“Deep Legends of Antiquity” came to life thanks to the brush of Viktor Vasnetsov. Bogatyrs and princesses went beyond book lines and illustrations. The artist grew up in the wilderness of the Ural forests, listening to Russian fairy tales that sounded accompanied by the crackle of a splinter. And already being in St. Petersburg, I did not forget my childhood memories and transferred those magical stories to canvas. We look at fairy-tale paintings with Natalia Letnikova.
Alyonushka
Barefoot bare-haired girl on the bank of a forest river. With inexpressible sadness he looks into the deep pool. The sad picture is inspired by the fairy tale about sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka, and he drew the orphan from a peasant girl from the Okhtyrka estate, adding, as he himself admitted, the features of Verusha Mamontova, the daughter of a famous Moscow philanthropist. Nature echoes the girl’s sadness, intertwining with the poetry of folk tales.
Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf
Gloomy dark forest. And a gray wolf, quite expected for such a thicket. Only instead of an evil grin, the predator has human eyes, and on it there are two riders. Wary Ivanushka carefully holds Elena the Beautiful, submissive to fate. We recognize not only the plot of the Russian fairy tale, but also the image of the girl. The artist endowed the fairy-tale heroine with real features - Savva Mamontov’s niece, Natalya.
V.M. Vasnetsov. Alyonushka. 1881
V.M. Vasnetsov. Ivan Tsarevich on gray wolf. 1889
Bogatyrs
Victor Vasnetsov. Bogatyrs. 1898
Vasnetsov devoted 20 years of his life to one of the most famous paintings in Russian painting. “Bogatyrs” also became the artist’s largest painting. The size of the canvas is almost 3 by 4.5 meters. Bogatyrs are a collective image. Ilya, for example, is the peasant Ivan Petrov, and the blacksmith from Abramtsevo, and the cab driver from the Crimean Bridge. The picture is based on the author’s childhood feelings. “And so it appeared before my eyes: hills, space, heroes. A wondrous childhood dream."
Song of Joy and Sorrow
Victor Vasnetsov. Sirin and alkonost. A song of joy and sorrow. 1896
Alkonost and Sirin. Two half-birds with illusory promises of a cloudless paradise in the future and with regrets about the lost paradise. Vasnetsov embellished asexual birds by giving mythical creatures beautiful women's faces and rich crowns. The singing of the Sirin is so sad that the leaves of the century-old tree have turned black; the delight of the alconist can make you forget about everything... if you linger with your gaze on the picture.
magic carpet
Victor Vasnetsov. Magic carpet. 1880
Painting for Management railway. Not a train or even a postal service. Magic carpet. This is how Viktor Vasnetsov responded to Savva Mamontov’s request to paint a picture for the industrialist’s new project. The fabulous flying machine - a symbol of victory over space - puzzled the board members and inspired the artist himself. Mamontov purchased the painting, and Vasnetsov discovered new world. In which there is no place for everyday life.
Three princesses of the underworld
Victor Vasnetsov. Three princesses underground kingdom. 1884
Gold, copper and coal. Three riches that are hidden in the bowels of the earth. Three fairy-tale princesses are the embodiment of earthly blessings. Proud and arrogant golden, curious copper and timid coal. Princesses are mistresses of mountain mines, accustomed to commanding people. There are two paintings with such a plot at once. On one of them, in the corner, there are figures of two men as supplicants, obsequiously looking into their beautiful, cold faces.
Koschey the Immortal
Victor Vasnetsov. Koschey the Immortal. 1917–1926
Rich mansions with chocolate, red and gold hues. The luxury of brocade and rare types of wood is a worthy frame for heavy treasure chests, and the main treasure that Koschey is not given into his hands is a young beauty. The girl is interested in the sword, which, however, cannot defeat Koshchei. Viktor Vasnetsov spent nine years writing the image of the main fairy-tale villain. Chronologically, the painting was the last for the artist.
Artist Viktor Vasnetsov is an artist and painter. Creative direction artist mostly associated with historical and fairy tale themes, Russian epics. Vasnetsov very skillfully used his talent and skills to clearly demonstrate his understanding folk tales, took inspiration from the rich folklore images. Thanks to his ability to accurately implement his plans, he soon became recognizable. The public immediately appreciated and loved his work.
Biography - Viktor Vasnetsov was born into the family of a poor priest M.V. Vasnetsov, Vyatka province, village of Ryabovo on May 15, 1848. WITH early childhood it was noticed that he gravitated toward drawing; the main subjects of his sketches were local landscapes and scenes of village life. Later, Vasnetsov was accepted to study at a theological school in 1858, and a little later he entered the theological seminary in the city of Vyatka.
In Vyatka, the young artist develops his drawing abilities; the main theme of his drawings was the themes of Russian folk proverbs, fairy tales, and sayings. While studying at the seminary, he met the exiled Polish artist Andrioli E, who enlightened the young artist Vasnetsov about the art of painting. Subsequently, Vasnetsov decided, in order not to leave the last course of the seminary, and enter the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, in which the artist Andrioli actually helped him , introducing Vasnetsov to Bishop A. Krasinsky, who persuaded Governor Kampaneyshchikov to organize a lottery promotion to sell Vasnetsov's pictures The Milkmaid and the Reaper, thus earning some money, plus a little help from his father,
Vasnetsov went to St. Petersburg in 1867. In the city of Petra, he enters the academy after passing the exams; without learning about his enrollment in the academy, he is faced with a difficult financial situation while looking for a place to live. In his difficult situation, the brother of Vyatsky’s teacher Krasovsky helps, placing Vasnetsov in a cartographic organization; later the artist drew illustrations for books and various magazines, while simultaneously attending the drawing school of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, where an important acquaintance in his life with the artist Ivan Kramskoy took place.
In 1868, he again tries to enter the academy, being surprised to learn that he was admitted to the academy last year. At the academy he met Repin and many other artists and teachers, including Pavel Chistyakov. While studying at the academy, the artist Vasnetsov creates hundreds of different illustrations for various children's alphabet books and fairy tales. He draws townspeople and everyday scenes from city life.
Having not completed his studies at the academy, he left it, the reason was this: Vasnetsov wanted to paint pictures on free topic, one can say where the soul was heading on the topics of Russian epics and fairy tales, which was accordingly prohibited at the Academy of Arts.
On your own creative path Artist Viktor Vasnetsov created large number unique paintings including famous paintings, such as Ivan the Terrible, After the massacre of Igor Svyatoslavich with the Polovtsians - the first serious work in the Russian epic direction written in 1878, then in 1882, Knight at the Crossroads, The Battle of the Russians with the Scythians, “The Flying Carpet, Three Princesses of the Underground Kingdom, very The painting Alyonushka is noteworthy; this painting is painted in a national rhythm with a deep poetic overtone. His very famous painting The Bogatyrs of 1898, which Pavel Tretyakov acquired for his collection.
After writing the heroes, Vasnetsov was thinking about his personal exhibition, which he decided to organize in the spring of 1899 in the halls of the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg. The artist put on display about 38 of his best works.
Most noticeable painting at this exhibition, of course, there was a painting of the Bogatyri about which there were many flattering statements from contemporaries.
According to Stasov, this painting is simply a leader among other artists’ works and deserves everyone’s attention and approval.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Vasnetsov worked with paintings on religious themes, and also continued to work with epic and fairy-tale themes.
From under his brush come the paintings Bayan, The Frog Princess, The Sleeping Princess, Kashchei the Immortal and The Princess of the Unsmeyana
The artist's creativity in his life path it was very eventful, many painting masterpieces were written, the themes of which are simply unique and unsurpassed. The artist’s creative energy was truly inexhaustible, yet many of his plans were not destined to come true. In 1926, in the summer of July 23, Vasnetsov died unexpectedly while painting a portrait of his colleague Nesterov.
Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov was born in 1848 on May 15 in a village with the funny name Lopyal. Vasnetsov's father was a priest, as were his grandfather and great-grandfather. In 1850, Mikhail Vasilyevich took his family to the village of Ryabovo. This was due to his service. Viktor Vasnetsov had 5 brothers, one of whom also became famous artists, his name was Apollinaris.
Vasnetsov’s talent manifested itself from childhood, but the extremely unfortunate financial situation in the family left no options for how to send Victor to the Vyatka Theological School in 1858. Already at the age of 14, Viktor Vasnetsov studied at the Vyatka Theological Seminary. Children of priests were taken there for free.
Having never graduated from the seminary, in 1867 Vasnetsov went to St. Petersburg to enter the Academy of Arts. He had very little money, and Victor put up 2 of his paintings for “auction” - “The Milkmaid” and “The Reaper”. Before leaving, he never received money for them. He received 60 rubles for these two paintings a few months later in St. Petersburg. Arriving in the capital, the young artist had only 10 rubles.
Vasnetsov did an excellent job in the drawing exam and was immediately enrolled in the Academy. For about a year he studied at the Drawing School, where he met his teacher -.
Vasnetsov began studying at the Academy of Arts in 1868. At this time, he became friends with, and at one time they even lived in the same apartment.
Although Vasnetsov liked it at the Academy, he did not graduate, leaving in 1876, where he lived for more than a year. At this time, Repin was also there on a business trip. They also maintained friendly relations.
After returning to Moscow, Vasnetsov was immediately accepted into the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions. By this time, the artist’s drawing style was changing significantly, and not only the style, Vasnetsov himself moved to live in Moscow, where he became close to Tretyakov and Mamontov. It was in Moscow that Vasnetsov came into his own. He liked being in this city, he felt at ease and performed various creative works.
For more than 10 years, Vasnetsov designed the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. M. Nesterov helped him in this. It was after the completion of this work that Vasnetsov can rightfully be called a great Russian icon painter.
1899 became the peak of the artist’s popularity. At his exhibition, Vasnetsov presented to the public.
After the revolution, Vasnetsov no longer lived in Russia, but in the USSR, which seriously depressed him. People destroyed his paintings and treated the artist with disrespect. But until the end of his life, Viktor Mikhailovich was faithful to his work - he painted. He died on July 23, 1926 in Moscow, without finishing the portrait of his friend and student M. Nesterov.
Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov
Today I want to tell you about the Russian artist Viktor Vasnetsov.
There was a time when his paintings entered the life of a young Russian from early childhood, and this name (like the author’s paintings) was known to anyone who graduated from a simple high school.
Artist Viktor Vasnetsov. Biography
The creative path of the artist Viktor Vasnetsov began in the 70s of the nineteenth century. This was the time when such famous peers and contemporaries of Vasnetsov as I.E. Repin, V.I. Surikov, V.D. Polenov were working. and many others. In those days, the Russian public followed the successes of the emerging “realistic art” with great interest and delight and simply “flocked” to the exhibitions of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions.
There was a huge interest not only in painting. Literature, science, music - everything was interesting, everything was warmed by the idea of the revival of Russian culture and Russian traditions.
Artist Viktor Vasnetsov was born on May 15, 1848 in the remote Vyatka village of Lopatya, in the family of a rural priest. The large family very soon, after the birth of Victor, moved to the village of Ryabovo, Vyatka province. The future artist spent his childhood in this God-forgotten village.
The life of the family of a rural priest differed little from the life of a simple peasant. The same garden, cattle, folk songs and fairy tales.
Soon the young man goes to Vyatka and becomes a student at the theological seminary. Studying was boring, and Victor began taking drawing lessons from the gymnasium teacher N.G. Chernyshova. Vasnetsov, with great joy and desire, painted from plaster and lithographs in the Vyatka Museum, and got a job as an assistant to the artist E. Andriolli, who at that time was painting the cathedral in Vyatka.
In 1967, the future artist came to St. Petersburg and a year later entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. Here he began a completely different life: he became friends with Repin and Antokolsky, Stasov and Kramskoy. Countless meetings and literary parties, debates about the ways of development of Russian art and culture.
Many of the artist’s contemporaries recalled that at that time Vasnetsov became interested in reading Russian epics and studied national culture, folklore and folk art. However, his training at the academy became simply formal - his father died and Vasnetsov devoted more time to the elementary fight against poverty. I had to somehow live on my own and help my mother, who was left alone with young children in her arms. Perhaps that is why, later recalling the years spent at the academy, Vasnetsov called his only teacher only one Chistyakov P.P., with whom Victor developed friendly relations and to whom he very often turned for help and advice.
As a student, Vasnetsov became famous as the author of numerous drawings depicting genre scenes and urban types. In newspapers, critics praised the young author for his powers of observation, friendly humor, and democratic sympathy. And they predicted a great future for him as a typist (there was such a word. This is someone who draws types).
However, Vasnetsov sees himself as a serious artist and tries his hand at painting. His genre paintings are noticed by the public. The film “From Apartment to Apartment” was a particular success.
From apartment to apartment This painting was purchased for his famous exhibition by P.M. Tretyakov.
Critics do not criticize the artist, but note that his genre paintings are not distinctive in composition and are modest in painting.
The painting “Preference” (1879) is of a completely different order.
Preference She is called the best not only in the work of the young artist, but also in Russian genre painting of the second half of the nineteenth century. Here's what he said about this painting and about the artist Kramskoy:
Over the past 15 years, the entire Russian school has told more than it has depicted. Nowadays, he will be right who really portrays it not in a hint, but in reality. You are one of the brightest talents in understanding type. Don't you really feel your terrible power in understanding character?
However, despite the undoubted success, genre painting did not bring complete satisfaction to Vasnetsov himself. I wanted something completely different; other types and images attracted the artist.
Repin invites Vasnetsov to Paris - to unwind and look around, to be imbued with new ideas.
Vasnetsov whole year lives in Paris, studies the paintings of contemporary French masters, and visits museums. And he decides to return to Russia and settle in Moscow.
The desire to live in Moscow is not at all accidental - Moscow has long been attracting artists. Many years later he would write:
When I arrived in Moscow, I felt that I had arrived home and had nowhere else to go - the Kremlin, St. Basil's made me almost cry, to such an extent all this breathed on my soul as family, unforgettable.
It must be said that Moscow at that time attracted more than one Vasnetsov. Around the same time, Repin and Polenov moved to Moscow, and Surikov moved from the capital. Artists were keenly interested in the ancient capital, as a miraculous oasis capable of imbuing art with life-giving forces. We must not forget that the end of the nineteenth century was a time when interest in Russian history and national culture grew sharply.
It was in Moscow that Vasnetsov made a “decisive and conscious transition from the genre.” He suddenly clearly realized that all these years he had been vaguely dreaming of Russian history and Russian epics, old Russian fairy tales.
And very soon the artist’s first painting appeared as a result of these “historical dreams”.
After the massacre of Igor Svyatoslavovich with the Polovtsians “After the massacre of Igor Svyatoslavovich with the Polovtsians” the public and critics greeted it quite coolly. The “people” demanded an archaeologically accurate depiction of the battle, but did not want to accept “fairy tales and epics”.
The artist tried to explain that while borrowing the plot from “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” he was not trying to create an illustration for the work. No. He deliberately removed the blood and dirt of a real battle from the canvas, and wanted to create a heroic picture that would reflect the Russian spirit and attract the viewer not with the terrible details of the past battle, but with hidden drama, beauty, and the creation of a poetic artistic image.
Chistyakov wrote to Vasnetsov:
You, most noble, Viktor Mikhailovich, poet-artist! The Russian spirit smelled so distant, so grandiose and in its own way original, that I simply became sad, I, a pre-Petrine eccentric, envied you.
The artist offered the public a completely new artistic language, which was initially not understood and not heard.
But not everyone felt this way. As soon as the painting appeared at the exhibition, Tretyakov immediately acquired it, who realized what opportunities the new direction opened up for Russian realism. And from then on, the famous philanthropist and collector vigilantly followed every creative step of the artist.
Meanwhile, Vasnetsov’s life in Moscow was simply happy: he found good friends and often visited P.M. Tretyakov’s house. at famous musical evenings.
Another friend who played a big role in the artist’s fate was Savva Ivanovich Mamontov. The artist was always a welcome guest and country house, and in the famous Abramtsevo estate. Mamontov simply selflessly loved Russian antiquity, folk art and supported young artists and writers. Very soon, thanks to the efforts of Vasnetsov, a friendly circle formed in Abramtsevo, which consisted of young artists, musicians, actors, writers who saw the origins of their creativity in Russian culture, in its origins and its uniqueness.
Paintings by artist Viktor Vasnetsov
It was in “Abramtsevo” (where the artist lived for a long time) that the first cycle of Vasnetsov’s fairy-tale paintings originated. The cycle opened with three paintings that were commissioned by Mamontov: “Three Princesses of the Underground Kingdom”, “Alyonushka”, “Ivan Tsarevich on a Gray Wolf”.
Three princesses of the underworld 
Alyonushka 
Ivan Tsarevich on the Gray Wolf Vasnetsov painted paintings with fairy-tale scenes all his life. With all their diversity (and even disparity), all the paintings are united, first of all, by the desire to reveal the inner content of a Russian fairy tale, to create an atmosphere that is real and at the same time fantastic. Fabulous. With a special understanding of good and evil. And faith in justice and the triumph of good.
Magic carpet 
Knight at the crossroads Already in the artist’s first works one can see a great love for folk costume and attention to its details. It was during this period that the participants of the Abramtsevo circle began to engage in in-depth study ancient folk costume, forms and ornaments. And Vasnetsov uses the acquired knowledge in painting his paintings.
Sleeping Princess 
Snow Maiden A striking example of passion folk costume became the artist’s sketch “In the costume of a buffoon”.
In a buffoon costume In 1881, Vasnetsov painted one of his best fairy-tale paintings - “Alyonushka”. He painted this picture in Abramtsevo. There, in Abramtsevo, the artist began decoration play "The Snow Maiden".
Chambers of Tsar Berendey. Set design for an opera The performance was initially staged in Mamontov's house, and subsequently transferred to the professional stage.
With all the success of "Alyonushka" the most grandiose plan in the eighties they became “Bogatyrs”. The artist painted this picture for almost twenty years (1881-1898). It must be said that during this period Vasnetsov wrote several large and very significant works.
Frieze painting “Stone Age” (1882 – 1885) for Moscow Historical Museum- 16 meters in length, consisting of three parts: the first is dedicated to the life and everyday life of ancient people, the second is a scene of a mammoth hunt, the third is “The Feast”.
It is thanks to " Stone Age“The artist received a contract to paint the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv.
Sketches for painting the Vladimir Cathedral. Princess Olga and Nestor the Chronicler In 1891, the painting work was almost completed and the artist, together with his family, returned to Moscow. By this period, the family’s financial situation had improved so much that the Vasnetsovs were able to buy a small estate in Abramtsevo and build a small house with a workshop in Moscow. It was in this workshop that the artist resumed work on “Bogatyrs” and, at the same time, began to paint the painting “Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible” (with this painting in 1897, the artist would appear for the last time at the exhibition of the Itinerants).
Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible In 1899, the artist’s first personal exhibition opened in Moscow. AND central work exhibitions become “Bogatyrs”.
Three heroes IN recent years of the 19th century, Vasnetsov is at the peak of his fame: the domestic and foreign press write well and a lot about the artist, his studio is visited famous musicians, artists and writers. Tretyakov in his gallery (already donated to Moscow) is building a special hall for Vasnetsov’s works.
During this period, the artist suddenly became fascinated by architecture. Many years ago in Abramtsevo, two small buildings were erected according to the artist’s sketches: a house church and a “Hut on Chicken Legs”. Later - façade Tretyakov Gallery and several private houses in Moscow.
Guslars Born in the village of Lopyal, Vyatka province. The son of the village priest Mikhail Vasilyevich Vasnetsov and Apollinaria Ivanovna. In total, there were six children in the family, including Apollinary Vasnetsov, an artist known for his picturesque reconstructions of old, pre-Petrine Moscow.
He received his primary education at the Vyatka Theological Seminary. In 1868–1875 he studied at St. Petersburg Academy arts In 1876 he was in Paris, then in Italy. Since 1874, he constantly participated in exhibitions of the Itinerants. In 1892 he received the title of academician. Like many Russian artists of that time, he sought to go beyond the boundaries of the canons of academic art.
Since 1878, Vasnetsov settled in Moscow, where he wrote the most famous paintings and an illustrative and folklore orientation of creativity was developed. Contemporaries were amazed by the huge canvases on historical topics and themes of Russian fairy tales and epics - “After the Battle”, “Bogatyrs”, etc.
Vasnetsov's art gave rise to heated discussions. Many saw in him the beginning of a new, truly national direction in Russian painting. But the majority considered his painting uninteresting, and attempts to revive Byzantine and Old Russian styles fruitless. Particular controversy arose after the publication of the first issue of the World of Art magazine in 1898, where Vasnetsov’s work was also presented. “I could not at all approve of the fact that in the very first issue, which after all had the meaning of a well-known credo of our ideals and aspirations, half of the illustrations were dedicated to the artist towards whom I had developed a certain negative attitude, namely to Viktor Vasnetsov” - A.N. was indignant. Benoit. A little later, Mikhail Nesterov wrote: “Dozens of Russians outstanding artists originate from a national source – the talent of Viktor Vasnetsov.”
However, the work of V.M. Vasnetsov influenced the artists of the Art Nouveau period and, especially, the artists of the Abramtsevo circle S.I. Mamontov, one of the organizers of which he was an active participant in the 1880s. Vasnetsov designed costumes and scenery for productions at the Mamontov Theater, and in 1881, together with V. Polenov, he built a church in the “Russian style” in Abramtsevo. Subsequently, he designed and implemented many buildings: own house and a workshop in 3rd Troitsky Lane (now Vasnetsova), the Tsvetkov Gallery on Prechistenskaya Embankment, the facade of the main building of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane, etc.
In 1885-1896 he took part in the work on the paintings of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. He continued his appeal to the religious theme in mosaics for the Church of the Ascension in St. Petersburg, paintings and mosaics of the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist on Presnya, etc.
He was married to Alexandra Vladimirovna Ryazantseva. He had sons: Boris, Alexei, Mikhail, Vladimir and daughter Tatyana.
He died in Moscow in his studio while working on a portrait. He was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery. Later, his ashes were transferred to the Vvedenskoye Cemetery in Moscow.
