Historians are familiar with many biographical stories where people equally talented showed themselves in various areas of art. For Russia, one of these characters is the famous poet Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov.
Comprehensively developed personality
It is impossible to compose a personal portrait of Lermontov without emphasizing the giftedness with which nature awarded him. Mikhail Yuryevich had an unusually good ear for music and a penchant for playing the instrument. He masterfully performed the parts on the violin, piano, sang, and even, according to some reports, composed music. However, if the poet used the above skills only for pleasure, then his artistic experiments showed him a talented painter.
There is evidence that Lermontov was easily given the solution to complex mathematical problems, and he was also known as a successful chess player. Among its advantages is knowledge of several foreign languages, as well as well-read and literate. He achieved world fame thanks to his poetic contribution to the history of culture. This young genius (he died at the age of 27) was so desperate to create something as literary as A. Pushkin, that he worked hard and ultimately left behind an unshakable legacy in the form of poems, poems and paintings.
Lermontov-artist
Traditional noble education provided for comprehensive education, including drawing instruction. Of course, this did not mean that all students would certainly become artists. Many were destined to become amateurs in this field, but not to Lermontov.
The drawings of the poet preserved in the archives indicate his confident mastery of the technique of pencil drawing and compositional flair. A portrait of Lermontov with a pencil could masterfully convey all the emotions of a person, without deviating from the canons of classical graphics.
In his first artistic experiments, Mikhail Yuryevich turned to the subject of the Spanish Revolution. On his canvases there is drama and romanticism inherent in young men of his age, the artist’s commitment to the ideals of a free personality is felt. In parallel with painting, Lermontov works tirelessly in the literary genre. So, in 1830 the poem “The Spaniards” appeared, which the author independently illustrated, and by 1833 the first known and fundamental art work “Portrait of the Duke of Lema” came out from under the brush of the poet. It is interesting that the legendary ancestor of the poet became the prototype for this character, and upon closer examination, it can be noted that his image resembles a portrait of Lermontov.
It should be noted that Mikhail Yuryevich owned watercolors, and also wrote thumbs up in oil. His artistic style is reminiscent of romanticism. For his short creative period, let him independently illustrate many of his works, including the famous poem “Sail”.
Portrait of Lermontov
If in the younger years of his life, Mikhail Yurievich gravitated toward landscape painting and graphic sketches, then at a more mature age, portraiture began to attract his attention. In most cases, he portrayed his acquaintances. Among the most significant paintings of Lermontov are a portrait of Muravyov, Kikin and Stolypin (the latter are painted in watercolor).
In the history of Lermontov’s artistic searches, his self-portrait dated 1837 plays a great role. It is worth noting that the artist somewhat romanticized his image, portraying himself in the form of a warrior against the backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains. However, such a composition is not devoid of historical meaning, since it served as an officer and participated in the battle against the Highlanders (1840). These events left their mark on the artist’s creative manner. Sketches gained momentum: Lermontov's portrait was filled with ornate strokes with a pencil, as if the author was in a hurry to capture the image.
Famous images of Lermontov
Among the outstanding figures of Russia, perhaps Lermontov lived the shortest and most intense life. Portraits, the photos of which seem to depict completely different people, have survived to this day only in the amount of 15 pieces, which increases their value and at the same time points to the high popularity of Mikhail Yuryevich in art circles.
Given the fact that the poet’s life ended at the age of 27, he simply could not undergo significant external changes. It is obvious that, according to the idea of artists, each portrait of M. Lermontov M.U. is aimed at capturing the poet’s multifaceted inner world, and not his external appearance. For example, one of the paintings depicting Mikhail Yuryevich shows him in the period before the battle with the highlanders, while A.I. Klyudner displayed on his canvas the state of mind of the poet after.
There are many images depicting Lermontov (portraits, photos), but the most valuable of them belong to the brush of F.O. Budkin, P.E. Zabolotsky, A.I. Klunder. The only image in which the poet appears before the viewer in his childhood belongs to the hand of the serf, who did the job for the boy’s grandmother. The last lifetime portrait of Lermontov M. Yu. Was painted by K. A. Gorbunov and executed in watercolor.
Young genius
Not a single portrait of Lermontov could convey the grandeur of his nature. His whole life flew by in an instant, and no matter what, it was he, like Byron, who managed to embody all the romanticism of a tragically deceased genius.
Of course, comparing the contribution of Mikhail Yurievich to literature and painting, I want to note that he did not have time to thoroughly master the technique of artistic transmission. However, no one can deny that the young man’s life ended unjustly early, and it may well be that he would have managed to develop his talent to more significant heights.
Today, his artistic heritage includes 13 oil paintings, 44 watercolor paintings, 4 hundreds of graphic sketches, which are stored in the national museums of Russia, the State Library, as well as abroad.