| In the 1870-80's historical painting for the | | | | Looking at the clenched hands of this fine, |
| first time seemed to reveal all answers to | | | | young, but not pretty woman, we can feel her |
| relevant questions addressed by the past. | | | | inner strength and the emotional strain in |
| Popular revolts, acts of terrorism, | | | | her image. This image probably reminded |
| execution, heroic deeds, sacrifice, | | | | contemporaries of young girls exiled to the |
| suffering, betrayal, faithfulness to ideas | | | | mines for expressing their ideas. One critic |
| and treachery are the concepts dominating the | | | | noted the resemblance of bracelets on her |
| society of that time. Some artists approached | | | | wrists to fetters.As has been mentioned, the |
| these problems via religious subjects, very | | | | most famous among the portraitists was Ilya |
| familiar and clear to Russian people. Nikolai | | | | Repin. He saw the souls of every person who |
| Ghe, was one of them. His work, The Last | | | | posed for him, and he destroyed all |
| Supper, lacked mystery and sacred meaning. | | | | conventional rules adhered to by other |
| Like-minded people had become enemies. Judas, | | | | portraitists. He was unsurpassed as a master |
| who thought of the salvation of his people, | | | | of any form of portrait from bedchamber to |
| did not grasp the great idea of Christ | | | | state portraits. He worked both in painting |
| providing salvation for the whole of mankind. | | | | and drawing. The backgrounds for his |
| The philosophic disagreement, but not the | | | | portraits could be a house interior or |
| betrayal of a greedy man, became the subject | | | | landscapes. Using particular composition, |
| of the painting. (Note there are only 11 | | | | color schemes, lines, and strokes, he |
| Apostles depicted in the painting and that | | | | underlined unique individual features of the |
| Judas looks like a winged Angel of Death.) | | | | model. The German poet, Rilke, said: "Repin |
| His works, Calvary and Crucifixion, were | | | | has the nature of an artist. With a glance, |
| dedicated to humanity, at a time when | | | | he inspects everyone he meets, studies him |
| spiritual strength and faithfulness to ideas | | | | and assigns him to remote corners of his soul |
| overcome physical suffering.Ivan Kramskoi, | | | | and doesn't let him move away until Rapin is |
| also painted religious subjects. In his work, | | | | finished." Repin models came from all types |
| Christ in a Desert, he shows the hero at the | | | | of society to include peasants as well as the |
| moment of making a choice of his life's way. | | | | aristocracy. He painted men, women, old |
| This feeling of choice was familiar to many | | | | people, children, friends and relatives. The |
| people: whether to remain faithful to destiny | | | | fine portraiture of Repin gives us an |
| or to yield to temptation and retreat, having | | | | integral, profound, all-embracing, general |
| foreseen terrible consequences of remaining | | | | presentation of 19th Century society and |
| steadfast. All his life Kramskoi was devoted | | | | lively individual images of its |
| to a large painting called, Christ before the | | | | representatives. Many admire the works of |
| people, where he interpreted the subject of | | | | Repin. Especially fine paintings include Fall |
| sacrifice and suffering for a people that did | | | | Bouquet, Portrait of artist's daughter, |
| not understand.Vasiliy Surikov's, most famous | | | | Portrait of M. Musorgsky, and the Portrait of |
| work is his trilogy painted in the 1880s. | | | | Ivan Kramskoi... The list of works is |
| Each of these three paintings is devoted to a | | | | endless. In the history of Russian art, the |
| specific epic collision of paramount | | | | portraiture genre is one of the oldest and |
| significance: The Morning of the Execution of | | | | most traditional genres. First introduced at |
| the Streltsi, represents the nation in | | | | the time of Peter the Great, it was developed |
| history. Menshikov in Berezovo, depicts a | | | | by different generations of artists, but it |
| hero in history. Finally, the Boyarynya | | | | was the itinerants that made a particularly |
| Morozova, is an example of a hero and the | | | | notable contribution to portraiture. They |
| people. Surikov approached the most dramatic | | | | were also great innovators in Landscape |
| points of Russian history: reformation of the | | | | genre.Another important concept of the |
| church in the mid 17th century, Peter the | | | | specific national character of Russia, the |
| Great's reforms of the 18th century, etc. In | | | | peculiarity of Russian nature, was done for |
| Surikov's own time, the late 19th century, | | | | the first time by Itinerants. Works by Alexei |
| there were numerous flashbacks of those | | | | Savrasov, Ivan Shishkin, Vasiliy Polenov, |
| events in Russia. The nation found itself on | | | | Arkhip Kuinji, and Isaak Levitan were wildly |
| the threshold of major changes once again. | | | | received by the public. These masters showed |
| Incidentally, Surikov in his Morning, showed | | | | the highest importance of ordinary motifs, |
| for the first time how an historical | | | | scenes, and seasons of the year Country |
| inevitability can divide a single nation, | | | | sights were approached by artists much more |
| turning fellow countrymen against each other. | | | | often than urban motifs, thus emphasizing |
| In the painting, one of Peter's soldiers is | | | | peasant themes. But it was not based purely |
| carefully supporting a strelets (a member of | | | | on social problems. The whole gamut was |
| Ivan the Terrible's elite corps) while | | | | captured on canvas. Green plain expanses, |
| leading him to scaffold. These two Russians | | | | fallowed fields in the rain, endless |
| are not enemies, only a historical | | | | travel-worn roads, narrow paths that |
| coincidence has turned one of them into a | | | | stretched from different parts of the vast |
| hangman and the other into his victim. Could | | | | land, dense forests, impassable thickets, |
| Surikov have foreseen that twenty years later | | | | small lakes like blue saucers, hidden copses, |
| Russia would be flooded with blood once | | | | and the beauty of the big Russian river Volga |
| again, and brother would turn against brother | | | | were all acceptable subjects for these |
| in a civil war? He looked to the past for | | | | Russian immortals.The concept of nature, for |
| answers about Russia's future.Surikov neither | | | | Russian Itinerant artists and since, has |
| passed judgment nor took sides in his | | | | always been closely connected with a man |
| paintings, and his characters were neither | | | | being painted in his natural environment. |
| saints nor criminals. Each of them was | | | | Concerns about people and their thoughts and |
| convinced he was doing the right thing, but | | | | the Russian character were very much affected |
| in the eyes of history, "right" is synonymous | | | | by landscape. The narrations about Russian |
| with "imperative." It is the inevitable | | | | nature indeed involved the telling of the |
| collision of historical interest entailing | | | | life story of human beings living in nature. |
| the death of one of the parties that the | | | | One of the first among itinerant landscape |
| artist rendered with disturbing vividness. | | | | artists was Alexei Savrasov. His painting, |
| Relying on his creative imagination, the | | | | Rooks Are Back Again, was exhibited for the |
| artist craftily conjured up pictures of the | | | | first time at the exhibition of 1871 and it |
| past, encouraging the viewer to ponder | | | | amazed viewers. For the first time they saw a |
| traumatic historical collisions that had once | | | | plain native landscape far removed from the |
| shaken the nation, compelling every person | | | | flourishing Italian beauty typical of |
| then living to make his choice. His task was | | | | classical and romantic artists. A feeling of |
| to make his characters convincing and | | | | nature awakening after winter, as a tree with |
| historically credible, to make the viewer | | | | its bared branches is depicted standing in |
| believe in the image before his eyes. In | | | | the distance, soft light coming from the blue |
| later years, Surikov abandoned his | | | | sky, a bustle of the first birds, all |
| preoccupation with dramatic turning points in | | | | combined to evoke a feeling of something dear |
| history in favor of glorifying Russia's | | | | to one's heart.. a familiar scene dating |
| heroic past. In spite of this he remained | | | | back to childhood. This sentimental landscape |
| true to himself: the Russian people were | | | | gained high significance in this genre.Each |
| still the main character of his works, and | | | | painter approached similar motifs in his own |
| courage and daring were the artist's | | | | artistic manner. Ivan Shishkin in his works |
| principal subject-matter. In his paintings, | | | | glorified the heroic spirit of the Russian |
| Surikov always focused on fine portraiture. | | | | land. He liked to emphasize the might and |
| His female images are particularly elaborate | | | | grandeur of Russian nature. Depicting mostly |
| and masterful. He appreciated and knew how to | | | | fields and forests, he was given an artistic |
| depict the beauty of a Russian woman; he | | | | name of "singer of fields and forests.'' |
| understood her contradictory personality, her | | | | His selfless love of nature made him not only |
| tenderness, kindness, compassion, cordiality, | | | | an artist, but a botanist as well. He refused |
| quiet resignation, and readiness to sacrifice | | | | to be inaccurate depicting tree or blade. |
| herself, and he recognized that sometimes, | | | | Numerous studies and sketches that survived |
| her courage, strong will, devil-may-care | | | | till today offer testimony concerning his |
| attitude, and her strong convictions bordered | | | | great care in studying nature.Although |
| on fanaticism.During that epoch - the heyday | | | | Shishkin was often criticized for his |
| of portrait genre in Russian art - many | | | | naturalism and his unreasonable standards in |
| artists tended to emphasize their characters' | | | | his representation of nature, the careful |
| personalities in their historical and genre | | | | work at the details of his paintings can't be |
| painting. Itinerants made a particularly | | | | called "naturalism." Naturalism in painting |
| notable contribution to portraiture. For the | | | | means blind imitation of a natural view |
| first time in Russian art, portraiture | | | | without a well thought-out composition and |
| stopped being merely the art of painting | | | | without the correlation of common details and |
| family members and stopped serving | | | | a particular selection of the items painted. |
| exclusively the sentimental needs and vanity | | | | At first sight, Shishkin's landscapes look so |
| of individuals and families. As a result of | | | | trustworthy that one can get the wrong |
| the itinerants, the very word portrait | | | | impression of the artist's work. The artist |
| acquires new understanding. The reason for | | | | desires the viewer to believe in the reality |
| the above we find in the definition of | | | | of such an existing view.In this connection, |
| reconsidered art that achieved vivid social | | | | his painting, The Rye, is very typical. The |
| status. Portraits became very regulated such | | | | artist selected the typical natural motives |
| as the portraits of contemporary heroes, | | | | of a central Russian landscape: the field of |
| public figures, common people, peasants, and | | | | rye, the road, and mighty oaks. Next he |
| workers. Art changed much. Now it served more | | | | thought about the composition, trying to get |
| for exhibition purposes rather than purely as | | | | the right correlation between the sky and the |
| private commissions.The name of Pavel | | | | earth, the fore and background, as well as |
| Tretyakov, is closely connected with | | | | the right light combination. All these |
| establishment of this new art destination. He | | | | details create mighty images that affect the |
| was a Moscow merchant who had decided to set | | | | feelings of the viewer. In this painting the |
| up a gallery of the national modern art. He | | | | artist truly glorifies the true beauty and |
| started buying itinerants' work, not only at | | | | grandeur of Russian nature.One must give |
| the exhibitions, but also unfinished works | | | | credit to the Itinerants for the creation of |
| while they were in an artist's studio. | | | | the genre of "plein air" painting. Two of the |
| Tretyakov attended artists' workshops and | | | | best were Polenov and Levitan. Polenov's |
| often paid money to an artist in order for | | | | artistic manner was much different from that |
| him to complete the work. Moreover, he | | | | of Shishkin. In his paintings Moscow |
| commissioned different artists to make | | | | Courtyard and Grandmother's Garden, he acts |
| portraits of writers, musicians, actors, and | | | | as a delicate lyric, entertaining |
| other artists in order to leave a cultural | | | | storyteller. For the first time in these |
| heritage for the generations to come. His | | | | paintings he demonstrated the principles of |
| life and the life of his family were very | | | | so-called "plain-air painting." However, the |
| modest as most of his money was spent for | | | | greatest "plein air" landscape painter in |
| paintings. Being so interested in | | | | Russian art was Levitan. Considering the |
| portraiture, he got other artists interested | | | | power and might of his talent and his |
| in this genre. Among the artists working in | | | | contribution to the landscape genre he can be |
| portrait genre there are several outstanding | | | | compared with Repin. His huge creative legacy |
| masters whose names are worthy of | | | | gives an idea about the broad scope of his |
| mention.Vasiliy Perov was the first who | | | | interests in the landscape field. Some of his |
| featured mostly in psychological portrait the | | | | works are full of delicate lyrics while |
| complicated inner world of the person and his | | | | others have epic and broad |
| soul. His portraits of Feodor Dostoevskiy and | | | | generalizations.Issak Levitan had a very |
| of Alexei Ostrovskiy are considered to be his | | | | profound understanding of nature. Nature in |
| best and most famous portraits. The portrait | | | | his opinion holds onto its inner content. He |
| of Dostoevskiy, a great Russian writer who | | | | said, "Can anything be more tragic than to |
| tried to penetrate the darkest parts of a | | | | feel the endless beauty of surroundings, the |
| human soul, is of special value. Kramskoi | | | | concealed secrets of nature, to see the Lord |
| used this painting to reflect his own | | | | in everything and have no possibility to |
| understanding of duty and honor of Russian | | | | express such deep emotions?" These words |
| intelligence. He strove to reveal the | | | | reveal the modesty of the artist who has |
| versatile personality of the writer.Ivan | | | | created real masterpieces but was not |
| Kramskoi, being a very talented portraitist, | | | | satisfied with himself and who worried about |
| was a prominent public figure and art was not | | | | his inability to achieve perfection. Levitan |
| the only domain of his activity. Kramskoi was | | | | confirmed once again that Russian landscape |
| the head of the Society of Traveling Art | | | | art demands to be considered as an object of |
| Exhibitions from the time it was established. | | | | the highest ideals of art. Many of his |
| His particular understanding of art as a way | | | | paintings contain a reflection on people's |
| of educating people dictated his individual | | | | destiny and the meaning of their life. His |
| choice of the model and interpretation of his | | | | paintings are full of literary associations |
| portrait image. He chose those whom he | | | | and philosophical ideas such as Over Eternal |
| considered to be an ideal subject and who | | | | Peace, and Eternal Chime. In an entirely |
| shared his views on the exclusive educational | | | | different manner he created landscapes in |
| mission of art. His views coincided with | | | | natural beauty, illustrating the waking up of |
| general trends and objectives in art - a | | | | nature March and the fading of nature in |
| search of the identifiable person. The | | | | Golden Autumn. Levitan painted typical |
| resulting form of the above social | | | | Russian landscapes, reproducing different |
| significance of a model was of particular | | | | states of nature correlating with human |
| importance for Kramskoi. A fine example of | | | | emotions.The pictorial freedom of Levitan's |
| this approach is the portrait of L.Tolstoy. | | | | creative manner made him different from other |
| The ascetic simplicity of the writer's image | | | | landscape painters of his time. His last |
| and feeling of serious, dramatic thought that | | | | painting, Russia, was not finished. He |
| dominated Tolstoy was reflected in Kramskoi's | | | | dreamed of creating the common artistic image |
| opinion on the writer's destiny.After the | | | | of his homeland in this painting. Levitan |
| death of Kramskoi, Nikolai Yaroshenko, who | | | | fell deeply in love with the Motherland as |
| was called "the conscience of the Itinerants" | | | | did all of the Itinerants. They dreamed and |
| for his integrity and adherence to | | | | believed that their art would give people |
| principles, headed the itinerants' society. | | | | happiness and hope and recognition of the |
| Yaroshenko created his own portrait type, and | | | | need to develop a high moral ideal in Russia. |
| his representation of a specific model became | | | | The Itinerants held sway over Russian art |
| the basis for his generalized image of the | | | | until the first ten years of the 20th |
| representation of the different layers of | | | | Century. For me they will always be the best |
| society. Girl Student, is typical of | | | | that Russian art has to offer. They painted |
| Yaroshenko. His Portrait of Pelageya | | | | in many styles, but they depicted life as |
| Strepetova, a Russian tragical actress, is a | | | | they believed it was. They did this at great |
| very good example of his work. She | | | | risk to themselves, and it is hoped that |
| specialized in the roles of the poor and | | | | finally Russia stands on the golden threshold |
| humiliated, exhausted by life women, and | | | | of freedom that they envisioned for her so |
| these roles left their mark on this portrait. | | | | many years ago.Michael E. |