Russian artist Shishkin I.I. Masterpieces of Ivan Shishkin: The most famous paintings of the great Russian landscape painter Where Shishkin is buried

Artist Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin The greatest landscape painter, an amazing master of painting forest landscapes, and to this day he remains the undisputed leader in Russian landscape painting to create an incredible number of canvases with forest views. A true connoisseur of forest vegetation, colorful shapes of tree trunks, velvety foliage, forest glades with bright grass illuminated through the trees sun rays, picturesque stumps overgrown with moss and surrounded by various mushrooms. The artist Shishkin, like no one else, saw in the nature of the forest all the hidden beauties in wild overgrown places where the human foot has rarely set foot.

For the first time in Russian fine art, the artist was able to masterfully show all this unprecedented beauty in his works.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin - biography. The artist Shishkin was born in 1832 in a small town on the banks of the Kama River in Yelabuga, in the Vyatka province, into the family of a poor merchant. At the age of 12, he was accepted to study at the first Kazan gymnasium.

Studying at the gymnasium did not last long, feeling his calling to fine arts Ivan Shishkin, having not completed his studies at the gymnasium until the 5th grade, left it and entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1852. having studied there until 1856, young artist accepted into the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, learning the necessary skills from Professor S. M. Vorobyov.

Of course, at the academy, Shishkin did not really like educational topics and the young artist in his free time was content with writing sketches from nature in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, sometimes he went to write sketches on the island of Valaam. All this greatly helped Shishkin develop the abilities of the young master, recognizing in pencil drawings the shapes of tree branches, bushes with foliage, which were later reproduced in sketches.

For pencil drawings in the vicinity of St. Petersburg he was awarded two small silver medals, and later in 1859 Ivan Shishkin deservedly received a small gold medal behind beautiful landscape in the vicinity of St. Petersburg. Inspired by his successes, Shishkin persistently worked a lot, revealing great knowledge in himself, fascinated by the places on Valaam and Kukko, he created works for which in 1860 he was awarded a large gold medal and deserved a retirement trip abroad.

In 1862, Shishkin went abroad for the first time, visiting Munich, Zurich, Geneva and Dusseldorf, where he painted a painting in the Outskirts of Dusseldorf, for which Shishkin was subsequently awarded honorary title academician

Also abroad, he skillfully draws drawings with a pen and deserves great attention from foreigners, who were very surprised and shocked by the unprecedented talent of the draftsman Shishkin. Some of these drawings were placed in the Düsseldorf Museum on the level with the works famous artists Europe. But Shishkin was homesick for his homeland and Russian places, he understood that it was impossible to paint a Russian landscape abroad, and in 1865 he returned to Russia.

In Russia, the artist again joins artistic circles, attends exhibitions and artels of artists. Working closely with drawings and sketches, by 1867 he created a magnificent work, the painting Felling Wood. Shishkin, accurately noticing the features of the Russian landscape, created a number of more works in 1869, the painting At Sunset, while living in the Bratsevo estate, he created a beautiful summer landscape Noon. Neighborhoods of Moscow.

1870 Ivan Shishkin joins the artel of Peredvizhniki artists under the leadership of I. Kramskoy. becoming a lifelong member of the founders of traveling exhibitions of artists who did not agree with the academic foundations of that time.

Shishkin, faithful to his work, continues to be creative, creating new canvases and exhibiting new paintings at a traveling exhibition: Evening, Pinery, Birch Forest and the painting Wilderness, very well appreciated by contemporaries, many positive feedback Prakhov A. V. wrote for this painting. For this work, Ivan Shishkin was awarded the honorary title of professor in landscape painting. in 1878, the master again shocked everyone with his new landscape Rye, at the 6th traveling exhibition. The work had a lot of positive reviews.

In 1877, Ivan Shishkin married the artist Olga Antonova Lagoda, their beautiful house We are very visited by his colleagues and friends, where there were feasts and parties.

In 1883, Shishkin painted a painting with a large and luxurious oak tree in a valley, the painting was called Among the Flat Valleys.

In 1884, a very airy landscape with a vast panorama was called by the artist Forest Distances.

1887 painting Oak Grove in which Shishkin masterfully conveys the state of mighty oak trees with thick wriggling branches, dynamic shadows and gentle rays of the sun.

In 1889, Ivan Shishkin creates one of his brightest paintings, this painting

Morning in pine forest, the picture is saturated with morning forest air, there is a feeling of virgin forest wilderness, the picture is popular to this day and probably this Shishkin masterpiece has no equal.

In the 90s, the artist created a number of paintings, some of them beautifully depicting the wilderness of the forest in the vicinity of Oranienbaum In the forest of Countess Mordvinova. Peterhof.

Shishkin accurately conveyed the state of rainy weather in the painting Rain in an Oak Forest, based on a poem by M. Lermontov unusual picture In the wild north, commissioned by P.P. Konchalovsky, a lonely snow-covered pine tree stands towering against the backdrop of a moonlit night.

In 1898, the artist painted his new work, Ship Grove, one might say this is the final work of the master, which demonstrates all the talent and skill of the great artist accumulated throughout his life. Shishkin, like his colleague Kramskoy, died as an artist, right at the easel while painting his next new painting, this happened in March 1898, he left his descendants his very rich heritage.

Many of his paintings gained enormous popularity not only among his contemporaries; these paintings are still known today to a large circle of admirers of his works. No one before Shishkin had told the viewer with such stunning frankness about his love for his native Russian nature.

The works of I. I. Shishkin became classics of national Russian landscape painting and gained enormous popularity. Today, images of his landscapes can be seen in many places on various reproductions, gift wrapping, souvenir boxes and even candies with famous bears, all this speaks of Great love people to his great creativity.

Many landscape artists study from Shishkin’s paintings; many people are always fascinated by his works. Reproductions of it famous landscapes every child knows. Of course, the matter cannot do without critics and some critical contemporary artists clearly opposing the photorealism of the artist, but this is all from the evil one or comes from ignorance of the work of the great master and not the inability to create anything close to that.

Painted paintings in various genres. He was an equally good landscape painter, painter and aquatic engraver. Here is such a versatile artist.

Ivan Ivanovich was born in merchant family Ivan Vasilievich Shishkin. This significant event for Russian and world art took place on January 25, 1832. The family lived in the city of Elabuga, Vyatka province.

When Ivan was 12 years old, he entered the first Kazan gymnasium. After studying there until the fifth grade, he entered the Moscow School of Painting.

After completing a course in science at the Moscow Art School, he continued his studies at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Ivan Ivanovich was not very happy educational process, which took place within the walls of the Art Academy.

In his free time, Shishkin worked with great diligence to improve his skills, and painted landscapes. Shishkin painted landscapes from the beauty of St. Petersburg, fortunately beautiful places There were plenty of things in the city to inspire the artist.

During his first year at the academy, he achieved great success, was awarded two small silver medals.

In 1858, the artist received a large silver medal for the first time. He received this honor for a painting describing the beauty of Valaam. A year later he was awarded a gold medal for St. Petersburg landscapes.

Shishkin, thanks to his diligent study and his amazing creativity, won the right from the academy to travel abroad. The trip, of course, was free. In 1861 he went to Munich, where he visited the workshops of such master artists as Beno Adamov and his brother Franz.

Further his path lay in Switzerland, in Zurich. In Switzerland, he worked under the supervision of Professor Koller, who perfected Shishkin's skills. Having then visited Geneva, he completed a painting, depicting in it a view of the Geneva surroundings. The painting was done very professionally and, thanks to this masterpiece, Ivan Ivanovich received the title of academician.

On a trip to Europe, he not only painted, but also practiced pen drawing. Shishkin’s drawing, made in this genre, shocked foreigners. Many of his works were placed in the Düsseldorf Museum, next to the drawings of great masters.

In 1866, Ivan Ivanovich returned to. Now he travels only across the expanses of his Fatherland, and he does this constantly. The artist looked for inspiration in the beauties of the Russian land, and naturally found it, displaying the beauties of Russia on canvas. His works were constantly exhibited at various exhibitions, including traveling ones.

Ivan Ivanovich had a great hobby - aquafortics. In 1870, a circle of aquafortists was formed in St. Petersburg, of which he became a member. In 1873, for the painting “Forest Wilderness,” Ivan Shishkin became a professor.

Shishkin is the most famous and powerful Russian landscape painter. In our history there was no master capable of properly competing with him. The artist’s work amazes with his amazing knowledge of plant forms. Each component of his paintings was individual, had its own “physiognomy”.

Everything that Shishkin painted had very truthful and realistic forms. The secret of this phenomenon of the Russian artist is simple, he painted what he saw, without embellishing or belittling. Experts note that in many of his works, the accuracy of the landscape forms came at the expense of the color of the paintings. It is also noted that paintings with many colors by the bright master of Russian landscape turned out worse than those paintings where the color palette was poorer.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin is a true master of landscape. The author of many stunning paintings, many of which are kept in the collection. His work is a unique heritage that our people were lucky enough to own, and which will forever remain in our hearts and memories. Ivan Ivanovich died on March 8 (20), 1898 while working on another painting.

Video about Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin

biography and creativity

The birthplace of one of the most famous, even cult artists of Russia is the city Elabuga. He was born in this provincial town on January 13, 1832. In the future, he became known as a landscape painter, conveying with photographic accuracy the smallest details nature of the native land.

Portrait of I.I. Shishkin by I.N. Kramskoy

Family and study

On the formation of views and creative style Shishkina The father had great influence. A poor merchant who was fond of archeology and wrote “The History of the City of Yelabuga” was the man who managed to pass on all his knowledge to his son. Shishkin Sr. sold grain, and at his own expense he restored the ancient buildings of Yelabuga and developed a local water supply system.

The path of the future artist was predetermined from childhood. He entered the 1st Kazan gymnasium, but did not finish educational institution. In the fifth grade, Shishkin left school, returned home and devoted all his attention to drawing from life. For four years painted the forests of Yelabuga, and in 1852 he entered the Moscow school painting and sculpture.

Self-portrait

The exhibition of Caucasian mountain views by L. Lagorio and marine paintings by I. Aivazovsky was fateful for Ivan Shishkin. There he saw a painting that fascinates and inspires many. It was Aivazovsky's The Ninth Wave. Another factor that determined the artist’s further work was studying in the class of Mokritsky, who admired the work of K. Bryullov. The teacher was able to discern talent in the quiet, even shy student and in every possible way encouraged him to take up landscape painting.

In 1856, Shishkin graduated from college and entered the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. In his first year of study he was awarded a silver medal. He received the award for pencil drawing and a view of St. Petersburg, made with a brush. The artist became one of the best students of the Academy, and in 1860 he graduated with a Great Gold Medal. Such a high award gave the right to travel abroad for three years to improve creative skills. But Shishkin preferred the place where he spent his childhood and adolescence - Yelabuga.

Foreign vicissitudes

The artist left Russia only in 1862. He visited Zurich, Munich, Geneva and Dusseldorf. Got acquainted with the works famous painters and studied with R. Koller himself. During the same period, by order of N. Bykov, he wrote

"View around Düsseldorf"

for her he received the title of academician.

Shishkin constantly improved his skills and developed his own style. Just look at the pen drawings, which meticulously convey the details of the surrounding objects! Two such works are still among the exhibits of the Düsseldorf Museum.

In 1865, Shishkin returned to Russia. He is already a recognized and recognizable artist, capable of creative achievements. In the works of the early 1860s. Attempts to achieve maximum resemblance to nature can be traced. This is as can be seen from the picture

"Forest cutting"

somewhat disrupts the integrity of the landscape. Working long and hard, the artist overcomes the academic postulates of an abstract landscape and creates a series of paintings. An example of a “reborn” master is the canvas

"Noon. In the vicinity of Moscow."

The painting is filled with light, it exudes peace and tranquility, it can create a joyful, even blissful mood.

The place of the forest in Shishkin’s work

In 1870, he became one of the founders of the Partnership of Itinerants and presented a painting at the second exhibition of the society

"Pinery".

The work still amazes today with the integrity of its color scheme, photographic rendering of nature and incredible combination of colors.

Other paintings that recreate majestic forests are “Black Forest”, “Forest Wilderness”, “Spruce Forest”, “Reserve. Pine Forest”, “Forest (Shmetsk near Narva)”, “Corner of an overgrown forest. Snitch-grass”, “In a pine forest” and others. The painter depicts plant forms with amazing precision, carefully depicting every twig, every blade of grass. The paintings resemble beautiful, but still accidentally taken photographs. This trend is typical only for works that use a large color palette. Canvases depicting a forest, made in a single color scheme, fully reveal the artist’s talent.

Creative techniques

The most famous painting by the master is

"Morning in a pine forest",

presented at the exhibition of the Itinerants in 1889. The popularity of the work is that it is filled with serenity, the expectation of something beautiful and is a symbol of the homeland. And even though the bears were written by K. Savitsky, each of us associates these animals with small children.

The result of Shishkin’s entire creative path is the canvas

“Ship Grove” (1898).

It is completed according to all the laws of classicism, fully reveals artistic image. The painting has one more property - incredible monumentality.

I. I. Shishkin died in his workshop on March 8 (20), 1898. He never completed the painting “The Forest Kingdom,” but the legacy that remains is still capable of touching the soul of our contemporaries to this day.

Sestroretsky Forest 1886

View on the island of Valaam. Cucco area1858-60

Birch Forest 1871

Oak. grove1887

Birch Grove

Birch and mountain ash 1878

Before the Storm 1884

Among the flat valley... 1883

View in the vicinity of St. Petersburg 1865

Winter in the forest, frost 1877

In the wild north

Above the embankment 1887

Coniferous forest 1873

Winter 1890

Coniferous forest. Sunny day 1895

Rye 1878

Pinery. Mast forest in Vyatka province

Evening 1871

Seaside view

Rain in an oak forest 1891

Autumn landscape. Park in Pavlovsk 1888

Forest 1897

Early autumn 1889

Autumn forest 1876

Mountain path. Crimea 1879

Golden Autumn 1888

Winter forest

Pine forest

Forest in Mordvinovo. 1891

Mushroom pickers

Stream in a birch forest 1883

Dali

Winter. Moscow region. Etude

Pines. sunlit

The Ligovka river in the village of Konstantinovka near St. Petersburg. 1869

Two female figures 1880s

Children in the forest

First snow 1875

A Walk in the Woods 1869

Oak trees 1886

In Crimea. Monastery of Kozma and Damian near Chatyrdag 1879

Pine on a rock. 1855

Forest in the evening 1868-1869

On the banks of the Kama River near Yelabuga

1. Introduction.

The purpose of writing this work is to reveal the topic “The Work of Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin,” thereby showing that Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin belongs to one of the most honorable places. The history of the Russian landscape of the second half is connected with his name. XIX century. The works of the outstanding master, the best of which have become classics of national painting, have gained enormous popularity.

Among the masters of the older generation, I. I. Shishkin represented with his art an exceptional phenomenon, which was not known in the field of landscape painting in previous eras. Like many Russian artists, he naturally possessed enormous natural talent. No one before Shishkin, with such stunning openness and such disarming intimacy, told the viewer about his love for native land, to the discreet charm of northern nature.

2. Biography.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin

Ivan Shishkin was born on January 13 (25), 1832 in Elabuga, a small provincial town located on the high bank of the Kama, into a merchant family. The artist’s father, I.V. Shishkin, was not only an entrepreneur, but also an engineer, archaeologist and local historian, the author of “The History of the City of Yelabuga.” The father did not interfere with his son’s desire for art and agreed to his departure to Moscow to study at the Moscow School of Painting. Having entered the gymnasium, he met several comrades there, with whom he could not only arrange entertainment in the Bursat style, such as going to fist fights, but also draw and talk about art. However, the gymnasium of that time, with its narrow formalism, did not correspond to the aspirations and inclinations of the young Shishkin to such an extent, it seemed so unbearable to him that, returning to Yelabuga in the summer of 1848, he announced to his family that he would not return to the gymnasium again, so as not to become an official , what he was afraid of all his life. The father did not insist. In 1852, Ivan goes to Moscow and enters the Moscow School. “At the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture, where the artist studied for more than three years, progressive pedagogical system A.G. Venetsianova, based on attentive and careful attitude to nature” (p.5, 2).

Until 1860, Shishkin continued his studies in the art of S.M. at the St. Petersburg Academy. Vorobyova. The successes of the young artist are celebrated with gold and silver medals. “The works created by Shishkin during his years of study were often worn romantic traits"(p.7, 2). In 1858-1859, the young artist persistently drew from life, working a lot in the summer months near Sestroretsk and on the island of Valaam on Lake Ladoga. In 1860, for the landscape “View on the Island of Valaam,” Shishkin was awarded the first gold medal, and with it the right to travel abroad. However, he was in no hurry to go abroad and in the spring of 1861 he went to Yelabuga, where he wrote a lot in nature. In the spring of 1862, together with V.I. Jacobi pensioner Shishkin leaves for Germany. Until 1865 he would live mainly in Germany, Switzerland and France. In June 1865, he returned to Russia and spent the summer in his homeland - in Yelabuga. In September, for the painting “View in the vicinity of Dusseldorf” (1864), Shishkin received the title of academician and in October he finally settled in St. Petersburg. The painting “Cutting Wood” (1867) is a kind of conclusion early period artist's creativity. In 1868, Shishkin married the sister of the artist F.A. Vasilyeva. Evgenia Alexandrovna was simple and good woman, and the years of her life with Ivan Ivanovich passed in quiet and peaceful work. The funds already made it possible to have modest comfort, although with an ever-increasing family, Ivan Ivanovich could not afford anything extra. “Young artists constantly visited Shishkin’s house. He willingly worked with them, took them to sketches, made long trips with them” (p. 19, 2). In April 1874, his wife dies, leaving two children, a daughter and a son, who also dies soon. Shishkin begins to drink not in company, as before, but at home, constantly, and there was no one to stop him. In his mother-in-law, who settled with him, he even found support for this. He began to decline morally, his character deteriorated, since nothing affected him as terribly as vodka. Little by little, he moved away from the society of Kramskoy, who alone had influence on him, and again became closer to the friends of his youth, who all suffered from the same illness and at that time had already completely sunk as artists. Shishkin was saved only by his success, which he had already secured for himself, and by the receptivity and strength that distinguished his body.

In 1870, Shishkin became one of the founding members of the Mobile Mobile Partnership art exhibitions and remains faithful to him throughout his life. At the first traveling exhibition he performed with the paintings “Evening”, “Pine Forest” and “Birch Forest”, and in 1872, using sketches from life, he painted “Pine Forest.
For the painting “Forest Wilderness” (1872), Shishkin received the title of professor of landscape painting. "Display native nature without embellishment, to tell about it truthfully and clearly - this is what Shishkin strived for” (p. 14, 2).
In the seventies, the artist worked a lot on studying nature. IN best works Shishkin's epic notes begin to sound more and more persistently and powerfully. The theme of the epic landscape reached its most vivid expression in the famous painting “Rye.” It was presented in 1878 at the VI Traveling Exhibition. In the winter of 1877, Ivan Ivanovich met a young beauty, artist Olga Antonovna Lagoda. In the summer of 1880, Shishkin was already her fiancé. On their Sundays they played charades, fooled around, danced in various funny costumes, had fun from the heart, without embarrassment.

"IN last decades XIX century, during a difficult period for the Partnership, when disagreements that arose among it threatened the collapse of the entire organization, Shishkin was with those artists who continued to profess democratic educational ideals sixties” (p. 17.2).
In the last year of his work, Shishkin achieved success in the field of color, in conveying a light-air environment. Shishkin met the 90s full of energy. At the end of the same 1891, Shishkin, together with Repin, organized an exhibition of his works in the halls of the Academy of Arts.

“Death suddenly crept up on the artist. He died at his easel on March 8 (20), 1898, while working on a painting” (p. 21, 2).

3. Creation.

“Shishkin was a great lover of life. He worshiped Russian nature; it became part of his being. He loved her more than anything in the world, and therefore his view of nature was surprisingly optimistic. Shishkin devoted his entire life to the praise of Russian forests, fields, and Russian expanses” (p. 18, 1). Ivan Ivanovich dreamed of penetrating the secrets of the structure and life of nature.

Throughout his life, Shishkin painted forests. “But, perhaps, the most powerful in its sound was the painting “Afonasovskaya Ship Grove near Yelabuga” (p. 20.1). A transparent stream in the foreground, in which you can count all the pebbles. At the edge of the forest there is a picture of a pine tree - slender and tall. Each tree has its own “character”. The work embodies deep knowledge nature, which was accumulated by the master over almost half a century creative path. The monumental painting (the largest in size in Shishkin’s work) is the last solemn image of the forest in the epic he created, symbolizing heroic strength Russian nature.
This painting is the master’s artistic testament, the solemn finale of the forest epic that he passionately painted throughout his life. She - testifying to the fact that even in old age the artist has not lost at all the steadiness of his hand, vigilance of his eyes, the ability to typify while maintaining the accuracy of texture and detail - seems to sum up all the advantages of Shishkin's creative manner. The landscape presents the viewer with the highest summer blossom. Shishkin generally loved highest points states of nature, as well as the most powerful and resistant tree species (Fig. 1).

The painting “Morning in a Pine Forest” (Fig. 2) is popular because of its entertaining plot. However true value The work is a beautifully expressed state of nature. What is shown is not a dense dense forest, but sunlight breaking 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. “The idea for the painting was suggested to Shishkin by Savitsky K.A. Savitsky painted the bears in the painting itself. These bears, with some differences in poses and numbers (at first there were two of them), appear in preparatory drawings and sketches” (p.40.1). Savitsky turned out the bears so well that he even signed the painting together with Shishkin. And when Tretyakov acquired this painting, he removed Savitsky’s signature, leaving the authorship to Shishkin.

Shishkin's graphic skill can be judged by the drawing "Oak Oak Trees near Sestroretsk" (1857). Along with the elements of external romanticization of the image inherent in this large “hand-drawn picture”, it also has a feeling of the naturalness of the image. The work shows the artist’s desire for a plastic interpretation of natural forms and good professional training.

Already one of early paintings Shishkin's "Stream in the Forest" (1870) testifies to the strength of the professional foundation of the engraver, behind which stands creative work. Busy and complex in motif, this painting is reminiscent of the pen and ink drawings that Shishkin performed in the sixties. “But in comparison with them, with all the fineness of the strokes, it is devoid of any dryness, the beauty of the chased lines is more felt in it, the light and shadow contrasts are richer” (p. 43, 1).

The painting “In the Forest of Countess Mordvinova” amazes us with a penetration and concentrated mood that is not typical of Shishkin. In the painting, the sun barely gets in because of the dense forest, making the trees look stunted. “And then, in the midst of this forest kingdom, the figure of an old forester suddenly appears, immediately unnoticeable - his clothes are akin to the color of the forest” (p. 32, 1). There is a special poetry and even mystery in this landscape. The painting “Rain in an Oak Forest” is completely different in mood. All mystery has disappeared here. The forest looks small and spacious. People walking in the rain enhance the feeling of living in nature.

Shishkin also loved to paint open spaces. One of these landscapes is “Forest Distances”. The forest in this picture has retreated from foreground. A thin pine tree, clearly visible against the background of the light sky, seems to measure the distance, and then the forests begin. A river or lake can be seen in the distance. And behind it again there are ridges of forests. “The sky is golden, endless. Silence... Fascinating space. A foggy haze gradually obscures the distance…” (p. 24, 1).

Shishkin wrote many beautiful paintings, in which he reflected all his love and the splendor of nature.

4. Conclusion

Among all Russian landscape painters, Shishkin undoubtedly holds the place of the most powerful artist. In all his works, he reveals himself to be an amazing connoisseur of plant forms - trees, foliage, grass, reproducing them with a subtle understanding of how general, and the smallest distinctive features any species of trees, bushes and grasses. “Whether he took on the image of a pine or spruce forest, individual pines and spruces, just like their combinations and mixtures, received from him their true face, without any embellishment or understatement - that appearance and with those particulars that are completely explained and conditioned by the soil and climate where the artist caused them to grow. The very area under the trees - stones, sand or clay, uneven soil overgrown with ferns and other forest grasses, dry leaves, brushwood, dead wood, etc. - received in Shishkin’s paintings and drawings the appearance of perfect reality, as close as possible to reality” (p. 52, 1).

5. Bibliography

1. Shishkin. Publishing house "Artist of the RSFSR". Leningrad. 1966

2. Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin. Publishing house "Art". Leningrad. 1978

“On Wednesday, January 13, 1832, a son was born. They called me Ivan", - Ivan Vasilyevich Shishkin wrote in his diary on the day the future famous artist was born.

Was born Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin in Yelabuga in a simple merchant family. The father used all his acquired property for archaeological research and insisted that his son continue this work. But Ivan Ivanovich dared to refuse such a career, explaining this with his reluctance, and his mother, Daria Romanovna, often said that her son was somewhat “idiotic” in matters of commerce.

The teachers of the gymnasium where Shishkin Jr. studied also agreed with his mother’s words. The young man received solid “twos” and even “ones,” completed only four classes, and then left the gymnasium “so as not to become an official.” He returned to Father's house and he devoted every free minute to drawing, so his parents called the young man “mazilka.” But they shuddered in horror when Ivan announced his desire to study painting. Relatives considered the artists “drunkards and prisoners” and did not want their child to know such company. And only the father saw talent in twenty-year-old Van and sent his son to the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture.

Already in 1856, Shishkin began classes at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he finally realized that his real vocation was landscape:

“Nature is always new... and always ready to give an inexhaustible supply of its gifts, which we call life. What could be better than nature..."

Shishkin often went for walks around St. Petersburg and painted sketches from life, which were awarded numerous awards. In 1858, the artist received a large silver medal for the painting “View on the Island of Valaam,” and two years later he was awarded a large gold medal and a five-year pension for traveling around Europe.

Ivan visited Germany and Switzerland, where he visited the workshop of the landscape painter Koller, but the paintings of Alexander Kalam made the greatest impression on Shishkin.

The young master by that time had become a fairly famous person:

“Wherever and everywhere you go, everyone asks if you are the Russian Shishkin who draws so magnificently?”

The artist was surrounded not only by fans, but also by loyal friends, with whom he was not averse to sharing a glass of strong drink. Even with a complete lack of money, Ivan did not deny himself this pleasure, and paid for alcohol with his own paintings. The young man sometimes could not utter a word, but with a pencil he still drew clear silhouettes on paper. At the same time, the artist assured that you can’t waste your skill.

His trips to the tavern often ended in fights. Once in Munich, Shishkin was feasting with friends and heard two Germans at the next table making jokes about Russia. The indignant artist rushed to the young people and demanded an apology. Without waiting for them, he knocked out the mockers, and at the same time a company of 10 people. Shishkin wielded an iron rod, which was later presented in court as evidence of the artist’s guilt. To this day, no one knows what Ivan threatened the crippled Germans with or whether he threatened them at all, but they admitted they were wrong, and the Russian patriot was acquitted. His friends carried him out of the courtroom in their arms and went to a nearby pub to celebrate his victory.

Fun is fun, but the artist never forgot about professional activity. In Geneva, Shishkin became acquainted with the works of Kalam and Dide, and in Dusseldorf he painted the painting “View in the vicinity of Dusseldorf,” which he sent to St. Petersburg and received the title of academician for it.

In 1866, Ivan Ivanovich became homesick and decided to return to Russia ahead of schedule. He traveled around the country and presented his paintings at the academy and at exhibitions of the Itinerants.

Soon Shishkin became the patron of the young master Fyodor Vasiliev, who introduced the teacher to his older sister. Evgeniya Vasilyeva was good and beautiful woman, which immediately charmed Ivan Ivanovich, and he soon went to Yelabuga for a blessing from his father. At the same time, the artist worked on the painting “Noon. In the vicinity of Moscow", which he completed in 1869. It was this work that secured him the title of the best Russian landscape painter, because no one could repeat such a subtle compositional organization.

The artist was admired in Russia and Europe, but he was deeply unhappy: his wife had serious health problems, and born sons died in infancy. This worsened Eugenia's condition, and she died of consumption at the age of 27. Only his little daughter Lidochka and his love for art helped Shishkin escape from his grief.

The artist painted the paintings “Pine Forest. Mast forest in the Vyatka province" and "Forest wilderness", for which he received the title of professor. Five years after this, Ivan Shishkin finished work on the canvas “Rye,” which was first presented at a traveling exhibition. The master managed to convey the beauty of Russian nature, its spaciousness and expanse.

There was a rapid rise in the work of Ivan Shishkin, and his new muse. The young artist Olga Ladoga helped the master feel the taste of life again. The lovers got married and settled in a large estate, where the conversations of the guests did not stop for a second and the doors were not closed. The wife managed to give the artist a daughter, Ksenia, and after a month and a half left Shishkin forever. Olga’s sister, Victoria Ladoga, took care of him and the two babies.

Ivan Shishkin could not find family happiness. Art became his consolation again. He painted landscapes and began working in etching techniques, which significantly increased interest in this type of art. Later the artist created his own famous painting. Not everyone knows that Shishkin did not write “Morning in a Pine Forest” alone. The figures of the bear cubs belong to the brush of animal painter Konstantin Savitsky, a friend of the artist. But the memory of him was literally washed away from the canvas at the request of the collector Pavel Tretyakov, who commissioned the painting:

“I only bought Shishkin’s painting – I didn’t buy Savitsky!”

During his lifetime, Ivan Shishkin was nicknamed “the singer of the Russian forest” and people were amazed at his love for nature. The artist’s niece recalled how her uncle carefully prepared the place for painting, turning the forest into a real workshop:

“Having taken a fancy to the sketch, he usually cleared the bushes, cut off the branches so that nothing would interfere with seeing the picture he had chosen, then he made himself a seat from the branches, made a simple easel and settled down at home.”

IN last years the artist worked in the Shmetsky forest, where he made himself comfortable chairs from stumps, twigs and moss.

Shishkin increasingly refused to have fun with friends, preferring to spend time at work. He brought his skills to perfection and ended his life as befits a true creator. On the last day of his life, Ivan Shishkin came to his studio, where he was working on another painting. While making the stroke, the artist yawned, his head calmly dropped to his chest, and his hand with the coal fell to his knees. The master said no more words and quietly passed away into eternity, leaving behind an immortal legacy.