Nativity. The Patriarch greets the sovereign in the Golden Chamber.
Buchholz Fedor (Theodor Alexander Ferdinand) Fedorovich (Gustavovich) (1857-1942).
Illustration for the magazine "Niva". Engraved by Schubler
Christmas tree trade.
Genrikh Matveevich Manizer. Canvas, oil.
Omsk regional museum Fine Arts named after. M. A. Vrubel
Christmas market.
Buchkuri Alexander Alekseevich (1870 -1942). 1906
Preparatory drawing for the painting "Christmas Tree Sale". 1918
Kustodiev Boris Mikhailovich
Christmas tree trade.
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev. 1918 Oil on canvas. 98x98.
Krasnodar regional Art Museum them. F. Kovalenko, Krasnodar
Canvases on the themes of festive provincial life are distinguished by a special, only for Kustodiev, characteristic brightness, multicolor and life-like authenticity of the smallest details. National holidays and the festivities are reflected in many of the artist’s works different years. While still a student at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, Kustodiev’s theme thesis I chose a painting with a similar plot. He traveled to villages, wrote sketches - portraits of peasants, landscape sketches, genre scenes. “Christmas Tree Trading,” a work created by the artist in 1918, also relates to the same theme.
Glorifying the life and customs of the Russian province, Kustodiev amazingly combined painting with verbal and musical folklore- with a song and a fairy tale. An attentive, thoughtful viewer not only sees, but also “hears” the artist’s work. Most likely painted from memory, the picture does not have an exact geographical address - this is Rus' in general, and not the Astrakhan or Kostroma Christmas tree market. The action on the canvas seems to take place “in a certain kingdom, in a certain state.” The spacious sky and the gilded domes of the church above the bustling human anthill - who is not among this motley crowd! The real is surprisingly combined with the fantastic: a colorful fairy tale, full of living details, appears before us. And the artist, like a real storyteller, emphasized everything funny and playful that is in this simple narrative, hiding everything serious that might be hidden in it. The Christmas tree market is depicted by the artist as a festive spectacle. The space of the picture resembles a stage. The arrangement of the figures, at first glance, is chaotic: the image can be continued both to the right and to the left. The openness of the composition and its peculiar fluidity further enhance this general impression.
A large place is devoted to the landscape in this genre scene - church domes seem fabulous against the backdrop of a snowy sky, spruce trees are dressed in elegant winter clothes - main subject trading at the fair. The artist made a brush stroke on the canvas easily, smoothly, even somehow delicately. Kustodiev attached great importance to line, drawing, and the play of color spots. Chiaroscuro in in this case doesn't have of great importance, the light becomes very conditional. Local color spots form a harmonious decorative whole. The cloud-covered sky has no depth, the domes of the church are intense in color, due to which the difference in plans is reduced to almost nothing.
On the one hand, Kustodiev noted and transferred to the canvas genuine types of the Russian province, conveyed the real atmosphere of the New Year's bustle, and on the other hand, a festive performance, a costume performance with beautiful scenery, is performed in front of us by the artist himself. A joyful, incomparable feeling of fullness with life and movement permeates the canvas. Life in this work is visible everywhere: people are busy, rejoicing and fussing, drawing its intricate patterns in the sky snowy winter, and all this action is enveloped in the fresh coniferous aroma of the beautiful spruce.
The world in Kustodiev’s painting is like a magic lantern with constantly changing pictures - you can endlessly watch its varied, so simple, simple and at the same time full of deep meaning life. The blue and soft white colors of the painting pacify, delight, as if they lull, creating a gentle and poetic atmosphere of anticipation of a miracle on the eve of the holiday - timeless, always modern. They remind us, always busy and rushing somewhere, that everything in this world is beautiful, that life is amazing simply because it is life.
From the book: T. Kondratenko, Y. Solodovnikov "Krasnodar Regional Art Museum named after F.A. Kovalenko." White City, 2003.
Behind the Christmas trees
Returning from the Christmas market.
MM. Germashev (Bubello). Postcard
Preparing for Christmas.
Sergei Vasilyevich Dosekin (1869-1916). 1896
Christmas tree.
Korin Alexey Mikhailovich. 1910
Christmas tree.
Nikolai Ivanovich Feshin (1881-1955). 1917
Christmas tree.
Alexander Moravov. 1921
New Year's treat.
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Romanova (sister of Emperor Nicholas II). 1935
Christmas day. In the monastery.
Ivan Silych Goryushkin-Sorokopudov. Illustration in the magazine "Niva"
City smelters.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich. 1867 Oil on canvas
Slavers.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich. 1868 Oil on canvas.
State Russian Museum
Slavers.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich. Canvas, oil.
State Vladimir-Suzdal Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve
Slavers.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich. Canvas, oil.
Odessa Art Museum
Slavers.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich. 1872 Oil on canvas. 40.3?51.5.
Ulyanovsk Art Museum
Christoslav policemen.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich (1837-1883). 1872 Oil on canvas.
Perm State Art Gallery
Leonid Ivanovich Solomatkin (1837 - 1883) attended classes at the Imperial Academy of Arts and received a small silver medal for the paintings “Secretary’s Name Day” (1862) and “City Slavers” (1864), which V. V. Stasov welcomed as “a wonderful fresh offspring of Fedotov’s schools." The last plot was subsequently repeated several times; at least 18 author’s replicas are known, although the first version has not survived. Art catalog
In the cellar on Christmas week.
Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich (1837–1883). 1878 Oil on canvas. 26.5x21.5.
Art Gallery Generations Fund of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug of Ugra
Admission: 2003
In the film “In the Cellar during Christmas Week” Solomatkin portrays his favorite characters - wandering musicians. Is talent a burden or a gift, a blessing or a curse? Talent is destiny. Talent did not make the artist and his heroes happy, but they fulfill their purpose with dignity. The musicians depicted in the painting have seen better days. The cello played by the old man is a professional instrument, allowing the musician to claim a certain privilege, testifying to a certain level of life left in the past. The old man is accompanied by a boy who plays along with him on the pipe. Apparently, for the sake of this little boy, carefully covered with a warm scarf, the old man has to wander with a heavy tool from zucchini to zucchini, earning his bread. There is a Christmas tree in the room, decorated with toys, and masks and masquerade costumes hang on a hanger, giving the whole event a phantasmagoric touch. Art Gallery of the Generations Fund of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug Ugra
Waits. (Children of the old village).
Fedot Vasilievich Sychkov (1870 - 1958). 1935. Oil on canvas. 63x83 cm
Mordovian Republican Museum of Fine Arts named after S. D. Erzya
With a star.
Reproduction from a painting by M. Germashev, published by the company “Richard”, printed in the printing house of the partnership “R. Golicke and A. Wilborg”. Petrograd, 1916
Christmas card based on a drawing by Boris Zvorykin
Carols in Little Russia.
Trutovsky Konstantin Alexandrovich (1826-1893). No later than 1864
Russian painting
Carols.
Nikolai Kornilovich Pimenko. Deut. floor. 1880s Canvas, oil. 170x130.
Donetsk Regional Art Museum
museum-painting.dp.ua
Riding on Christmastide.
Buchkuri Alexander Alekseevich (1870 -1942). Canvas, oil.
The emergence of images of a particular holiday, as a rule, is associated with the emergence of a stable tradition of celebration. In the early Church there was a celebration of Epiphany (Epiphany), dedicated to two events at once: the Incarnation and Baptism. This combined celebration arose no later than the 3rd century. In the 6th century, first in the Roman Church, and towards the end of the century in the East, the Nativity of Christ was distinguished from the celebration of Epiphany into an independent separate celebration. The first images of Christmas that have come down to us date back to the 6th century.
The sources of iconography were both the Holy Scriptures (Matthew: 1-2; Luke: 2), and oral tradition, recorded in such apocrypha as the Proto-Gospel of James (chap. 17-23) and the Gospel of pseudo-Matthew ch. 13-14).
The incarnation of the Savior was described in fine arts using two main plots: the “Christmas” itself and the “Adoration of the Magi.” Each of these subjects has its own iconography. Ancient images Nativity scenes are made using the relief technique on stone sarcophagi.
The layout of these scenes is usually very laconic: in the center is a manger with the Baby, next to it the Virgin Mary sits on a stone or in a wicker chair, and in the sky is the Star of Bethlehem. A donkey and an ox are depicted at the manger, the presence of which in the den is told by Tradition. The ox is understood by interpreters as a symbol of the lawful Jewish people, and the donkey as a symbol of the pagans who do not know the true God. Sometimes the composition includes an image of a shepherd who came to worship Christ.
When creating the iconography “Adoration of the Magi,” the artists used the theme of the worship of defeated barbarians to the emperor that already existed in ancient art. Where the surface had an extended horizontal format (on sarcophagi, pyxids), the scene unfolded as a procession of the Magi to the seated Virgin Mary holding the Child in her arms. Joseph the Betrothed could be depicted behind the Virgin Mary. The composition was sometimes supplemented with images of an ox, donkey, and camels.
If the surface allowed a centric, symmetrical composition (example: ampoules from Monza), then the frontal image of the Virgin and Child was placed in the center, and groups of wise men and shepherds were placed on either side of the throne. The arrival of the Magi chronologically occurred somewhat later than the worship of the shepherds, but in Christian art the combination of these events was allowed. The main thing for an artist has always been expression deep meaning what was happening, so some formal details might not be emphasized or even ignored. In this version of the iconography, the main theme is the Incarnation of the Divine and the worship of Him by the created world in the person of wise magicians and simple shepherds.
On the mosaic of the arch of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, in the center of the composition, only the Child sits on a richly decorated throne, and the Mother of God, righteous Joseph, and the Magi are placed to the right and left of Him. When depicting the Magi, a certain historicism is always observed: they came from the East, that is, from somewhere in Persia, so they are dressed unusually for ancient world- in trousers and characteristic Phrygian caps.
In the 6th century, the Virgin Mary began to be depicted not sitting near a manger, but reclining on a bed. This feature could have arisen as a result of polemics with the Monophysites, who argued that in Christ there is only one nature - Divine. The Church, rejecting this heretical error, defended the dogma of two natures in Christ: Divine and human. In the iconographic scheme, the refutation of Monophysitism found its allegorical expression. Christ is born in the flesh in a completely real way, His human nature is real, therefore the Mother of God rests after childbirth, which, although it did not violate virginity, was still childbirth, and not a ghostly, unreal phenomenon.
Already in early Christian monuments, an image of a “woman” appears - one of the midwives who came to the nativity scene after the birth of Christ. Works from the Middle Byzantine period depict both midwives washing the Child. This somewhat “everyday” scene - ablution - is not described either in the Gospel or in the apocrypha. Its inclusion in the composition once again emphasized the authenticity of the human nature of the Savior and the reality of Christmas - after giving birth, any child needs to be washed.
The first easel painting monument depicting the Nativity of Christ is a scene painted on the lid of a reliquary from the Sancta Sanctorum chapel. Stylistic features The paintings suggest that the reliquary comes from the eastern provinces of the empire, from Syria or Palestine. The artist depicted the nativity scene as a cave because he had a good idea of what a shelter for livestock would look like in Judea. Western artists depicted what they saw in their lands - a canopy covered with straw or tiles.
Opposite the Mother of God, Joseph the Betrothed sits on a stone, supporting his bowed head with his hand, in a “pose of melancholy.” He looks thoughtful, as if detached; he contemplates the incomprehensibility of the mystery of the Incarnation. On the other hand, this pose emphasizes the non-involvement of righteous Joseph in this birth. On some Byzantine and Russian icons, the Betrothed is even depicted sitting with his back to the cave. This compositional solution makes it impossible to understand what is happening as a kind of sentimental family scene. Before us is precisely the Incarnation of God, the birth in the flesh of the Eternal God from Holy Virgin and any details associated with the theme of family are completely inappropriate. Developed in Western Europe image " Holy family"with its obvious family pathos was unacceptable for Eastern Christian art.
In Byzantine art, a small hill with a cave gradually turns into a massive mountain, against the backdrop of which all the episodes can be placed: the nativity scene itself with the Virgin and Child in a manger, over which an ox and a donkey are bending, the angel’s gospel to the shepherds, the angels praising God, the worship of the Magi (or the wise men riding on horseback), the bathing of the Child by the midwives, the thoughtful Joseph. Some icons depict minor scenes: the Magi before Herod, the revelation to Joseph, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the infants.
The mountain motif is a very successful compositional find. Portraying Mountain landscape, the artist automatically receives a high horizon and, accordingly, a lot of space to accommodate all the figures. It remains even free place, filled with pastoral motifs: a shepherd playing the flute, a flock at a watering hole. The mountain allows us to avoid the undesirable image of the depth of space and perspective construction for the icon.
On the other hand, with the image of a huge mountain, all scenes are united in a single space, and even some single time. The chronological difference in time of the presented plots is leveled out. Everything happens as if in the present, today, “here and now,” as the kontakion of the holiday tells about this: “Today a virgin gives birth to the Most Essential, and the earth brings a den to the Unapproachable: angels with shepherds praise, and wolves travel with a star: for our sake was born From a young age, Eternal God.”
Icon. VII – IX centuries Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai
Icon. VIII – IX centuries Byzantium
Icon. End of the 11th – beginning of the 12th century. Constantinople. Monastery of St. Catherine, Sinai
Rembrandt Harmens van Rijn. Engraving. 1654
While they were there, the time came for Her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6–7). Until the beginning of the 5th century, Christmas was celebrated simultaneously as a feast of Epiphany. Therefore, the painting mixed the subjects of the birth itself and subsequent episodes, which, strictly speaking, relate more to the Epiphany - the worship of the Magi (kings), the worship of the shepherds, which do not always include an image of the birth of Christ directly.
Joseph's dream.
Alexander Andreevich Ivanov. 1850s
Paper, watercolor, Italian pencil.
Moscow. State Tretyakov Gallery
Nativity.
Gagarin Grigory Grigorievich
Adoration of the Magi.
Gagarin Grigory Grigorievich
Nativity of Christ (Adoration of the Shepherds).
Shebuev Vasily Kozmich. 1847 Oil on canvas. 233x139.5 cm.
Image for the Annunciation Church of the Horse Guards Regiment in St. Petersburg
Nativity.
Repin Ilya Efimovich. 1890 Oil on canvas. 73x53.3.
The appearance of an angel announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds. Sketch.
Ivanov Alexander Andreevich. 1850s.
Brown paper, watercolor, white, Italian pencil. 26.4x39.7
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The Doxology of the Shepherds.
Ivanov Alexander Andreevich. 1850
The appearance of an angel to the shepherds.
Petrovsky Pyotr Stepanovich (1814-1842). 1839 Oil on canvas. 213x161.
Cherepovets Museum Association
For this painting, the young artist, a student of Karl Bryullov, received his first large gold medal Academy of Arts. The canvas was in the Museum of the Imperial Academy of Arts until its closure, then it was transferred to the Cherepovets Museum of Local Lore.
Nativity.
Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich. 1885-1896
Murals of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv
Nativity.
Vishnyakov Ivan Yakovlevich and others, 1755
From the Trinity-Petrovsky Cathedral.
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Christmas.
Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich. 1790 Oil on canvas.
Tver regional Art Gallery
Nativity.
Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich. Canvas, oil
Historical, Architectural and Art Museum "New Jerusalem"
Nativity.
M.V. Nesterov. 1890-1891 Paper on cardboard, gouache, gold. 41 x 31.
Sketch of the painting of the altar wall of the southern aisle in the choir of the Vladimir Cathedral
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15006
Nativity.
Sketch of the painting of the altar wall of the southern chapel in the choir of the Vladimir Cathedral.
Nesterov Mikhail Vasilievich. 1890–1891 Paper on cardboard, gouache, gold. 41x31.8
State Tretyakov Gallery
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=14959
Nativity.
M. V. Nesterov. 1890
The kneeling figure of a young man with a staff in his hand. Hand holding a staff. Hand raised to mouth.
M.V. Nesterov. Etude. 1890-1891 Paper on cardboard, graphite pencil, Italian pencil, charcoal. 49x41.
Preparatory studies for the figure of one of the shepherds of the composition "The Nativity of Christ" (the southern altar is attached to the choir of St. Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv)
Kyiv state museum Russian art
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=4661
Christmas (Bow to the Kings).
M.V. Nesterov. 1903
Fragment of the painting of the northern wall of the church in the name of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15189
Christmas (Bow to the Kings).
M.V. Nesterov. 1899-1900 Paper on cardboard, graphite pencil, gouache, watercolor, bronze, aluminum. 31x49.
Sketch of the painting of the northern wall of the church in the name of the blessed prince Alexander Nevsky.
State Russian Museum
http://www.art-catalog.ru/picture.php?id_picture=15177
Magi. Sketch
Ryabushkin Andrey Petrovich. Paper, watercolor
Kostroma State United Art Museum
Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816)
Angelic praise at the moment of the birth of the Savior.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816)
Nativity.
Lebedev Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1816). Graphic arts.
Adoration of the Magi.
Klavdiy Vasilievich Lebedev,
Church and Archaeological Office of the MDA
Adoration of the Magi.
Valerian Othmar. 1897 Oil on canvas, 71x66.
Original mosaic for the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
The appearance of an angel to the shepherds. Nativity. Candlemas.
Nativity.
Mosaic based on the original by I. F. Porfirov
Church of the Resurrection of Christ (Savior on Spilled Blood), St. Petersburg
The Nativity of Christ and other sacred scenes from the life of Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.
I. Ya. Bilibin.
Sketch of a fresco for the southern wall of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Olshany
Magi (wise men).
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1914 Watercolor, brown ink, ink, pen, brush on paper. 37x39.2 cm.
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Olga's Gallery
Adoration of the Magi.
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1913 Wood, pencil, gouache. 45.7x34.9.
Private collection
Initially, the work was in the possession of the artist’s sister Evdokia Glebova.
On October 17, 1990 it was sold to an anonymous person at Sotheby's auction,
then on November 29, 2006, it was sold again at Christie’s for $1.5 million.
Auction house Christie's
Adoration of the Magi.
Pavel Nikolaevich Filonov. 1913. Paper, gouache (tempera?), 35.5x45.5.
Private collection, Switzerland
Publication Tretyakov Gallery, 2006
http://www.tg-m.ru/articles/06/04/042–049.pdf
Source sites for reproductions:
New Year and Christmas is one of the most popular themes in world art. For most people it only causes positive emotions, so artists are happy to depict snow-covered houses, fluffy Christmas trees and heroes in anticipation of the holiday.
AiF.ru presents a selection of paintings dedicated to the New Year and Christmas.
Boris Kustodiev. "Christmas Tree Sale" (1918)
Boris Kustodiev. “Christmas tree auction”, 1918. Krasnodar Regional Art Museum named after. F.A.Kovalenko.
Folk holidays and celebrations were one of the artist’s favorite themes. And Christmas, of course, occupied a special place in his work.
Viggo Johansen "Merry Christmas" (1891)
Viggo Johansen. " Merry Christmas", 1891. HIRSCHSPRUNG Museum.
The Dane could not resist the temptation to depict Christmas Viggo Johansen- representative of the group "Skagen Artists" and director of the Danish Academy of Arts.
Henriette Ronner-Kniep “Under the Christmas Tree” (“Kittens with a Doll”)
Henrietta Ronner-Kniep. "Under the tree".
The Danish animal artist became famous for her paintings of cats and dogs. Kittens also became her Christmas heroes.
Konstantin Trutovsky “Carols in Little Russia” (no later than 1864)
Konstantin Trutovsky. “Carols in Little Russia”, no later than 1864, oil on canvas. State Russian Museum.
The Russian painter became famous for his illustrations of Gogol's works. And he studied the history and traditions of Little Russia with particular passion.
Grand Duchess Olga Romanova. "New Year's Treat" (1935)
Grand Duchess Olga Romanova. "New Year's treat", 1935.
In the imperial family, all children were taught painting, but only Grand Duchess Olga(Emperor's youngest daughter Alexandra III ) became a fairly famous artist.
Fedor Reshetnikov. "Arrived for Vacation" (1948)
Fedor Reshetnikov. "Arrived for Vacation", 1948. State Tretyakov Gallery.
Jenny Nyström. Christmas cards
Christmas card by Jenny Nyström.
In general, the Swedish artist became famous for her images of nissi - it was she who came up with what this gnome and brownie look like. She often drew her nissi on Christmas cards - on them the gnomes feed livestock and street birds, bring Christmas trees and gifts, and sing songs.
Sergey Dosekin. "Preparing for Christmas" (1896)
Sergey Dosekin. "Preparing for Christmas", 1896.
The picture does not show a Christmas tree and gifts, but the family (grandfather and grandchildren) gathered to make garlands and decorations for the house.
Norman Rockwell. "Very Good Boys and Girls" (1939)
Norman Rockwell. "Very good boys and girls", 1939.
Now behind the paintings of the famous American artist and the illustrator are sought after by collectors from all over the world. An image of Santa Claus reading a list of “very good” children and planning his route for Christmas night fetched $2.5 million at a Christie’s auction in 2007 (the illustration graced the cover of The Saturday Evening Post magazine).
Stuart Sherwood. Untitled
Artwork by Stuart Sherwood.
The self-taught Canadian painter especially loves to depict Christmas: in his paintings you can find Santa, snow-covered houses, and Teddy bears. Sherwood also creates more “serious” works - for example, he painted portraits Popes And .
New Year and Christmas holidays– one of the most popular themes in world art. Unique atmosphere winter's tale, waiting for a miracle, family comfort, recreated in painting towards the end of XIX – early XX centuries, takes us back to an era of great change, so similar to beginning of XXI V.
One of the favorite themes of the Russian artist Boris Kustodiev was folk festivities during the winter holidays. He often depicts snow-covered villages and provincial towns, merchants and peasants on the streets, fairs and booths. Kustodiev created a nostalgic art world, permeated with sun, joy and festive mood. The subjects of his paintings are always fabulous, this is both the Russian province of the early twentieth century and fairy-tale Rus' without specific time and spatial coordinates.
Danish artist Viggo Johansen - professor of painting, director of the Danish Academy of Arts - often painted scenes from family life. One of his most magical works can be called the painting “Merry Christmas”. The artist willingly resorted to lighting effects in paintings painted in dark colors. And in this work, against the background of dark silhouettes of people and shadows in the corners of the room, the tree sparkling with festive lights looks even brighter and more contrasting. This is the center of the composition, which is highlighted using both color and light. The glare from the lights illuminates the spellbound children's faces, which creates a magical atmosphere of a cozy family holiday.
Even Grand Duchess Olga Romanova, the youngest daughter of Alexander III, painted paintings dedicated to the winter holidays. In the imperial family, all the children studied painting, but only Olga studied it professionally. In 1920, she had to emigrate first to Yugoslavia, then to Denmark. The painting “New Year's Treat” was created in 1935, far from the homeland, but it recreates the traditional Russian atmosphere of a festive tea party with pie, jam and a samovar.
The family atmosphere of anticipation for the holiday is also captured in Sergei Dosekin’s painting “Preparing for Christmas.” The tree and gifts are not visible on it, but in the center of the composition are grandfather and grandchildren, who are preparing garlands and decorations for the house.
