Belarusian and Russian painter Ivan Fomich Khrutsky was born on January twenty-seventh one thousand eight hundred and ten. The future artist received his secondary education at the Polotsk College and comes to St. Petersburg at 1881.
Three years later, Ivan Fomich begins his studies at the famous Academy of Arts. This man went down in art history with his magnificent still lifes. And one of the most famous creations is Khrutsky's painting Flowers and Fruits.
A magnificent still life, or the strict canons of the Academy
It would seem that it can be more innocent than the image of the generous gifts of the earth and also with such attention and love for the smallest details, decorativeness and at the same time naturalism. Even the ubiquitous fly sitting on a pear is written so that only after an unsuccessful attempt to brush it off the canvas, you understand that this is only a pictorial device of the author of the work.
But in those days when Khrutsky’s painting “Flowers and Fruits” was created, the appeal to still life was all the more strange because, according to the strict hierarchy of the genre established at the Academy, the description of flowers and fruits was considered worthy only of students. Those who were just starting to master painting. Or even for amateur girls. Since flowers are the most pleasant decoration for women.
Painting by Ivan Trofimovich Khrutsky "Flowers and Fruits". Description of the artist
It was in this that the teacher of the Academy and the author of the rules on drawing flowers and fruits, the artist Yakov Ivanovich Basin, saw the meaning of still life. But the strangest thing is that it was these still lifes that brought fame to the artist Khrutsky.
Neither his portraits, where pretty women are represented in the idea of modern flora and pom-poms, nor paintings telling about quiet everyday joys, namely these somewhat archaic in their manner and devoid of logic for the selection of objects still lifes. How to explain the unexpected popularity of the recently despicable genre?
Deep meaning in creating great works
Still life is a kind of game or a curiosity. Its main value was to create the illusion of reality, to deceive the viewer. Hence its name. But it is worth remembering that in the era of Peter's times, in addition to still-life-trompe l'oeil, a still-life allegory became fashionable. He disclosed his secret meaning in the language of symbols.
Each object and plant, absolutely everything that was present on the canvas, corresponded to some concept. Roses and peonies spoke to the dedicated audience about the transience of life. The grapes reminded of the atoning blood of Christ. An extinguished candle made you think about death. As for the image of a realistic painted fly, Khrutsky’s painting “Flowers and Fruits” probably represents it only for purely practical purposes. Apparently, it was believed that she would scare away the work of other insects.
The viewer's attitude to the works of Ivan Fomich
Secular etiquette of the eighteenth century implied a mandatory knowledge of the language of allegories. The remnants of this knowledge probably reached the beginning of the nineteenth century. And the still lifes of Ivan Fomich attracted some with their decorativeness, while others attracted with their thought about the vanity of life, a call to moderation and care for their immortal soul.
So Khrutsky’s painting "Flowers and Fruits", the history of which was in the early thirties, can not leave indifferent any viewer. A luxurious still life with objects that the artist especially loved. Earthenware jug filled with a rich combination of various colors. Next to a simple bast shoe. On the table are a huge number of a wide variety of fruits. Peaches and pears, pumpkin and lemon, grapes and apples. The abundance that Mother Nature herself gives.
The delight of people of different generations caused by a masterpiece
Many people who see the picture of Ivan Trofimovich Khrutsky “Flowers and Fruits” for a long time cannot forget the impression received from this work. Moreover, this enthusiasm is present in the audience of completely different ages. Someone is seriously considering this still life, trying to comprehend all its secrets, and someone is simply touched by a combination of unusual colors.
Particularly expensive is the attention of schoolchildren, which is caused by Khrutsky's painting "Flowers and Fruits." The work of a child who comes to the museum to admire this work, insanely vividly describes this masterpiece with all its earthly gifts from unknown countries and collected even in its own beds. And sometimes this opinion is much more expensive for any author than a criticism of famous cultural figures.
The value of still lifes of Ivan Fomich for Russia
Khrutsky’s painting "Flowers and Fruits" has acquired great importance for art. In 1888, the author was even awarded a gold medal for his creations. With the help of such masterpieces, the artist introduced a still life into the circle of recognized genres, which opened for Russia the language of things, allegories. Ivan Trofimovich expressed the idea of the need for moral guidelines. On the refinement of the soul and the departure into the personal world of high ideals.
But in the eighteen-fifty-fifth year, the activities of the delightful artist Ivan Khrutsky abruptly break off. A person who has left a huge creative legacy in all known genres, being at the very zenith of fame, suddenly disappears. It dissolves in complete obscurity.
Having settled on the estate, he turns into a real landowner who is actively engaged in farming and paints mainly portraits of his beloved and loved ones. And, perhaps, he didn’t even know that his famous still life was acquired by Tretyakov for his gallery. But this meant recognition of the indisputable artistic merit of creation.