Ivan Shishkin. Morning in pine forest. 1889 Tretyakov Gallery
“Morning in a Pine Forest” is the most famous painting by Ivan Shishkin. No, take it higher. This is the most popular painting in Russia.
But this fact, it seems to me, brings little benefit to the masterpiece itself. It even harms him.
When it's too popular, it flashes everywhere. In every textbook. On candy wrappers (where the wild popularity of the painting began 100 years ago).
As a result, the viewer loses interest in the picture. We glance at her quickly with the thought “Oh, it’s her again...”. And we pass by.
For the same reason I didn’t write about her. Although I’ve been writing articles about masterpieces for several years now. And one might be surprised how I passed by this blockbuster. But now you know why.
I'm correcting myself. Because I want to look at Shishkin’s masterpiece with you more closely.
Why “Morning in a Pine Forest” is a masterpiece
Shishkin was a realist to the core. He depicted the forest very realistically. Choosing colors carefully. Such realism easily draws the viewer into the picture.
Just look at color solutions.
Pale emerald pine needles in the shade. Light green color of young grass in the rays of the morning sun. Dark ocher pine needles on a fallen tree.
The fog is also made from a combination of different shades. Greenish in the shade. Bluish in the light. And turns yellow closer to the treetops.
Ivan Shishkin. Morning in a pine forest (fragment). 1889 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
All this complexity creates the overall impression of being in this forest. You feel this forest. And don't just see it. The craftsmanship is incredible.
But Shishkin’s paintings, alas, are often compared to photographs. Considering the master deeply old-fashioned. Why such realism if there are photo images?
I do not agree with this position. It is important what angle the artist chooses, what kind of lighting, what kind of fog and even moss. All this together reveals to us a piece of the forest from a special side. In a way we wouldn't see him. But we see through the eyes of an artist.
And through his gaze we experience pleasant emotions: delight, inspiration, nostalgia. And this is the point: to provoke the viewer to a spiritual response.
Savitsky – assistant or co-author of the masterpiece?
The story of Konstantin Savitsky’s co-authorship seems strange to me. In all sources you will read that Savitsky was an animal painter, which is why he volunteered to help his friend Shishkin. Like, such realistic bears are his merit.
But if you look at Savitsky’s works, you will immediately understand that animal painting is NOT his main genre.
He was typical. He often wrote about the poor. Helped with the help of paintings for the disadvantaged. Here is one of his outstanding works, “Meeting of an Icon.”
Konstantin Savitsky. Meeting the icon. 1878 Tretyakov Gallery.
Yes, in addition to the crowd, there are also horses. Savitsky really knew how to portray them very realistically.
But Shishkin also easily coped with a similar task, if you look at his animalistic works. In my opinion, he did no worse than Savitsky.
Ivan Shishkin. Goby. 1863 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Therefore, it is not entirely clear why Shishkin commissioned Savitsky to write the bears. I'm sure he could handle it himself. They were friends. Perhaps this was an attempt to help a friend financially? Shishkin was more successful. He received serious money for his paintings.
For the bears, Savitsky received 1/4 of the fee from Shishkin - as much as 1000 rubles (with our money this is about 0.5 million rubles!) It is unlikely that Savitsky could have received such an amount for a whole own work.
Formally, Tretyakov was right. After all, Shishkin thought through the entire composition. Even the poses and positions of the bears. This is obvious if you look at the sketches.
Co-authorship as a phenomenon in Russian painting
Moreover, this is not the first such case in Russian painting. I immediately remembered Aivazovsky’s painting “Pushkin’s Farewell to the Sea.” Pushkin in the painting of the great marine painter was painted by... Ilya Repin.
But his name is not in the picture. Although these are not bears. But still great poet. Which needs to not only be depicted realistically. But to be expressive. So that the same farewell to the sea can be read in the eyes.
In my opinion, this is a more difficult task than depicting bears. Nevertheless, Repin did not insist on co-authorship. On the contrary, I was incredibly happy working together with the great Aivazovsky.
Savitsky was prouder. I was offended by Tretyakov. But he continued to be friends with Shishkin.
But we cannot deny that without the bears this painting would not have become the artist's most recognizable painting. This would be another Shishkin masterpiece. Majestic and breathtaking landscape.
But he wouldn't be so popular. It was the bears who played their role. This means that Savitsky should not be completely discounted.
How to rediscover “Morning in a Pine Forest”
And in conclusion, I would like to return again to the problem of overdose of the image of a masterpiece. How can you look at it with fresh eyes?
I think it's possible. To do this, look at the little-known sketch for the painting.
Ivan Shishkin. Sketch for the painting “Morning in a Pine Forest”. 1889 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
It is done with quick strokes. The figures of the bears are only outlined and painted by Shishkin himself. Particularly impressive is the light in the form of golden vertical strokes.
Now look again at the painting “Morning in a Pine Forest.” And you will be able to “read” it with fresh eyes. See something you haven't noticed before.
Exposition
The film is popular due to its entertaining plot. However true value The work is a beautifully expressed state of nature, seen by the artist in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. What is shown is not a dense dense forest, but sunlight, making his way through the columns of giants. You can feel the depth of the ravines and the power of centuries-old trees. And the sunlight seems to timidly peek into this dense forest. The frolicking cubs feel the approach of morning. We are observers of wildlife and its inhabitants.
Story
Shishkin was suggested to the idea of the painting by Savitsky. Savitsky painted the bears in the film itself. These bears, with some differences in poses and numbers (at first there were two of them), appear in preparatory drawings and sketches. Savitsky turned out the bears so well that he even signed the picture together with Shishkin. However, when Tretyakov acquired the painting, he removed Savitsky’s signature, leaving the authorship to Shishkin. After all, in a painting, Tretyakov said, “from the concept to the execution, everything speaks about the manner of painting, about creative method, characteristic of Shishkin."
- Most Russians call this picture“Three Bears”, despite the fact that there are not three, but four bears in the picture. This is apparently due to the fact that during the Soviet era, grocery stores sold “Bear-toed Bear” candies with a reproduction of this picture on a candy wrapper, which were popularly called “Three Bears.”
- Another erroneous common name is “Morning in pine forest"(tautology: pine forest is a pine forest).
Notes
Literature
- Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin. Correspondence. Diary. Contemporaries about the artist / Comp. I. N. Shuvalova - Leningrad: Art, Leningrad branch, 1978;
- Alenov M. A., Evangulova O. S., Livshits L. I. Russian art XI - early XX centuries. - M.: Art, 1989;
- Anisov L. Shishkin. - M.: Young Guard, 1991. - (Series: Life of Remarkable People);
- State Russian Museum. Leningrad. Painting of the XII - early XX centuries. - M.: Fine Arts, 1979;
- Dmitrienko A. F., Kuznetsova E. V., Petrova O. F., Fedorova N. A. 50 short biographies masters of Russian art. - Leningrad, 1971;
- Lyaskovskaya O. A. Plein air in Russian paintings of the 19th century century. - M.: Art, 1966.
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See what “Morning in a Pine Forest” is in other dictionaries:
- “MORNING IN A PINE FOREST”, Canada Latvia, BURRACUDA FILM PRODUCTION/ATENTAT CULTURE, 1998, color, 110 min. Documentary. About the creative self-expression of six young people, the search for mutual understanding through creativity. Their lives are shown during... Encyclopedia of Cinema
MORNING IN A PINE FOREST- Painting by I.I. Shishkina. Created in 1889, located in the Tretyakov Gallery. Dimensions 139 × 213 cm. One of the most famous landscapes in Shishkin’s work depicts a dense impenetrable forest* middle zone Russia. In the thicket of the forest on fallen trees... ... Linguistic and regional dictionary
Jarg. stud. First scheduled morning training session. (Recorded 2003) ...
Shishkin I. I. “Morning in a pine forest” Morning& ... Wikipedia
May I not live to see the morning! People's An oath of what. DP, 654. Happy morning. Don. The first morning after the wedding. SDG 1, 61. Good morning! 1. Unlock Greetings when meeting. ShZF 2001, 68. 2. Odessk. The name of the flowers that open in the morning... ... Large dictionary of Russian sayings
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin Date of birth ... Wikipedia
Shishkin I. N. Kramskoy. Portrait of the artist I. I. Shishkin. (1873, Tretyakov Gallery) Date of birth: 1832 Date of death: 1898 ... Wikipedia
Shishkin I. N. Kramskoy. Portrait of the artist I. I. Shishkin. (1873, Tretyakov Gallery) Date of birth: 1832 Date of death: 1898 ... Wikipedia
Shishkin I. N. Kramskoy. Portrait of the artist I. I. Shishkin. (1873, Tretyakov Gallery) Date of birth: 1832 Date of death: 1898 ... Wikipedia
MOSCOW, January 25 - RIA Novosti, Victoria Salnikova. 185 years ago, on January 25, 1832, Ivan Shishkin was born, perhaps the most “folk” Russian artist.
IN Soviet era reproductions of his paintings hung in many apartments, and the famous bear cubs from the painting “Morning in a Pine Forest” migrated to candy wrappers.
Ivan Shishkin’s paintings still live their own life, far from the museum space. What role did Vladimir Mayakovsky play in their history and how Shishkin’s bears ended up on the wrappers of pre-revolutionary sweets - in the RIA Novosti material.
"Get a savings book!"
In Soviet times, the design of the candy wrapper did not change, but “Mishka” became the most expensive delicacy: in the 1920s, a kilogram of candy was sold for four rubles. The candy even had a slogan: “If you want to eat Mishka, get yourself a Savings Book!” This phrase from the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky even began to be printed on wrappers.
Despite the high price, the delicacy was in demand among buyers: the artist and graphic artist Alexander Rodchenko even captured it on the Mosselprom building in Moscow in 1925.
In the 1950s, the “Bear Bear” candy went to Brussels: the “Red October” factory participated in the World Exhibition and received the highest award.
Art in every home
But the story of “Mornings in a Pine Forest” was not limited to sweets. To others popular destination in Soviet times there were reproductions classical works art.
© Photo: Public Domain Ivan Shishkin. "Rye". Oil on canvas. 1878
Unlike oil paintings, they were cheap and sold in any bookstore, so they were available to almost every family. “Morning in a Pine Forest” and “Rye,” another popular painting by Ivan Shishkin, adorned the walls of many Soviet apartments and dachas.
“Bears” also ended up on tapestries - a favorite interior detail Soviet man. Over the course of a century, “Morning in a Pine Forest” has become one of the most recognizable paintings in Russia. True, a casual viewer is unlikely to immediately remember its real name.
In exchange for drugs
The works of Ivan Shishkin are popular with robbers and scammers. On January 25, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus discovered a work of art stolen in Russia in the car of drug couriers. The painting "Forest. Spruces" from 1897 was stolen in 2013 from the Vyaznikovsky Historical and Art Museum in the Vladimir region. According to preliminary information, drug couriers brought the painting to Belarus at the request of a potential buyer from Europe. The cost of the painting could reach two million dollars, but the attackers planned to sell it for 100 thousand euros and three kilograms of cocaine.
Last year, criminal investigation officers suspected a 57-year-old woman of stealing the painting “Preobrazhenskoe” from 1896. The woman received this work from a famous collector for sale, however, according to investigators, she appropriated it.
Days of free visits to the museum
Every Wednesday you can visit the permanent exhibition “Art of the 20th Century” in the New Tretyakov Gallery for free.
Right free visit exhibitions in the Main Building on Lavrushinsky Lane, the Engineering Building, the New Tretyakov Gallery, the V.M. House-Museum. Vasnetsov, museum-apartment of A.M. Vasnetsova is provided on the following days for certain categories of citizens first come first serve basis:
First and second Sunday of every month:
for students of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation, regardless of the form of study (including foreign citizens-students of Russian universities, graduate students, adjuncts, residents, assistant trainees) upon presentation of a student card (does not apply to persons presenting student cards “student-trainee” );
for students of secondary and secondary specialized educational institutions (from 18 years old) (citizens of Russia and CIS countries). Students holding ISIC cards on the first and second Sunday of each month have the right to free admission to the “Art of the 20th Century” exhibition at the New Tretyakov Gallery.
every Saturday - for members large families(citizens of Russia and CIS countries).
Please note that conditions for free admission to temporary exhibitions may vary. Check the exhibition pages for more information.
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Visit to the museum holidays
On National Unity Day - November 4 - the Tretyakov Gallery is open from 10:00 to 18:00 (entrance until 17:00). Admission is paid.
- Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane, Engineering Building and New Tretyakov Gallery - from 10:00 to 18:00 (box office and entrance until 17:00)
- Museum-apartment of A.M. Vasnetsov and the House-Museum of V.M. Vasnetsova - closed
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Please note that the conditions for discounted admission to temporary exhibitions may vary. Check the exhibition pages for more information.
The right to preferential visits The Gallery, except in cases provided for by a separate order of the Gallery management, is provided upon presentation of documents confirming the right to preferential visits to:
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Free visit right The main and temporary exhibitions of the Gallery, except in cases provided for by a separate order of the Gallery’s management, are provided to the following categories of citizens upon presentation of documents confirming the right of free admission:
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- volunteers of the “Sputnik” program - entrance to the exhibition “Art of the 20th Century” (Krymsky Val, 10) and “Masterpieces of Russian Art of the 11th - early 20th Century” (Lavrushinsky Lane, 10), as well as to the House-Museum of V.M. Vasnetsov and the Apartment Museum of A.M. Vasnetsova (citizens of Russia);
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Visitors to the above categories of citizens receive entrance ticket denomination "Free".
Please note that the conditions for discounted admission to temporary exhibitions may vary. Check the exhibition pages for more information.
The picture is known to every person; it is passed through almost elementary school, and it’s unlikely to forget such a masterpiece afterwards. In addition, this well-known and beloved reproduction constantly adorns the packaging of chocolate of the same name and is an excellent illustration for stories.
The plot of the picture
This is probably the most popular painting by I.I. Shishkina, famous landscape painter, whose hands created many beautiful paintings, including “Morning in a Pine Forest.” The canvas was painted in 1889, and according to historians, the idea for the plot itself did not appear spontaneously, it was suggested to Shishkin by Savitsky K.A. It was this artist who in his time amazingly depicted a bear along with her playing cubs on the canvas. “Morning in a Pine Forest” was acquired by the famous art connoisseur of that time, Tretyakov, who considered that the painting was made by Shishkin and assigned final authorship directly to him.
Some believe that the film owes its incredible popularity to its entertaining plot. But, despite this, the canvas is valuable due to the fact that the state of nature on the canvas is conveyed surprisingly clearly and truly.
Nature in the picture
First of all, it can be noted that the painting depicts a morning forest, but this is only a superficial description. In fact, the author depicted not an ordinary pine forest, but its very thicket, the place that is called “dead,” and it is she who begins her early awakening in the morning. The picture depicts natural phenomena very subtly:
- the sun begins to rise;
- the sun's rays first of all touch the very tops of the trees, but some mischievous rays have already made their way into the very depths of the ravine;
- The ravine is also notable in the picture because fog can still be seen in it, as if it is not afraid of the sun’s rays, as if it is not going to go away.
Heroes of the picture
The canvas also has its own characters. These are three little bear cubs and their mother bear. She takes care of her cubs, because on the canvas they look well-fed, contented and carefree. The forest is awakening, so the mother bear very carefully watches how her cubs frolic, controls their play and worries whether something has happened. The bear cubs are not concerned about the awakening nature, they are interested in frolicking on the site of a fallen pine
The picture creates the feeling that we are in the most remote part of the entire pine forest also because a mighty pine tree lies completely abandoned at the end of the forest, it was once uprooted, and is still in that state. This is practically a corner of the real wildlife, the one where bears live, and people do not risk touching it.
Writing style
In addition to the fact that the picture can pleasantly surprise you with its plot, it is also impossible to take your eyes off it because the author tried to skillfully use all his drawing skills, put his soul into it and brought the canvas to life. Shishkin solved the problem of the relationship between color and light on the canvas in an absolutely brilliant way. It is interesting to note that in the foreground one can “meet” fairly clear drawings and colors, in contrast to the background coloring, which seems almost transparent.
It is clear from the picture that the artist was actually delighted with the grace and amazing beauty of pristine nature, which is beyond the control of man.
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