Dmitry Polenov paintings. Vasily Polenov. Light painting. Half-timbered barn - exhibition hall

03.03.2020

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (May 20 (June 1) 1844, St. Petersburg - July 18, 1927, Borok estate, Tula region) - Russian artist, master of historical, landscape and genre painting, teacher.

Biography of Vasily Polenov

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov was born in St. Petersburg on May 20 (June 1), 1844 into a cultured noble family. His father, Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov, the son of an academician in the department of Russian language and literature, was a famous archaeologist and bibliographer. The future artist’s mother, Maria Alekseevna, nee Voeykova, wrote books for children and was engaged in painting.

The ability to draw was characteristic of most of the Polenov children, but two were the most gifted: the eldest son Vasily and the youngest daughter Elena, who later became real artists. The children had painting teachers from the Academy of Arts. Meeting with one of the teachers - P.P. Chistyakov - became decisive for life path Polenova. Chistyakov taught drawing and the basics of painting to Polenov and his sister in 1856-1861.

After much hesitation, in 1863, after graduating from high school, he entered, together with his brother Alexei, the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics (natural science) of St. Petersburg University.

At the same time, in the evenings, as a visiting student, he attends the Academy of Arts, and not only studies in drawing classes, but also listens with interest to lectures on the subjects of anatomy, construction art, descriptive geometry, stories fine arts. Polenov does not stop playing music. Not only was he a regular visitor to the opera house and concerts, but he himself sang in the student choir of the Academy.

Having transferred to the full-scale class of the Academy of Arts as a permanent student, Polenov left the university for a while, completely immersing himself in painting. Thus making right choice, because already in 1867 he completed his student course at the Academy of Arts and received silver medals for drawings and sketches.

In 1871 he received a law degree.

Polenov's creativity

In 1869, for the painting “Job and His Friends,” Polenov received a small gold medal, and in 1871 (simultaneously with Ilya Repin) for competition work“Christ Raises the Daughter of Jairus” - large gold medal.

Having simultaneously completed a university course at the Faculty of Law in 1872, Polenov went abroad as an academy pensioner. Visited Vienna, Munich, Venice, Florence and Naples, long time lived in Paris and painted there, among other things, the painting “The Arrest of the Countess d’Etremont,” which secured him the title of academician in 1876.

Having returned to Russia in the same 1876, he soon went to Russian-Turkish war, during which he served as the official artist at the main apartment of the heir to the crown prince (later the emperor Alexandra III).

Since the 1870s, Polenov worked a lot in the field of theatrical and decorative painting. In 1882-1895, the artist taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where his students included I. I. Levitan, K. A. Korovin, I. S. Ostroukhov, A. E. Arkhipov, A. Ya. Golovin and E. M. Tatevosyan.

In 1877 Polenov settled in Moscow. A year later on VI traveling exhibition Polenov shows what later became his business card the painting “Moscow Courtyard”, painted from life in Arbat Lane. After her resounding success, the artist becomes the founder of a new genre - the “intimate landscape”.

Since 1879 he was a member of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions. He gains fame as a master of epic landscapes, which he then increases by settling on the Oka River and traveling to places associated with the cradle of Christianity.

In 1881-1882 he went on his first trip to the Middle East and to biblical places: Constantinople, Palestine, Syria and Egypt, from where he brought sketches and sketches for the large-scale canvas “Christ and the Sinner”, as well as other paintings painted in Polenov’s found in trip, a new style of writing for myself.

In 1883-1884 in Italy he continued to work on the painting “Christ and the Sinner”; in 1887 it was exhibited at the XVth exhibition of the Wanderers.

In 1888 he painted the painting “On Lake Tiberias (Gensaret).”

Artist's works

Grandmother's garden. 1878
Birch Alley. 1880
Moscow courtyard. 1878
Golden autumn. 1893
On the boat. Abramtsevo. 1880
Overgrown pond. 1879

Old mill. 1880
Winter. Imochenians. 1880
Early snow. 1891
Shower. 1874
Autumn in Abramtsevo. 1898
Pond in Abramtsevo. 1883
Epic storyteller Nikita Bogdanov. 1876
Terem Palace. External view. 1877
Christ and the sinner. 1888
Olive tree in the Garden of Gethsemane. 1882
Head of a Jew. 1884
Parthenon. Temple of Athena Parthenos. 1881-2
Arrest of a Huguenot woman 1875
Mosque in Jenin. 1903
In the park. Normandy. 1874

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (1844-1927) – artist. Since 1926 People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Since childhood, Vasily Polenov was fond of painting. His studies were encouraged by his mother, Maria Alekseevna Polenova, who herself loved to draw, and his grandmother, Vera Nikolaevna Voeikova, daughter of the famous architect Nikolai Lvov.

At the age of 12, Vasily Polenov was hired as an art teacher. It turned out to be a talented student of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts Pavel Chistyakov (1832-1919). Five years of studies had a great influence on the development of Polenov the artist.

Despite his success in drawing, Vasily Polenov did not dare to devote himself entirely to art. In 1863, he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University, and in the evenings he attended drawing classes at the Academy of Arts.

In 1871, he graduated from the university, albeit already the Faculty of Law, and the academy, receiving the highest award for his competitive work - the Grand Gold Medal.

In the summer of 1872, Polenov, as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts, went to Italy. In the autumn of the following year he settled in Paris. During the trip, Polenov studied the working style of Western masters, painted paintings in the style of French salon painting and historical romanticism, and devoted a lot of time to the landscape. One of the brightest works on historical topic became the painting "The Arrest of the Huguenot Jacobine de Montebel, Countess d'Etremont", painted in 1875 by order of Tsarevich Alexander, the future Emperor Alexander III. Based on the results of the reporting exhibition arranged by Polenov in the fall of 1876 upon his return to Russia, he was awarded the title academician. But real recognition was ahead.

After viewing Polenov’s works, critic V.V. Stasov accused the artist of being “Frenchish”: “You are going to settle in Moscow... meanwhile, you don’t need Moscow for anything, just like the rest of Russia in general. Your soul is not at all Russian... It seems to me that it would be best for you to live permanently in Paris or Germany."

In 1877, Vasily Polenov settled in Moscow. A year later, at the VI traveling exhibition, he exhibited “Moscow Courtyard”. Fame came to the artist. In the same year, the painting "Grandmother's Garden" appeared. It was followed by "Overgrown Pond" and "Old Mill". All of them became masterpieces of Russian painting.

In the 1870-1890s. Polenov wrote the scenery for home theater Mamontov and his Private Russian Opera. The artist met Savva Mamontov in the early 1870s. in Rome during a retirement business trip. By the way, on Mamontov’s Abramtsevo estate, Polenov painted the wonderful paintings “On a Boat” and “Pond in Abramtsevo.”

In 1890, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov bought an estate in the Tula province, on the banks of the Oka. There the artist lived and worked for a long time. He moved here from Moscow in 1918. Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov died on July 18, 1927 in his estate. Now the former estate houses the V.D. Museum-Reserve. Polenova. The first director of the museum was the full namesake of Polenov’s father, the artist’s son Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov (1886-1967).

Vasily Polenov: “It seems to me that art should give happiness and joy, otherwise it is worth nothing.”

Biography of Polenov

1844. May 20 (June 1) - in St. Petersburg, a son, Vasily, was born into the family of hereditary nobles Dmitry Vasilyevich and Maria Alekseevna (nee Voeikova) Polenov.
1855. From this year, the Polenovs spent the summer months on their estate Imochentsy, Olonets province, where the artist subsequently painted many paintings and sketches.
1856-1861. Drawing and painting lessons from P.P. Chistyakova.
1858. In St. Petersburg, at an exhibition at the Academy of Arts, Vasily Polenov first saw a painting by A.A. Ivanov’s “The Appearance of Christ to the People,” which remained one of his most powerful artistic impressions for the rest of his life.
1859. Visiting classes of F.I. Jordan at the Academy of Arts.
1861-1863. Moving with parents to Petrozavodsk. Studying at the gymnasium.
1863. Admission to the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University and the Academy of Arts.
1869. Awarded the Small Gold Medal at the Academy of Arts for the program painting “Job and His Friends.”
1871. Graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University and the Academy of Arts.
1872. June - departure to Italy as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts. Acquaintance in Italy with S.I. Mamontov. The first serious feeling for Marusa Obolenskaya, her sudden death.
1873. May - grandmother Vera Nikolaevna Voeikova died. June - Polenov interrupted his business trip and returned to Imochentsy. September – resumption of retirement business trip, departure to France.
1874. Meeting I.S. in Paris. Turgenev.
1876. Return to Russia. Polenov was awarded the title of academician. September - as part of the Russian volunteer army, he went to the Serbian-Turkish front.
1877. March - move to Moscow. Execution of the sketch "Moscow courtyard". August 31 – meeting Maria Nikolaevna Klimentova, with whom the artist became interested.
1877 - spring 1878. As a front-line artist, Polenov participated in the Russian-Turkish War.
1878. Return to Moscow. The paintings "Moscow Courtyard", "Grandma's Garden" were completed. May 7 – at the VI exhibition of the Itinerants at the MUZHVZ, Polenov exhibited the painting “Moscow Courtyard”. October – the artist’s father Dmitry Vasilyevich Polenov died.
1879. Polenov painted the painting “Overgrown Pond”.
1881. March 7 – the artist’s sister Vera Dmitrievna Polenova died.
1881-1882. First trip to the East in connection with work on the painting “Christ and the Sinner”.
1882. Marriage of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov and Natalya Vasilievna Yakunchikova. Start of teaching at MUZHVZ.
1883, October - 1884, May. Work in Italy on sketches and sketches for the painting "Christ and the Sinner".
1884. Birth of son Fyodor.
1885. First season of the Mamontov Private Opera.
1886. Polenov completed the painting “The Sick Woman”. Death of son Fyodor and birth of son Mitya.
1887. Polenov exhibited the painting “Christ and the Sinner” at the XV exhibition of the Wanderers.
1890. Purchase of land in Bekhov on Oka.
1891. August 16 - the manor house, conceived as a people's museum, was founded.
1892. October 2 – the artist’s family moved to new house. This date is considered the founding day of the V.D. Museum. Polenova.
1892-1893. The paintings "It's getting cold. Autumn on the Oka River near Tarusa", "Golden Autumn" were painted.
1895. The artist’s mother, Maria Alekseevna Polenova, died.
1898. November 7 – the artist’s sister Elena Dmitrievna Polenova died.
1899. Spring - second trip to the East. September – arrest of S.I. Mamontova.
1900. July – trial of S.I. Mamontov, in which he was completely acquitted.
1902. Development of a program of wall paintings for the Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.
1903. February - the Union of Russian Artists was organized.
1906. B Great hall The Moscow Conservatory performed the opera by V.D. Polenov "Ghosts of Hellas".
1907. Travel through Germany and Italy.
1910, July - 1911, autumn. Euro-trip.
1911. At Polenov’s expense, a school was built in the village of Strakhov, located next to Bekhov.
1912. May 31 - opening of the Museum of Fine Arts.
1915. According to Polenov’s design, a house was built in Moscow on Presnya for the Section for Assistance to Factory and Village Theaters. Since 1921 – House of Theater Education named after Academician V.D. Polenova.
1918-1919. Polenov lived in Bork.
1924. First personal exhibition in Tretyakov Gallery to the 80th anniversary of V.D. Polenova.
1926. Awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.
1927. July 18 – Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov died. He was buried in the cemetery in Bechovo.

Polenov's paintings

But best paintings Polenova – landscapes middle zone Russia. Many of them were written after 1890 at the Bekhovo estate. Here in Pinery on the high bank of the Oka, he left Moscow, having built a house and workshops according to his own design.

In 1877-1879 Polenov created the Moscow trilogy, which included “Moscow Courtyard”, “Grandma’s Garden” and “Overgrown Pond”.

Painting "Overgrown Pond" written and presented by Polenov at the VII exhibition of the Itinerants in 1879. The audience was delighted: calm, silence and harmony. The painting depicts a pond at the Olsufiev estate on Devichye Pole in Khamovniki, where Polenov rented an apartment from July 1878 until the fall of 1881. Main house The estate was located at 11 Bozheninovsky Lane. Now it is Rossolimo Street. The model for the figure of a woman in the depths, among the trees, was the artist’s sister Vera Dmitrievna Khrushcheva (1844-1881). The painting is kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Painting "Golden Autumn" written in 1893. At this time he lived on his estate Bekhovo near Tarusa on the banks of the Oka River. Panoramic view from the high bank. The river, twisting steeply, goes into the distance. “How I would like to show you our Eye,” Polenov wrote to Konstantin Korovin. Today the painting “Golden Autumn” is in the Tula Historical Museum-Reserve named after Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov.

Painting "Old Mill" written by Polenov on the Borok estate, not far from Serpukhov, where he lived for almost half his life. Dated 1880. Sad and enchanting landscape with an old water mill and a fisherman boy. Now the “Old Mill” is kept in the Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum.

Vasily Polenov (1844−1927)- a great Russian artist, whose influence on the art of our country is difficult to overestimate. The name of this genius has been on people’s lips since his school days; he is known as a master of landscape, as well as historical and genre painting.

Dear village huts, beautiful snow-white churches, overgrown ponds and forest thawed patches - Vasily Dmitrievich’s paintings carry the true spirit of Russian nature and the way of Russian life. They exude warmth and kindness, light and purity.

Polenov was born into a noble, educated family. His mother wrote books and painted, and his father was a privy councilor, archaeologist, historian and diplomat. Their house was often visited by highly intelligent and interesting people: musicians, artists, scientists, historians. Vasily grew up in an amazing atmosphere, which influenced the formation of his interests and inner world. He did not receive a narrowly specialized education, but devoted one part of his soul to science, entering the physics and mathematics department of the university, and the second part to art, since he also studied at the Academy of Arts. Thus, Polenov received an excellent education, broadened his horizons, and only after that made a conscious choice in favor of creativity.

Polenov studied on the same course with another great Russian painter, Ilya Repin. The artists defended their thesis together and both have paintings entitled “The Resurrection of Jairus’s Daughter” (1871) on a biblical theme.

The canvases are completely different in style, color scheme, atmosphere. Repin's version is darker, more solemn and a little gloomy, while Polenov's canvas turned out to be light, kind and bright, even somewhat everyday, as if a miracle is something ordinary and simple. For these paintings, Ivan and Vasily received medals and study trips abroad.

Abroad, young Polenov imitated European masters, searching for his own style and path. Empty copying of someone else did not suit the talented young man, and he acquired his own style, more liberated, sunny and free from the framework of the era. The modest charm of Russian nature had already settled in his works.

Pay attention to the painting “Moscow Courtyard” from 1878, which became the “calling card” of his sunny painting. This is one of the master’s most famous paintings, which is now in the Tretyakov Gallery. Its plot is simple and beautiful: an ordinary Moscow courtyard of that time. Moscow, can you imagine? You can only find such landscapes now in the Russian outback! Summer, children playing, a woman with a bucket, a horse, church domes. But how much love and happiness! So much serene peace and a feeling of summer joy. Which bright colors, what lush grass - such a perception of the world is possible only in childhood.

This picture of a serene summer day Polenov saw from the window overlooking the same courtyard. At that time, the artist was looking for an apartment for himself, on the corner of Durnovsky and Trubnikov lanes he found this house, went into it, looked out the window - and quickly made a sketch. In 1878, the “Moscow Yard” was exhibited at the Peredvizhniki exhibition in St. Petersburg. The work was a success among his contemporaries; they even came up with a term for it - “intimate landscape” - which was then often used when talking about the work of Vasily Dmitrievich. And in 1952, the USSR appeared stamps with the image of this painting.

The master's works sold well at that time. With the money received from the painting “Christ and the Sinner” (1887), Polenov was able to build himself a house. The artist worked on this work for two decades during his travels around the world: in the 60s he thought about the idea, in the 70s he made sketches, in the 80s he wrote. What is this picture about? About mercy and justice. About the condemnation of the crowd and the peace of Christ. About a repentant young sinner. This large-scale canvas measuring 325 by 611 cm is painted in a completely different manner. But again the light palette, abundance of sun and air attract attention. Critics consider this work to be one of the author's most important works. Now the painting is kept in the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov wrote a lot brilliant paintings. Among them are “Grandma’s Garden, 1878”, “Terem Palace, 1877”, “Sick Woman, 1886”, “Golden Autumn”, 1893”, “Filled with Wisdom”, 1896−1909.

Now in the former estate of Polenov Borok, which is located on the banks of the Oka, there is a museum of the artist. In it you can see the decoration of the house, the library and personal belongings of Vasily Dmitrievich. In Moscow you can also visit the artist’s museum “Polenovsky House” (Zoologicheskaya Street, 13). IN different years it housed a house folk art, theatrical education, cultural and educational center and so on. And it is very important that the descendants of Vasily Polenov have preserved the same unique spirit of creativity that once surrounded the great master in childhood.

In the second half of the 19th century, the rise of Russian landscape painting, one of the brightest representatives this direction painting is an outstanding artist Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov. His brushes include such works as “Moscow Courtyard”, “Golden Autumn”, “Grandma’s Garden”, etc. This article is devoted to a description of the biography and work of the famous artist.

Biography of the artist: early childhood

Russian artist Vasily Polenov was born in St. Petersburg on May 20, 1844, into a family of wealthy hereditary nobles. The father of the future artist, Dmitry Polenov, was famous as an archaeologist and biographer, and his mother, Maria Alekseevna, was engaged in painting and writing children's stories. Little Vasily spent his childhood in the capital, but in the summer the family often went to the hereditary estate of his grandmother Maria Alekseevna, which was located in the Tambov province. The virgin nature, stories and legends of the grandmother had a strong influence on the future painter; in addition, she often organized art competitions, in which Vasily and his sister Elena most often won. Vasily Polenov was also introduced to the love of painting by his mother, who was engaged in drawing with her son, and she later hired him a tutor. He became famous artist and teacher Pavel Chistyakov, who at that time was still studying at the art academy. From the very beginning, Chistyakov introduced Vasily to a close study of nature.

V. D. Polenov during his student years

In 1861, Vasily Polenov entered the men's gymnasium, which was located in Petrozavodsk. After completing his studies at the gymnasium, the future artist in 1863 entered St. Petersburg University at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. But Polenov did not abandon his passion for painting, and after finishing his studies at the faculty, he attended the art academy. In addition to drawing, the young man was interested in singing, he often attended Opera theatre and sang in the student choir. Soon, combining university studies and painting classes became quite difficult, and Vasily decides to take a sabbatical leave and devote his time entirely to drawing. In 1867, Vasily Polenov graduated from the Art Academy with a silver medal. After this, the young man returns to the university, but is transferred to another faculty - law.

Adult years

In 1867, Vasily Polenov made his first trip abroad, and there he visited the Paris World Exhibition. The artist was most impressed by the section of the exhibition, which was dedicated to the folk arts and crafts of the most different countries. After her visit, the artist set his sights on receiving a gold medal from the art academy. The first step in receiving the award was the painting by Vasily Polenov of biblical story. Soon, in 1869, the artist presented the work “Job and His Friends,” which was awarded a small award. This meant that the artist could continue to participate in the competition. A new stage of the competition was the painting of a picture on the theme “The Resurrection of the Daughter of Iar.” Two artists reached the finals of the competition - Vasily Polenov and Ivan Repin. Both presented wonderful paintings. The competition jury unexpectedly did not choose one winner and awarded gold medals to both Polenov and Repin. IN further artists They became close, and in 1872 they decided to go on a trip abroad together.

Together with Ilya Efimovich Repin, they visited Venice, Florence and Paris, which impressed Polenov so much that he decided to stay and live here. In Paris, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov painted the painting “The Arrest of Countess Daitremont”, for which he later received the position of academician in Russian Academy Sci. In 1874, the painter, at the invitation of I. E. Repin, came to Normandy, where he worked on the painting “The Normandy Coast”. In 1876 he returned to Russia and became a court artist of the imperial family. Soon he, along with the heir to the throne Alexander, goes to war with Turkey.

After the end of the war, Vasily Polenov returned to Moscow and became a teacher at the School of Painting and Architecture. Many later successful artists passed through his hands: Levitan, Golovin, Korovin and many others. At this time, the artist continued to write, and in 1877 he presented his painting “Moscow Courtyard”, which was very warmly received, and he himself became the founder of a new genre in painting - intimate landscape. During this period, the artist joined the circle of Peredvizhniki artists, among whom he had many acquaintances at that time. In 1882, Vasily Dmitrievich married the daughter of a merchant, Natalya Yakunchikova, from this marriage the couple had 6 children.

At the end of the 19th century, Vasily Dmitrievich, being a very famous and popular artist, decides to leave noisy Moscow and move to Russian outback, to Tula. Here, on the banks of the Oka, the artist built a house, and workshops were attached to it, where Polenov later taught drawing to local children. The estate founded by Polenov was named Borok.

During the revolutions, Vasily Polenov was on his Borok estate and was actively involved in teaching local children, organizing theater clubs with them and teaching them drawing. At this time, he wrote one of his best works, “Spill on the Oka River,” which was highly noted by critics. In general, the Soviet government had a positive attitude towards Polenov’s personality and did not oppress him. Moreover, in 1924, an exhibition of his paintings took place at the Tretyakov Gallery, and in 1926, V. D. Polenov was awarded the title People's Artist. This attitude of power towards the individual is largely explained by the fact that the artist did not criticize, at least publicly, the new government and by the fact that he was a prominent philanthropist and sought to improve public education in the country. Vasily Polenov died on July 18, 1927 in his estate, and he was buried here on the banks of the Oka.

Polenovsky house

In addition to his activities in painting, V. D. Polenov was also an active philanthropist and philanthropist. So, in 1915, together with S.I. Mamontov, he opened the first institution in Russia and the world, which was supposed to help village and factory theaters. The new institution later received the name Polenovsky House. At the end of 1916, according to Polenov’s design and with his own funds, the mansion in which the auditorium, designed for 300 people, library, rehearsal rooms and workshops. During the years of revolution, the activities of this institution were actually suspended. In the early 20s, the Polenovsky House was subordinated to the People's Commissariat of Education and renamed. Soon the building was given a new name, and it became known as the House of Theater Education named after. V. D. Polenova. During this period, the institution organized the work of literary, musical, artistic, technical and school theaters, in addition, the publication of its own magazine has begun " People's Theater"But the main direction of the house's activities is the development of theaters and other forms of amateur performances in rural areas. In 1930, the institution was renamed again and received the name TsDISK im. N.K. Krupskaya. This name remained until 1991, when it was renamed the Russian House of Folk Art. In 2016, the building was again named after the artist V. D. Polenov.

Review of the artist's work. Painting by Vasily Polenov "Moscow courtyard"

After Polenov returned in 1877 from abroad, where the artist got acquainted with the paintings outstanding artists peace, he stops in Moscow and rents an apartment not far from the Church of the Savior on the Sands. It was the view from this window that gave the artist the idea for painting. In 1878, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov presented “Moscow Courtyard” at the exhibition of the Itinerants. This was his debut work in this society, and he himself called it a test. But to his great surprise, the painting was a resounding success, and made him one of the most recognizable artists of his time. After the end of the exhibition, Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov’s painting “Moscow Courtyard” was purchased by Tretyakov for his gallery.

Description of the picture

The picture shows an ordinary Moscow courtyard of the second half of the 19th century, with its neighboring mansions and more simple houses, domes of temples sparkling in the sun and overgrown with grass. In the background, a peasant girl, carrying buckets, walks along the path to the well, and chickens graze busily next to her. Not far from her, basking in the rays of the sun, stands a harnessed horse, she is waiting for her owner and is ready to hit the road at any moment. In the middle ground you can see three small children, two of them are looking at something in the grass, and the third is separate from them and crying, but no one pays attention to him. At the forefront is a girl slightly older than the three, looking at a plucked flower with great enthusiasm. In general, on the canvas the artist depicted the bustle of everyday life, which is beautiful in its everydayness and serenity.

Vasily Polenov: "Grandma's Garden"

A distinctive feature of Vasily Dmitrievich’s work is the fact that the artist knew how to convey the mood of the characters in his paintings. “Grandma’s Garden” is clear proof of this. The canvas was created by Polenov at the same time and in the same place as “Moscow Courtyard”. This painting combines a landscape with a genre scene.

Description of the picture

In the foreground, the artist depicted two people, a granddaughter and her elderly grandmother, they are walking together along a path that runs through a garden that has not been well-kept for a long time. The grandmother is dressed in an old dark-colored outfit, and the granddaughter is dressed in the fashion of that time, in a pale white dress. The figures of the grandmother and granddaughter are a contrast between old and new times. This is also emphasized by the old mansion in the background, which was once stately and well-groomed, but now the house has become very dilapidated and has lost its former grandeur. But still, viewing the picture does not cause a feeling of sadness, but rather evokes a feeling of nostalgia for a bygone time and inspires hope for a bright future.

Painting by Vasily Polenov "Golden Autumn"

This painting was painted by V. D. Polenov in 1893 at his Borok estate, located on the banks of the Oka River. Vasily Dmitrievich became addicted to landscape themes during a trip abroad with Ilya Repin, and it began to occupy an important place in his work. Distinctive features Polenov's landscapes are purity of color, clarity of drawing, scrupulously verified composition. Vasily Dmitrievich’s painting “Golden Autumn” is a prominent representative of this artist’s style.

Description of the picture

In the background of the painting is a bend of the Oka River, around which the entire composition of the work is built. Thus, the yellowed autumn foliage of birches organically harmonizes with the blue surface of the river and the same endless sky with its scanty clouds. Also noticeable majestic oak, whose foliage is still green. Generally this picture is the personification of the new artistic genre- intimate landscape.

Thus, Vasily Polenov is one of the most talented artists 19th century, who painted their works in the landscape genre. Polenov’s work was popular both during the artist’s life and after his death, and his paintings were exhibited in the most famous art galleries.

Polenov Vasily Dmitrievich (1844-1927)

Since the late 1870s. the art and personality of V. D. Polenov were surrounded not just by fame, but by downright enthusiastic worship of artistic youth. The colors of his paintings seemed sparkling and enchanting to his contemporaries and were perceived as a pictorial revelation. Now it’s difficult to fully share these delights, but that’s how it was...

Polenov was born into an intelligent and noble noble family. My father is a major official and at the same time a historian-archaeologist. My mother was an amateur painter. The son inherited both talents - scientific and artistic. In his parental estate Imochentsy on the banks of the Oyat River in the Olonets province, young Polenov met the beautiful Russian nature. And in 1858 he first saw “The Appearance of Christ to the People” by A. A. Ivanov. As it turns out later, these two meetings would turn out to be the most important in the fate of Polenov the artist.

Polenov was a multi-talented and widely educated person. He studied at the same time at St. Petersburg University and the Academy of Arts. In 1871, he received a law degree and, at the same time as I. E. Repin, a large gold medal for the competition painting “The Resurrection of Jairus’s Daughter.” However, several more years passed before Polenov really found himself as an artist.

He travels to Germany, Italy, France (as a pensioner of the Academy of Arts), writes historical and genre paintings, portraits. But he is increasingly attracted to landscapes, painting in the open air - plein air, pure colors. He studies the works of remarkable French landscape painters, primarily the Barbizons. Learns directly, not through academic schemes to see and understand nature, to comprehend its great harmony.

In 1876 Polenov returned to Russia. In 1878, the now famous “Moscow Courtyard” appeared at the XII exhibition of the TPHV. In this sun-filled painting, the artist managed to combine the spontaneity and freshness of plein air perception with a holistic and at the same time intimately warm feeling of the world, so characteristic of the Russian landscape tradition. “Moscow Yard” is truly a whole world in which every detail looks infinitely significant and dear; in which the manor’s estate and the dwellings of the poor “converge”; which begins with the figure of a child in the foreground and seems to grow into the bottomless sky with the domes of the church sparkling in the sun. The human world here is part of the vastly harmonious world of nature.

Polenov's subsequent works - "Grandma's Garden" (1878), "Overgrown Pond" (1879), sketches of 1881-82, completed during a trip to Greece and the Middle East - strengthened his reputation as one of the best Russian landscape painters. In the minds of his contemporaries, he was the first to introduce “European influence” (A.M. Vasnetsov) into Russian painting to such an extent, that is, the principles of plein air painting: pure and more open colors, colored shadows, free brushstrokes.

In 1882-94. Polenov teaches a landscape class at MUZHVZ. His students were I. I. Levitan, K. A. Korovin, A. E. Arkhipov, A. Ya. Golovin and other subsequently famous masters. In many late landscapes The artist persistently repeats the motif of a river slowly flowing into the distance among the endless space of the Russian plain ("Early Snow", 1891; "Golden Autumn", 1893, etc.). This is the Motherland. This is how Polenov remembered her from childhood. Landscapes are the best of his legacy.

But the artist himself dreams of going further. He cherishes a grandiose plan - he wants to continue the work of A. A. Ivanov: “... to create a Christ not only coming, but having already come into the world and making his way among the people.” Ivanov was unable to travel to Palestine. Polenov visited there twice. He studies landscape, architecture, human types.

In 1888, the artist completed his largest painting, “Christ and the Sinner.” Following it appeared “On Lake Genisaret (Tiberias)” (1888), “Dreams (On the Mountain)” (1890-1900s) and dozens more works in the series “From the Life of Christ” (1899-1909).

In his interest in the personality of Christ, Polenov is not alone among Russian artists late XIX c., but perhaps the most consistent. He strives to portray Jesus as morally perfect and in this sense ideal, but at the same time simply a man in a specific historical setting among a real landscape. In addition to the Gospel, the artist was inspired famous book E. Renan "Life of Jesus". Polenov tried to free the image of the Gospel tradition from the cliches that have developed over centuries and imagine: what was it really like? Here Polenov the scientist spoke in him.

Relying on his knowledge, Polenov the artist seemed to be daydreaming... But, with all his talent, he did not possess Ivanov’s genius. The latter’s “Biblical sketches” are perceived as an individual spiritual revelation given to the artist, and Polenov’s gospel stories are perceived as a talented, sincere and alive in feeling, but reconstruction. This impression is also facilitated by the principles of plein air painting used by the artist, which arose at one time to convey visual perception alive and forever changing world. This duality is also present in famous painting“Christ and the Sinner” (the author’s title “Who is without sin?” was replaced by censorship with “Christ and the Prodigal Wife”). Polenov sought to show Christ as a humanist opposing the savage dogmatism of fanatics (according to the law, wives caught in adultery were stoned). He was also inspired by the noble idea of protecting the dignity and equality of women. The depiction of Christ in historical real clothing and settings was innovative. Contemporaries were also surprised by the brightness of the colors. But Polenov used new pictorial principles of a composition that was generally academic in nature and therefore failed to achieve the necessary persuasiveness.

The background of the picture resembles theatrical scenery. And this is no coincidence. Polenov worked a lot in the theater and was one of the founders of the reform of theatrical and decorative art, which gave such brilliant results at the beginning of the 20th century. In general, he believed that theatrical performances should replace church performances. In Moscow, the House of Theater Education was built at his expense (1915). Polenov’s social activity was also manifested in a protest submitted to the Academy of Arts (together with V. A. Serov) in connection with the events of January 9, 1905.

In his Borok estate on the banks of the Oka, where many of the master’s landscapes were painted, he collected an art collection to open a public museum. Now there is the Museum-Estate of V. D. Polenov.