism, sought manifestations of the beauty of the Russian soul, drawing inspiration from nature. “Lilac”, created in 1900 by M. A. Vrubel, was exhibited precisely thanks to this creative association.
His style of writing is usually attributed to the symbolic direction of Art Nouveau. But the master’s works are not similar to others of this style; he has his own unique recognition, with characteristic brightness, a non-standard, original vision of the characters depicted.
Vrubel imbued the plot of the painting “Lilac” with philosophically meaningful content. This and his other works are like dreams. Hence the fantastic nature and symbolism of the characters and plot images of his paintings, because only in dreams are fantastic images created by our dreams and desires so organically intertwined with reality.
It is known that Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel had synesthesia - seeing music in color. It is believed that Vrubel conceived “Lilac”, created in 1900, under the influence of Rachmaninov’s romance, which his wife performed in her concerts.
The artist distinguished dozens of shades of white, while the eye of an ordinary person saw only seven. And most importantly, he had such an inimitable style of painting that it still protects them from fakes.
Circumstances of painting
In 1898, N.I. Zabela became the wife of M.A. Vrubel, whose son was already married to her sister famous painter Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge (1831-1894). The close family ties of the two families allowed in May 1900 Mikhail Alexandrovich to visit the Ge family on a farm in the Chernigov province, located near the Pliski railway station. There were a lot of lilacs growing here, which Vrubel saw. The painting “Lilac” was painted immediately, directly in the workshop of N. N. Ge, and the flower itself became the leitmotif of many of his creations.
The creation was written at the peak of creative activity. It was then that the first symptoms of the artist’s deteriorating mental health began to appear. Hence the gloomy colors of his painting, the mysticism and anxiety of the images, the doom of his mood.
“Lilac” by Vrubel: description
In the painting, the master shows us a corner of the garden at night. Among the darkness and unclear outlines, the inflorescences of lilac bushes in all their shades of blue and purple catch the eye as bright spots.
Vrubel depicted lilacs on almost the entire surface of the painting, and it seems that this continues beyond its borders. There are so many lilacs that it fills the entire space around the viewer. We even begin to feel its subtle aroma.
Woven from the darkness of the night, a female silhouette emerges into this riot of colors as an alarming shadow right into the foreground of the image. We can see the black ones long hair, falling in a thick wave over the shoulders and mixing with dark color robes. The figure moves serenely and slowly across the painting. Moonlight dim rays selectively illuminate the girl’s image: thin and pale, as if lifeless, hands touching lilac flowers full of colors, past which the girl walks quietly and sadly, her stern and thoughtful face, half-covered by the shadows of the night.
The boundaries of the image are blurred, creating the illusion of a commonality between two people - the lilac bush and the girl. The mood of the picture is melancholy and loneliness, a premonition of death.
Symbolism in the picture
Giving a description of Vrubel’s “Lilac,” we ask ourselves who is depicted on the canvas as a girl in black.
The artist saw in her the soul of lilac and gave her a name - Tatyana, comparing her with Pushkin’s heroine, in whom, as it seemed to the artist, the soul of the poet was imprinted. Art historians find in this girl the features of Vrubel’s wife, whom he often depicted on his canvases.
It is believed that this painting echoes another - “Pan” from the series of nocturnes of the “Fairytale Cycle”, to which “Lilac” belongs. In this alliteration, confirmed by the master himself, in the girl’s silhouette we recognize the nymph Syringa, with whom the satyr is in love in “Pan.”
How many ambiguous, complex, deep images “Lilac” has collected in itself! Vrubel may have frightened his contemporaries by this, who wanted to see something more understandable, more familiar in his paintings.
Consonant with this work, another canvas was conceived, but never completed - “Lilac Blossom” of 1901, which the painter himself called a more serious and thoughtful work, where he intended to more fully reflect his artistic design, implemented in the described work.
However, it was he who was destined to become a turning point in the painter’s fate. Vrubel showed his “Lilac” at the World of Arts exhibition in 1900, at the Academy of Arts. There she was noticed by Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich, a famous conservative in art. He became interested in her and left a favorable review, which immediately changed the attitude of critics towards Mikhail Alexandrovich, giving him fame and glory.
Results
There are polar opinions about Vrubel's works and about himself. Supporters of one of them are impressed by the mysterious mysticism of his paintings, which are recognized as masterpieces of painting. Others revered his genius for his mediocrity, which hides behind non-standard subjects and drawing techniques. Thus, A. N. Benois in “The History of Russian Painting in the 19th Century” wrote that “for many years Vrubel was a universal laughing stock, and only a tiny handful of people took him seriously and admired his enormous painting talent.”
Today in Russia, the master’s works can be seen in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, in the State Tretyakov Gallery and in the Museum fine arts named after M.A. Vrubel in Omsk.