Tag: art history

How to paint realistic details by studying famous art & artists through art history

When I travel and visit art museums, I study the art. I often take pictures of closeups and details in the oil paintings to see how famous artists conveyed realism through texture and detail in their masterpieces. Some top art museums have digital art collections available to view and even download online these days but many don’t.

I find it enjoyable to take pictures of jewelry, fabric, bows, gowns, metal, gold, silver and other details I see in art. I learned a lot by studying such detailed paintings and if you’re interested in the realist oil painting techniques, I suggest making painted copies of your favorite paintings. I hope this blog post can inspire you to do just that. Enjoy!

All photos are taken by me- Veronica Winters unless noted otherwise. Also, many famous paintings are in the public domain and can be downloaded for free from art museums websites like the Met, the National Gallery of Art, etc.

Agnolo Bronzino-Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni-painting details-blog
Agnolo Bronzino, Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son Giovanni, painting details of pearls and fabric. | photo: V. Winters. From 1539 to 1572, Bronzino served as the court painter to Cosimo I, duke of Florence. The Florentine artist, Bronzino painted in the Mannerist art style – emotionless figures and hyperrealist painting details of jewelry and fabric gowns.
Bronzino
Titian, a closeup of hands, fur and jewelry rings | photo: V. Winters
Holbein-the ambassadors closeup
Holbein, The ambassadors, a closeup of fur. National Art Gallery in London. Notice how soft the fur looks in comparison to carefully painted golden details in fabric.

A close up of a painting showing white lace, Metz, France. Photo: Veronica Winters
Art closeup at the CA’ d’ ORO palace in Venice, Italy
Sargent, Mrs. Joshua Montgomery Sears, a closeup of a white gown, Huston art museum

lady reading letters of Heloise and Abelard-1780-A. dAgesci
Auguste Bernard d’Agesci, A lady reading letters of Heloise and Abelard, 1780, oil painting, Art Institute of Chicago

Titian, Portrait of a Lady, a golden earring and pearl detail, the Pitti palace, Italy

Some ribbon and fabric details at the Smithsonian National Art Gallery
Turin, Italy. Here the meticulously created details of fabric are layered over the initial painting of a fancy yellow jacket.
oil painting closeup-the Soumaya Art museum, Mexico city, Mexico
oil painting closeup, the Soumaya Art museum, Mexico city, Mexico | I love the variety of textures created in this fabric.

veronica winters painting

white fabric detail-Smithsonian
White fabric detail at the Smithsonian National Art Gallery. | Notice how abstract the details look painted over the base color. Stroke direction and curvature are essential to describe forms, shapes and textures.

how to paint realistic details-white fabric and gold details- the Smithsonian
White fabric and gold details, the Smithsonian. | Notice, how gold reads as gold because of few light highlights added to the general shape of these golden accents. How to mix gold color: You should use browns with a touch of either red or yellow (depending on the reflected light) to color mix gold color. It’s not about mixing lots of yellow into the oil paint, rather it’s using ochre and brown oil paint like raw sienna, burnt sienna, raw umber and bunt umber to create the shape first and then adding some strategic highlights over it where the light hits it the most.
Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien 1787. Image downloaded from the Smithsonian website. | This is a beautiful closeup of the female face that shows how to paint hair, face and fabric. The hair is always soft in classical art painting. The fabric has soft edges but definite highlights. The earring has the most defined edge. French female painter, Vigée Le Brun was a self-taught artist who got quickly noticed by her future husband – famous art dealer – Jean Baptiste Pierre Le Brun. The artist enjoyed both the opulent lifestyle and career in Paris and way beyond France, painting the wealthy and royals in Austria, Russia, Italy, Germany, England, etc. She is known for her official portrait of Marie-Antoinette. Her high-paying clientele loved her art style – creative poses based on classical ideals, realism and color choices.

Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun
The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien
1787
Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun, The Marquise de Pezay, and the Marquise de Rougé with Her Sons Alexis and Adrien 1787. Image downloaded from the Smithsonian website. | Although I find Le Brun’s art less intriguing in terms of subject and meaning, I think her ability to paint realistic gowns and details is supreme. Notice how she catches the light on fabric in broad strokes of golden pink. We can feel the shimmer of fabric looking at this intense turquoise-blue and a lush golden sash.

details of hands and animal-the Smithsonian
details of hands and animal, the Smithsonian.
de heem details-the Smithsonian
de Heem, still life painting detail, The Smithsonian, National Gallery of Art | The seventieth-century painter, de Heem is one of my favorite Dutch still life painters who captured life of the wealthy in lux objects and food items. I learned a lot about classical realist painting by studying Dutch art, mainly composition, color choices and objects’ texture. His deliberate compositions feature careful balance of all objects and textures. Usually a piece of fabric leads the eye to the focal point. The background has subtle colors that support high-contrast still life.
de Heem, oil painting details of glass, fabric and silver. The Smithsonian.
Dutch painting of donuts and sweets at the Smithsonian.
Dutch painting of sweets at the Smithsonian.
ringling art museum_Munari_still life with plates
Munari, still life with plates, closeup, the Ringling Museum of Art.
Lavinia Fontana, jewelry painting detail, The Smithsonian
Lavinia Fontana, Portrait of Costanza Alidosi, closup of jewelry- c. 1595, oil on canvas, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington. | Famous female artist of her time, Fontana lived in Bologna, Italy in late1500s. It was highly unusual to have a name and a career as a female artist in Europe before late 19th century. It was also a strange choice to depict the mythological nudes at that time. Like other female artists of the past, she was trained by her father- Prospero Fontana in the late mannerist style. When she married, her husband became her manager; Apparently Lavinia made a lot of money painting portraits of noblewomen and religious subjects for churches because she had a big family of 11 children whom she supported!
Golden jewelry and fabric details at the Smithsonian
Lace and jacket fabric details at the Smithsonian.
Rembrandt, Lucretia, 1664, dress details. The National Gallery of Art (Smithsonian) has 737 works of art by Rembrandt! Notice how abstract the strokes are describing texture and light of the fabric. These are thick strokes with deliberate rotation and movement of the brush.
Rembrandt, Lucretia, 1664, dress and jewelry details. Notice how the artist uses greys to juxtapose colors. Thick, painterly strokes shape and sculpt the subject.

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The infamous fate of some famous artists

All artists strive for acceptance and appreciation. However, the meaning of appreciation may be unique to each artist. Many painters want to win in shows or receive recognition via art sales as a fair validation of their talent and hard work. I don’t think anyone wishes to perish in obscurity without the proper acknowledgment of his or her gift.

It’s interesting to learn that numerous famous artists admired today often struggled both financially and emotionally. Riveted by poverty and seclusion, they lived the creative life in obscurity. Studied in art history classes, admired in art museums, and owned by some wealthy art collectors today, many famous artists were often unknown or underrated during their lifetime. Only after their death, sometimes decades later, they found proper recognition in contemporary society.

If we look back at the art history prior to the 19th-century, the vast majority of artists worked on public paintings commissioned by the Church, the State, and the mega wealthy. Most of recorded artists were male with very few female artists immortalized on the pages of art history books.

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Van Gogh at the Met, NY

The birth of new art movements

In the 19-th century Paris, the Salon was the most prestigious official space to exhibit contemporary realist art. Sponsored by the French authorities, the Salon has become the annual event since 1737.

The Paris Salon, officially known as the Salon de Paris, was a prestigious art exhibition held annually (and later biennially) from 1667 to 1974. It was a major platform for artists to showcase their work and gain recognition, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries. Some famous artists who exhibited at the Paris Salon were Ingres, David, Delacroix, and Manet.

It was the only important exhibition existing in the country. Receiving acceptance into its annual show was crucial to the artist’s success and career. The Salon’s jury process was controlled by the most talented and skilled Academicians who picked the art for the show. Despite its authority and beautiful art the academy produced, it resisted innovation in classical art. This time period became a place of change when several new art movements emerged. As the importance of getting commissions from the Church and the State vanned around that time, it catapulted the artistic creativity and freedom of expression.

The Impressionists broke away from the classical tradition and became the first modern movement to organize their own, separate shows in Paris. Degas was one of the leaders in this organization. Russian classical school of painting branched out to the Itinerants movement in late 19th century. The art world exploded with new art styles and movements. The traditional, academic style of painting was suddenly losing its ground to the impressionism, post-impressionism, neoclassicism, romanticism, social realism, American realism, the pre-Raphaelites, pointillism, symbolism, art nouveau, and even photography. It continued well into the 20th century with the freedom of artistic expression in fauvism, cubism, expressionism, European avant-garde, surrealism, futurism, dada, collage, fantasy, abstract expressionism, and so on.

Famous artists who died before becoming famous

If we go back to the 19th-century art, although artists became independent from the State and the Church, which dramatically changed the subject matter and the painting style, many lived in extreme poverty. The amateur painter, Vincent Van Gogh struggled both financially and emotionally throughout his life and only his brother Theo recognized and supported his talent.

Classically trained Antoine-Jean Gros started out brilliantly with his painting Napoleon in the Pesthouse at Jaffa, 1804, but drowned himself in a river after 30 years of haunting criticism and artistic failure that followed. An engraver, painter, and poet, William Blake was discovered only a century later after his death. French realist artist, Honore Daumier painted most of his life, but received recognition as a painter during his first solo show at the age of 70.

A. Gros, Napoleon in the Pesthouse at Jaffa, 209x280inches. 532x720cm. The Louvre. Commissioned by Napoleon himself, this painting depicts his visit to sick soldiers in Jaffa during the French invasion of Egypt.

William Blake, Urizen, the Ancient of Days, 13 copies of hand-colored prints are known and attributed to the Romantic poet and engraver

Driven by the need to paint, Paul Gauguin abandoned his family, left France, and spent his last years in Tahiti. A cocktail of poverty, alcoholism, and syphilis brought him death at the age of 55. His fusion of symbolic imagery with the post-impressionist style became influential only after his death, discovered and promoted by the influential art critic in Paris.

If you’re interested in the events and relationship of two famous artists- van Gogh and Gaugin, read the Moon and Sixpence written by W. Somerset Maugham, which is based on true events.

Paul Gauguin, Reclining Tahitian Women, 1894, Oil on canvas, 23 3/5 × 19 3/10 in | 60 × 49 cm, de Young Museum in San Francisco; one of paintings of the Tahitian Women in the series

The Card Players, 25 3/4 x 32 1/4 in, Paul Cézanne, French, 1890–92 This version is located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York | This painting is the first of five artworks created on the theme of card players.

One of the most influential painters of modernity, Cézanne (1839-1906) had submitted his artwork to the Salon in Paris for 20 consecutive years. His paintings were not accepted into a single show even once. Self-taught, the post-impressionist painter, Paul Cezanne enjoyed the process of painting in isolation. Out of frustration, with introspection, and in search of perfection, Cezanne had a habit of throwing away his now-famous-paintings, creating art in the country. Like a number of artists, Cezanne had a very difficult relationship with his father who wanted the artist to become a lawyer. Like so many painters, Cézanne got famous after his death. Today his artwork sells for millions of dollars per painting. The Gulf nation of Qatar purchased Paul Cézanne’s painting The Card Players (the 5th version) for a record-breaking $250 million. (By the way, there are more Cezannes in Philadelphia than in France, because of private collections’ acquisitions). One day the painter got ill, after being out in a thunderstorm. Cezanne spent his last few days of life painting, achieving what he always wanted to do – to paint until the end…

Innovation is often rejected in the beginning of a big trend. It takes time for the majority to catch up to trends that eventually become mainstream or fashionable. Artist’s success is rarely accidental. Yes, it could be a ton of hard work, but mostly it’s the ability to social climb or to be able to connect to the influential people in the field, promoting yourself tirelessly. Salvador Dali wasn’t social but he kept his career in trusted hands of his wife, muse and promoter- Gala. Wildly successful, Dali worked across continents and mediums to create personal art. Andy Warhol was a successful social climber who recognized the power of celebrity and often depicted celebrities in his silkscreens. Pablo Picasso knew how to attract attention to his art using his personality and connections. For instance, young Picasso immersed himself in the Parisian art scene in early 1900s. A city already buzzing with artistic innovation and experimentation, the artist actively participated in the art scene, befriending other artists and showcasing his work in various art galleries. This exposure fostered connections and helped him gain recognition within the art community [Source: Ian Leslie, “The Picasso Effect”]. Later, Picasso took a leading role in the Cubist movement that attracted lots of attention. The artist also developed strong relationships with some influential art dealers like Ambroise Vollard and Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, who actively promoted and exhibited his work, contributing significantly to his commercial success and public recognition [Source: Museum of Modern Art, “Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris”]. Therefore, while we can admire the skill and creativity of each artist, a successful career is a lot more than just having a talent. Artist’s presence in a creative environment, dedication, extraversion and the support of key individuals within the art world can either propel the artist to the top or leave him at the bottom of desperation and poverty.

Originally published in 2012

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Talent & Art: Dali Theater Museum in Figueres, Spain

Dali museum figueres spain

Dali museum in Figueres, Spain | One of Dali’ melting clocks jewelry pieces shown at the Spanish museum

Review of the Dali Museum in Spain

There’s no doubt that Salvador Dali is one of the greatest 20th-century surrealist artists. Up to this day the artist defines every exhibition and art review dedicated to the surrealist movement. Although, the artist was bold to exit the group to develop his vision further, Dali was the leading figure in the surrealism movement. His surreal paintings are in numerous art collections and museums today, however if you look at his humble artistic beginnings, they were truly humble.

In the art museum located in Figueres, Spain I saw a number of his early paintings that closely resembled Picasso, Signac, Matisse and even some abstract painters. Dali’ early paintings were imitations of the modernists that showed no obvious “talent” or ability to become the famous artist. I dare to say that he made a bunch of bad paintings in his early career!

Salvador Dali early paintings look like copies of the contemporaries and modernists…

In his next period his work became quite consistent in theme and style but his paintings still lacked contrast, color, strong composition, and his unique subject matter he eventually developed and became famous for. His paintings of figures made of stones expressed his search for his voice as well as his desire to learn classical oil painting technique working from life. He made set ups of stones to paint from them like any realist artist would do. In the pictures below you can see Dali’s attempts to paint his unique ideas from life.

Dali-theater museum in Figueres, Spain | Salvador Dali paintings of stones

dali museum spain_lithography and sculpture_web
This lithography prints and a sculpture illustrate Salvador Dali’s unique voice and expression that were getting close to his most famous paintings in the surrealism style, exploring the subconscious mind or dreams such as the Persistence of Memory in 1931…

Inside the museum you find both paintings and installations. This is one of them. The top image shows a big prism/mirror through which you can see a display of objects below – they become a female face, which is a form of op art.

The art museum doesn't have many famous paintings inside. I think most of them are in private art collections and art museums in the US and Europe. However, it gives a good overview of his early career and experimentation before arriving at his famous surrealist art style.

dali museum spain_various painting styles
It’s quite amazing to face the Dali’s progression from bad art to beautiful surrealism. Here we can see Dali’s various painting styles before arriving at his signature surreal paintings of dreams and subconscious mind….

Salvador Dali surrealist jewelry in Spain

dali museum figueres spain dali jewelry-veronica winters art blog
Dali museum in Figueres, Spain | One of Dali’ jewelry pieces shown at the Spanish museum

While the Dali Theater-museum in Figueres doesn’t display top art collection of Salvador Dali painting, a surprising gem is a separate building of the museum filled with surreal jewelry pieces! Dali’s talent and vision manifests itself in his original, animated jewelry. It combines the use of painting, metals, precious stones and built-in mechanisms to animate jewelry pieces, creating a surreal feeling. In his surreal jewelry we see emotion of the beating Ruby heart. We can watch an icon-like piece with an opening and closing door. There is a revolving, sparkling cornstalk with flapping angel’s wings.

dali museum figueres spain-- surreal jewelry by dali--ruby heart-veronica winters art blog
Ruby Heart at the Dali museum in Spain. The red part of the heart has the movement imitating the heart beat!

It’s not enough to have a talent. Over the years I had a chance to teach art to numerous wonderful students, including several super-talented high school students who could have become skillful artists someday. None of them went to an art college after graduation for various reasons. Talent itself isn’t a prerequisite to have a successful artistic career. Talent doesn’t equal to an obsessive desire to succeed as an artist. There are lots of people with artistic talents who are not strong enough to push themselves forward when it gets really tough. There is not enough introspection and drive. Those artists can create to the point of meeting requirements only, and leave the profession way before they can develop fully to succeed. While it looks like a negative statement, obsessiveness becomes a necessity in creative profession to overcome daily challenges. It also enforces perseverance, develops social skills and builds goals along the way. Artists become artists when they understand that they can’t live without the very process of art creation.

dali museum figueres spain dali jewelry-veronica winters art blog
Dali museum in Figueres, Spain | This is a closeup of the Dali’ jewelry piece exhibited at the Spanish museum

By looking at the Dali’s career trajectory we must consider our own impatience with ourselves and what talent means in short term and in the long run. If he gave up in the beginning of his career, he wouldn’t be famous surrealist painter making history today. When I browse through my files of old artwork, I can’t believe the fact that I can paint so much better today. Improvement is not instant. There is no magic dust in the process of learning. It’s all about steady work and commitment to the art form. We all want to have quick results, but to get there patience with yourself is a requirement. When students call me to study art, I don’t look at their “talent.” While Talent will be developed and cultivated, I teach art because people need art education. Art, theater and music are about introspective work and emotion. Society values merchandise over experiences. Public school is largely about cranking formulas and testing. There are not enough classes to feed the soul.  I simply wish to expend my students’ worldview with art because talented kids is the future.

 

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Jewelry piece by Salvador Dali
 

Dali museum in Spain: https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/museums/dali-theatre-museum-in-figueres/ (If you decide to visit this museum, be aware that the tickets are sold by day and time due to great popularity and a constant influx of people. Plan ahead and buy them online to ensure your visit.)

Dali museum in Figueres, Spain | One of Dali' jewelry pieces shown at the Spanish museum

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art appreciation: understanding the qualities of great art

Learn what makes a painting great: Video #1 Part 1

In the first video in the series you’ll learn about some of the greatest works of art, art movements, ideas and artistic elements. This video will help you understand and appreciate the qualities of great art, especially painting created before the 20th century.

Video Notes:
Overview:

Art Movements 0:42

Art Patrons 1:49

Art Education & female artists 2:21

Why do artists create art? 3:26

Artistic Elements : Story & Subject

Story & Subject 4:29

Biblical Scenes 5:16

Historical & Mythological Painting 9:03

Formal Portraiture 14:42

Landscape art 20:33

Genre art & Dutch still life 23:13

Kramskoy, portrait of a stranger, 1883

Next video: Video #1 | Part 2

In my next video you’ll learn about major artistic elements that artists use to design their paintings. They include composition, emotion, color, and the use of shapes, space and some painting techniques.

Painting detail of angels, art in Turin, Italy

Complete video series:

Video #1 Part 1 – Learn what makes a painting great – you’re here!

Video #1 Part 2 – Learn what makes a painting great, part 2

Video #2 Contemporary Art

Video #3 How to take care of your art collection – coming soon!

Video #4 How to frame art 

Video # 5 Why you don’t need an interior designer to buy and display art in your home – coming soon!

Hand, painting detail, art in Turin, Italy

Bibliography:

The Metropolitan Museum of art, http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection

History of Art, 5th edition, H.W. Janson

The gilded age, E. Prelinger

Rhythmic Form in Art by Irma Richter, Dover Publications

Wikipedia & tons of art history classes in college! 🙂

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19th Century Russian Artists and Genre Art: the Itinerants movement that changed the landscape of Russian classical art

As Russian art is not studied in most art history classes in the U.S., I’d like to introduce you to the Peredvizhniki movement – a group of Russian realist painters that appeared in the mid 19th century to question the predominance and value of Russian classical painting. Peredvizhniki translate as the “movers” or “trailblazers”.

19th century is a fascinating time period in the art history of the Western Europe. Both the Church and the State lost their former influence in the patronage of the arts, which allowed for the birth and development of several new artistic movements in Europe. While Russian art remained quite reserved, developing new ideas slowly, it did break away from the cold Academic painting by embracing the depiction of common people and the countryside in Russia.

Peredvizhniki (the itinerants) organized as a group in 1863. Similar to the Impressionists in France, the group of male artists organized traveling shows exhibiting their new work. They painted the common folk like serfs in the countryside, Russian landscape, and portrait art. Their goal was simple. Russian artists wanted to bring the arts to its people. They refused to depict the Bible scenes and Greek mythology, and focused on painting the world around them instead. They often showed inequality between the rich and the poor, the noble men and the inferior women. They also brought to people’s attention a widespread abuse of children, who often engaged in hard, manual labor.  As a result of such movement, Russian art preserved its traditional approach to painting in terms of the oil painting technique but considerably changed its themes.

19th-century Russian Genre Art

Here are some famous Russian genre paintings completed by the Peredvizhniki movement.

 

Ilya Repin (1844-1930)

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Ilya Repin, They Did Not Expect Him, 1884-88, The State Tretyakov Gallery

Ilya Repin grew up in poverty and hardship, living among the military as his father served in the military. He showed passion for the art at 13 and began to take art classes at a studio of a local artist. Soon, he became so good that he received commissions to paint the icons, which gave him financial freedom to fulfill his dream. In 1863 the artist travels to St. Petersburg to study art at the Academy. Not admitted the same year, he works on his drawing to get admission the next year. Repin becomes quick at gathering medals and awards for his studies and achieves great success with his final Academic project. At the same time he completes a commissioned piece – “Barge haulers.” After his travels in France, he comes back home to paint with the Itinerants.

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Repin, Barge haulers on the Volga river, 1870-1873

Repin believed in moral and social purpose in his art and painted peasant life like no other artist of his time. He depicted daily struggles and overwhelming poverty of workers and peasants who lived in stark contrast to well-dressed high society of the Imperial Russia. In this painting of Barge Haulers we see the never-ending bank of the Volga river where the blinding sun  is as strong as the people below it.

Pavel Fedotov (1815-1852)

Pavel Fedotov was born in a large and poor family in Moscow and spent his childhood years among his neighbors. His parents put him into the cadet corps at eleven years of age where the artist showed himself as a brilliant student. He began to sketch the caricatures of his teachers and teacher aids on the pages of his notebooks. When he graduated as the ensign of the Finnish regiment, he was found of music and poetry, translated articles from German and sketched his friends. Being very poor, he couldn’t participate in his friends’ parties and continued to work on portraiture and caricature. After a considerable conviction of his friends, he left the service and entered the Academy to study art.

His art instructors doubted his talent because Fedotov ignored the academic principles of battle painting composing horses and soldiers, and spent his evenings painting genre scenes remembered from his childhood. The artist lived in modest conditions, sending part of his service pension to his family back home. However, his sense of humor never let him give up on himself and eventually his talent got noticed by a famous Russian fabulist Ivan Krylov, who wrote him a letter asking to give up the Academy and work on his genre painting.

Russian art, Fedotov
Just knighted. Morning of the official who received his first cross, 1848, oil on canvas, 48x42cm, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Pavel Fedotov left the Art Academy, and in 1847 showed his first painting “Just knighted. Morning of the official who received his first cross.” The artist loughs at a proud clerk who is shown after his party, living in devastating poverty. The second painting “The Picky Bride” followed the same year to impress his former teachers from the Academy.

Fedotov, choosy bride, Russian art
Picky Bride, oil on canvas, 37x45cm, TheState Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, 1847
Fedotov, Widow, 1851

 

Pavel Fedotov, Matchmaking of a major, oil on canvas, 58 x 75 cm, 1848, The Tretyakov State Gallery, Moscow

The artist exhibited his masterpiece titled “The Matchmaking of a Major” in 1848 that prompted him an honor award of the Academician.  He depicts a beautiful bride running out of the living room as soon as she saw her future groom appear in a doorway. Richly dressed, her mother catches the bride by her gown. This paining brought the artist fame and financial success. Fedotov wished to travel to England to study genre art, but his friends noticed a change in the artist in 1852. Soon, he was placed in the asylum where he died the same year.

In his short life, the artist left tremendous legacy in Russian art by opening a new direction in Russian genre painting. Most of his oil paintings, sketches and portraits can be seen at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow today.

Vasily Perov (1834-1882)

Vasily Perov  received his school education from a local deacon, who taught the boy math, language and the Bible. The boy showed great success in calligraphy and his teacher named him Perov (‘Pero’ sounds similar to a ‘feather’ in Russian).  Perov’s parents didn’t allow their son to enter a local art school, but let him take some private art lessons. Thanks to one of his relatives, Perov enters the art school later in 1852 and studies there to receive awards. After his graduation, he spends two years in Paris but ‘unable to paint anything worthwhile’ in his words, he begs the Academy to let him come back home. (Best artists received scholarships to spend 1-2 years in Western Europe after their graduation at the Academy).

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Vasily Persov, Easter rural procession, 1861

Besides masterful portraits, Perov paints great genre paintings that capture the reality of Russian life and its people. His art explores the disparity between the rich and the poor as well as the hypocrisy of the church clergy. Despite his fantastic abilities and successful exhibitions, the artist didn’t consider himself worthy of attention. He lived modestly and died in poverty. Most of his paintings can be viewed at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow today.

Perov, Three students carrying water, 1866 | Here the artist depicts children carrying water in freezing conditions of Russian winter.

Russian painting
Perov, The drowned woman, oil on canvas, 68 x 106 cm, 1867, The State Tretyakov Gallery

In this painting, the artist shows an indifferent policeman sitting and smoking over a dead body of a poor woman (presumably a prostitute) that happened so often that the officials expressed no interest in the lives of the disadvantaged.

There are more Russian artists who contributed to the legacy of Russian art in the Itinerants movement that included Ivan Kramskoy, Vasiliy Polenov, Vasiliy Surikov,  Vladimir Makovsky, Mikhael Klodt, etc. Female painters were nonexistent until the 20th century Russia.

Makovsky, to the marriage, 1894 | Russian artists often critiqued the tradition of arranged marriage. In this oil painting we can see the desperation of a young bride who has to marry a wealthy, old man.

To continue reading about the 19th-century Russian portrait painting, please follow this link: https://veronicasart.com/19th-century-russian-art-and-portrait-painting-eyes-are-the-window-to-the-soul/

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