Artist Alexander Ivanovich Morozov

From the article you can learn about the life path and work of A. I. Morozov. The analysis of the painting “Exit from the Church in Pskov” and the painting “Rural Free School” are carried out, the themes of the works of Alexander Ivanovich Morozov are revealed. Also considered are the features of the creative manner and its poetic genre.

Artist Biography

Morozov Alexander Ivanovich - a true artist and Petersburger was born on May 17, 1835 in the family of the artist, a former "yard". Since 1852, a freelance student at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, in the class of the artist Markov. During his studies, he was awarded medals: in 1857 for a portrait and drawing, in 1858 for a sketch and drawing, in 1861, the painting “Rest on Haymaking” was awarded with a small gold medal.

In 1863, he petitioned for permission to freely choose subjects, was refused and left the Academy, although he continued to exhibit his paintings. The canvas “Exit from the Church in Pskov” brings him universal recognition and the title of academician.

Morozov Alexander Ivanovich - a bright type of artist-contemplator. His life path did not experience ups and downs, criticism appreciated his work quite favorably, but it is difficult to call him an innovator or a rebel. Although in his youth, A. I. Morozov always remained with friends-artists: he was one of those who left the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (1863) after the “riot of fourteen” led by I. Kramsky, was a member of the Artel’s Artists and an exhibitor in a number of exhibitions of the Wanderers in 1864 . But the spirit of rebellion, the struggle against social inequality, were alien to his nature as a whole. However, the theme of injustice and evil could not pass by the works of Alexander Morozov, an artist who writes his contemporary village, and the realism that lives in every Russian artist could not fail to manifest itself.

Poetic genre

The bulk of the best works written by the artist were made in the genre of poetized life to the contemporary artist of the Russian village (paintings "Rest on Haymaking", "Rural Free School" and others). In this he is a clear follower of the artist A. G. Venetsianov, from the layout of his works to the methods of typifying peasant labor and the peasants themselves. Landscapes in the artist’s paintings, sunny and warm, are also very close to the Venetian ones. Therefore, the artist with a light hand of art historians A.N. Benois and I.E. Grabar was nicknamed the Belated Venetian.

But the genre painting of Russia of the 19th century cannot be considered complete without the picturesque paintings of Alexander Ivanovich Morozov. His paintings are simple, clear and beautiful. They have everything that the chronicler of Renaissance painting, Giorgio Vasari in the 16th century called "a good manner" and very much appreciated.

Features of the artist’s creative manner

Everything made by the artist Alexander Ivanovich Morozov, paintings or etchings, is done very carefully. In his works one can observe diligence and love. But the artistic legacy of Alexander Ivanovich Morozov is small, since the artist in his life did not make paintings, but dull boring work: for about 30 years he taught at the St. Petersburg Law School, teaching the drawing of future lawyers, giving private lessons. In addition, he performed many portraits to order.

It is hardly correct to say that the work of Morozov Alexander Ivanovich is the personification of the era in which he lived. Today's paintings adorn the expositions of the best Russian art museums: the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and others.

Themes by Alexander Ivanovich Morozov

Morozov Alexander Ivanovich St. Petersburg, of course, knew. But he loved the artist and the Russian village, Russian peasants. How good a tea-drinking man is a cheerful little man in his painting “Tea Party”. The artist traveled to Russia many times, visited the Vladimir province, Pskov, Vyatka and the Volga region. He performed custom portraits and quite successfully (a portrait of the young Count Apraksin, a portrait of Madame Kornilova, etc.). In portraits, Alexander Ivanovich is also close to the works of the Venetsianov school. His brushes also belong to custom-made works for the churches of the North of Russia: Petrozavodsk, Polotsk, Pavlovsk and landowners' estates. Repeatedly, the master worked in the technique of etching, and performed miniature portraits to order.

Alexander Ivanovich Morozov is one of the very first Russian painters who drew attention to industrial work: his painting “Omutninsky Plant” (1885) is in the Tretyakov Gallery.

But he is best known as one of the most notable in the circle, the so-called small genre writers - masters of the narrative of typical events of Russian village reality, which the artist well studied on his trips.

Canvas "Exit from the Church in Pskov"

This is one of the best works of Alexander Ivanovich. There is no main character on it: all the main ones. One of the features of the artist’s paintings is the equality of the figures located on the canvas and their equal illumination, which immediately brings harmony and softens the severity of the depicted events and actions.

The color scheme from a variety of light and warm colors contributes to this. The expressiveness of each figure returns us to the art of the Renaissance so much that you unwittingly look for angels. And, really - he is, he is in the very center of the picture. This is just a girl in a lush white dress who has just begun to walk, guarded by the gaze of elders dressed in dark clothes. But these are background figures.

And the foreground reveals a completely different life: you can get alms from the church after the service, and this is a guarantee of some kind of dinner. The beggars in the picture in picturesque rags, depicted so expressively that again you recall the medieval Italians. But their poses, gestures and facial expressions are absolutely Russian. Foreground: a rich woman pushed the poor old people away, but the children hold out their hands again, they are so hoping for alms ...

And the temple building in such a light lemon-yellow tone that it seems unconnected with everything that happens, seems divine-beautiful and unearthly, different, not ordinary.

That is what all the poor are counting on, the mercy of God. The artist wrote the rich in a completely different way, they believe, first of all, in the power of money, they defend service as a tribute to decency, the poor are despised and hated by beggars. Of all those whom the beggars turn to, only one woman, tired and very poor, gave alms. She has two small children and she knows what hunger is, she gives not at all superfluous, but she believes in God.

The picture is rather alarming, but not indignant, leaving a residue of what happened before your eyes, not tragedy, but injustice.

The painting “Exit from the Church” attracts, does not let go, makes you think and feel.

Canvas "Rural free school"

The canvas depicts a large and bright room in a wooden house, where several lovely young women in fluffy skirts, obviously not poor, learn to read and write village children on wooden benches at wooden tables.

The color of the picture is restrained, golden brown tones predominate, sunlight warms, makes everything in the room cozy, warm. The story of the village school by the artist is completed.

The picture was painted from nature, the models were the wife of Alexander Ivanovich Morozov and her friends, who really worked with village children at school.

The picture is more than peaceful: one cannot believe at all that someone might not be accepted into this school because of torn clothes or lack of knowledge of basic things. The atmosphere is saturated with kindness and understanding; there is no place for childish pranks, rudeness, or screaming in it. There can be no talk of corporal punishment. And this is not an ideal picture, but a real one. At that time, in rural schools, the teacher was a respected figure, students of different ages often sat in the classrooms, and each worked according to his program, without disturbing the neighbors. Children loved going to school and respected teachers. On the canvas of A. I. Morozov, it catches the eye.