The works of the artist Kiselyov Alexander Alexandrovich (1838 - 1911) are among the best examples of Russian landscape painting. Kiselyov possessed exceptional diligence and striving for perfection; he was appreciated by contemporaries as a landscape painter, teacher and artist. A talented painter, teacher and publicist, an active participant in the Association of Wanderers, a professor at the Academy of Arts, Alexander A. Kiselev left a rich creative heritage for future generations. To date, it is known about 120 of his works in museums of the former Soviet republics, and about 800 more works that are featured in private and museum collections around the world. However, the fate of many works of the landscape painter remains unknown.
early years
Alexander Alexandrovich Kiselev was born near Helsinki in the town of Sveaborg, in the family of a Russian officer who headed the local garrison. Since 1852, 14-year-old Kiselev, at the insistence of his father, studied in the 2nd Cadet Corps of St. Petersburg. Military classes were given to him with difficulty, the young man was fond of versification and drawing. After studying as a cadet for six years and not completing a course in military education, Kiselev entered the Faculty of Philology of St. Petersburg University. Three years later, in 1861, due to student unrest, the university was temporarily closed. This event marked the beginning of the creative biography of Alexander Alexandrovich Kiselev as a landscape painter.
Beginnings in painting
In the same year, after the closure of the university, Kiselev attended the Imperial Academy of Arts as a free-coming student. A year later, the young man was enrolled in the Academy as a student and studied in the class of the famous landscape painter S.M. Vorobyov. During the training, Kiselev for one of his works was awarded a large silver medal from the academy and public approval for another, which later became famous for his work “View of Moscow Surroundings”, which he presented at an academic exhibition.
1865 was the final year in the academic education of the young painter, and the certified third-degree artist Alexander Kiselev decided to leave St. Petersburg.
Little Russian period
He moved to Kharkov and rented a house with a friend on the outskirts of the city. At first, Kiselyov spent time in studies and in icon painting, moonlighting as drawing lessons. When the artist married the daughter of a Kharkov professor and children appeared in the family, Alexander Alexandrovich got a job at the local Land Bank. There, he served as secretary for almost 10 years. Stable earnings made it possible to provide for the family and painting. At that time, his landscapes of colorful Ukrainian nature were painted, among which the most famous: “Yard in Little Russia”, “Near Kharkov”, “Svyatogorsky Monastery”, “Park in Autumn”. Landscapes were depicted according to academic canons and resembled the paintings of his teacher Vorobyov: three planes of perspective and the backstage composition.
Partnership of the Wanderers
Once, a traveling exhibition of the Moscow Partnership of Artists arrived in Kharkov, after which Kiselev dared to change his life and devote himself to painting. Alexander Alexandrovich Kiselev at that time turned 37 years old, and he was the head of a large family. The artist sent his landscape “View in the vicinity of Kharkov” to the Association of Wanderers. The jury accepted his work for the exhibition. A few months later, in the spring of 1876, the Partnership unanimously elected the artist a member of its association, after which Alexander Alexandrovich annually exhibited his canvases in traveling exhibitions.
Moscow period
Since 1877, Kiselev with his family, in which there were already seven children, settled in Moscow. In order to support his family, he taught drawing and painting in girls' high schools and gave lessons privately. Among his students were well-known artists of the turn of the XIX - XX centuries: Ostroukhov, Yakunchikova-Weber, Dosekin, Bookbinders, Yartsev. He taught the descendants of famous merchant dynasties, who later became philanthropists, collectors, and artists: Ivan and Mikhail Morozov, Anna Botkin, Mikhail Mamontov.
Kiselev worked a lot on his landscape paintings. He painted the Moscow environs and traveled to other places in Russia, bringing many sketches. In the summer, the Kiselev family rented a rural estate in the picturesque Moscow environs, and during the season the artist made up to 50 landscape sketches from nature. In 1891, when the Kiselevs visited Bogimovo, the landowner estate of Bylim-Kolosovsky, A.P. spent the summer here. Chekhov, who became friends with the artist.
Alexander Alexandrovich constantly exhibited at many Moscow and St. Petersburg exhibitions, regularly participated in club meetings, such as Shmarovinskiye Sredy, and drawing evenings at Mamontov and Polenov. He often attended symphony concerts, performances at the Bolshoi and Maly Theater, talked a lot with other artists and writers, and was friends with Repin and Maximov. He described everything in detail in his diary.
By the end of the 1880s, his creative worldview was finally formed, an individual painting style, theme and nature of landscapes formed. The most famous works of the Moscow period: “At the Pond”, “Forgotten Mill”, “Picking up Brushwood”, “Before the Thunderstorm”, “From the Mountain”, “Rain”.
Deserved success
The Russian nobility and collectors willingly bought paintings by the artist Kiselev. Alexander Alexandrovich visited the Crimea and the Caucasus, after which his mountain landscapes were especially great success. In 1883, after another exhibition of the Wanderers, Pavel Tretyakov bought the Forgotten Mill Kiseleva for his gallery. From 1883 to 1901, several landscapes were acquired by members of the imperial family, including Alexander III himself. These were paintings: “In Venice”, “Crossing”, “Across the Terek”, “At the Snowy Peaks”, “Mountain River in the Caucasus”, “Quiet Water”.
Kiselev received well-deserved titles and positions. Since 1890, he headed the department of fine art in the Artist magazine, one of the leading theater publications in the state, and published many critical articles. In the same year, Kiselyov received the title of academician, and three years later he was elected a full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts. Since 1895, Alexander Alexandrovich moved with his family to St. Petersburg, since Kiselyov was invited to the post of class inspector of the Higher Art School at the Imperial Academy of Arts. Two years later, at the Academy, he took the place of the head of the landscape workshop. In this position, the artist remained until his death. Alexander Alexandrovich also actively participated in the cultural and social life of Russia.
Tuapse period
Having bought an inexpensive plot of land near the city of Tuapse, Alexander Kiselev built a small one-story house by 1902. The estate has been carefully preserved, and the Kiselev Museum is now operating in it. Once the artist had to borrow money in order to build this summer house in which he rested and worked every summer. Kiselev created an extensive series of paintings, the theme of which was Tuapse with its picturesque surroundings, and the name of the artist turned into a kind of symbol of the city. The landscape painter captured magnificent views of the coast with the Kadosh rocks, and one of them, the most beautiful, is named after him.
In the Tuapse period, Kiselev visited many places in the Caucasus and Crimea. He also traveled abroad, having visited France, Germany, Venice, and Rome. The most famous paintings by Alexander Kiselev of those years: “Old Suramsky Pass”, Kadoshsky Rocks ”,“ Mountain River ”,“ Under the Clouds. On the Georgian Military Highway: “Cottage in Crimea”, “Bazaar in Tuapse”, “House in Tuapse”, “Ulichka Tuapse”, “At the foot of Kazbek”, “Night on the sea”, “Through the abyss”.
Alexander Alexandrovich died suddenly, while working at his desk. The artist, who turned 73 years old, overtook a heart attack. In the last years of his life, Kiselev achieved special speed in work and unusual liveliness of the image.
His cheerful, bright, slightly idealized landscapes reflect the sincere feelings of the author. Kiselyov masterfully knew how to capture the beauty and serene state of nature, which is amazingly transmitted to the viewer, contemplating the beautiful paintings of the landscape painter.