If you ask a person who is far from art who of the great painters he can name, then in his answer the surname of the magnificent Russian artist - the marine painter Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky, will surely sound. In addition to the paintings of the sea elements, Aivazovsky left a great many works of other subjects. The artist traveled a lot in different countries and always painted what impressed him.
Childhood
The artist's surname originally sounded like Ayvazyan, and the name recorded at baptism was Hovhannes. His parents, Armenians by origin, lived in Feodosia. It was in this city, in the family of the merchant Gevork (Konstantin) and his wife Repsime, on July 17, 1817 (the date of birth of Aivazovsky was indicated in the old style) that little son Hovhannes was born. The artist had three sisters and brother Sargis, who subsequently took monastic tonsure and received the name Gabriel.
The family of the Aivazovsky family originates in Galicia, where the ancestors of the artist moved from Armenia. His grandfather Grigor and grandmother Ashkhen owned land in the area of the city of Lviv. Unfortunately, more accurate information about the origin of the family has not been preserved. The artist’s father, after a quarrel with his brothers, ends up in Feodosia and changes his last name to Gaivazovsky.
The first years of Aivazovsky’s life passed in Feodosia on the Black Sea coast, already in childhood he began to be interested in painting and music. The little boy painted his first paintings on black walls of the houses of Feodosia with black coal. The architect Yakov Koch paid attention to his abilities, who began to educate the boy and helped him to enter the Simferopol gymnasium after receiving education in a district school.
Education in St. Petersburg
In the fall of 1833, Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky came to St. Petersburg. He is accepted into the public account at the Imperial Academy of Arts. First, he studied with M. Vorobyov in a landscape class, and then was transferred to assistants to the marine painter F. Tanner, a Frenchman by birth. By this time, Aivazovsky managed to get a silver medal for the landscapes “View of the seaside in the vicinity of St. Petersburg” and “Study of air over the sea”, which were presented to the public at the academic exhibition.
Quarrel with the teacher
In the biography of the marine painter Aivazovsky there was an interesting incident that occurred between him and his teacher. Working as an assistant to Tanner, Ivan Aivazovsky did not have the right to work independently. But the young artist, despite the contract with the teacher, continued to paint his own landscapes, and exhibited five paintings at the 1836 exhibition at the Academy of Arts. Critics were delighted with the work of Aivazovsky, which cannot be said about Tanner, who was so offended by the success of his student and assistant that he complained to the emperor Nicholas I himself. The works of the young painter were immediately removed from the exhibition.
Six months later, Aivazovsky was assigned to the class of Professor Sauerweid, a specialist in battle painting. After learning from the professor for several months, in 1837 the artist receives a Grand Gold Medal for his painting "Calm". The result of the work of Aivazovsky and his successes at the Academy of Arts was the decision to release him from training two years earlier than expected and send him to Crimea for independent work, since the Academy had already taught the young master everything that he could.
Return to Crimea
Returning to the Crimea in 1838, Aivazovsky is trying to work hard and productively. Two years of Aivazovsky’s life were devoted to work on seascapes and battle scenes. For the sake of this, he takes part in hostilities and monitors the landing of military troops on the coast of Cherkessia. The painting he painted, "Troopers in the Subashi Valley," was the result of these observations and was a great success with the emperor. Nikolai purchased the painting from the artist and used it to glorify the exploits of the fleet.
By the fall of 1839, Aivazovsky was returning to St. Petersburg to obtain a certificate. In addition, he receives the rank and personal nobility. In the summer of 1840, together with his friend V. Sternberg sets off on a trip to Italy.
Practice in Italy
During the time spent in Italy, Aivazovsky managed to visit Rome, Florence, Venice, where he met Gogol. He visits the island of St. Lazarus, on which his brother Gabriel lives in the monastery. The brothers have not seen each other for many years. Monks Aivazovsky leaves his gift “Chaos. Creation of the World ”, the plot of which is based on biblical events.
In the process of working on the shores of Italy, Aivazovsky is developing his own way of writing pictures. The artist had very well developed visual memory, he had a rich imagination, so he worked little in the open air and finished painting in the studio. The Italian works created by Aivazovsky were very successful in society. English artist William Turner gave paintings by Aivazovsky very good reviews. The works were awarded at the Paris Academy and awarded a gold medal.
Ninth shaft
After working in Italy, Aivazovsky continues his trip to Europe. He visits Switzerland, Holland, England, France, Portugal, Spain. The artist always keeps an album with him and draws landscapes and nature that stretches along the coast. During a trip along the Bay of Biscay, the ship on which the artist was, falls into a severe storm. The ship miraculously survived, but newspapers announced the death of the artist in the waters of the bay. Aivazovsky survived and continued to work. Eight years after this sea adventure, in 1850, the master paints a picture of the Ninth Wave, in which he reflects his feelings and impressions of the storm that happened to him in the Bay of Biscay.
Unusual paintings by the marine painter
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky spent a lot of time traveling around the world. In all countries, he made sketches and sketches of subjects of interest to him. One of the most unusual works for a marine painter is a painting written after visiting the opening of the Suez Canal. Aivazovsky’s work is called The Great Pyramid of Giza.
Another unusual picture for Aivazovsky was painted in 1837: the painting is called "View of the Grand Cascade in Peterhof."
During a visit to Constantinople, the artist paints a picture “Eastern Scene”. On it, the master depicted a plot whose action takes place in a small coffee shop located in the Ortakey mosque. The painting was created in 1845. Another painting, The Eastern Scene, was also painted in Constantinople a year later.
In addition to landscapes, Aivazovsky painted excellent portraits. An example of this is a painting with a portrait of grandmother Ashkhen, painted in 1858.
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was a very successful painter. A rare artist sought such fame during his lifetime. The master had a large number of awards, he had the rank of admiral., And in 1864 he was awarded the hereditary nobility.
Life Aivazovsky in Feodosia
In 1845, Aivazovsky applied to the main naval headquarters, where he works as a painter, and to the Academy of Arts, of which he is a professor, asking him to be in the Crimea to complete the work begun there. Having received permission, Aivazovsky begins to build a house in his beloved Feodosia. Despite constant trips around the world, Aivazovsky always told his friends that his house was in Feodosia.
The artist takes a very active part in the improvement of the city. He opens an art school and an art gallery. The years of life of Aivazovsky in his native city have a very beneficial effect on the development of Theodosius. The city becomes the center of painting and culture in the south of the country. The artist opens a school of painters, training in which is aimed at developing the talents of landscape painters. In addition to the development of the Cimmerian school, Aivazovsky is involved in the creation of a concert hall and library in Feodosia.
Not only an artist
Everyone knows that Aivazovsky was a marine painter, but few people know that the master of seascapes was an archaeologist and was a member of the Odessa Society of History and Antiquities. According to the project created by him and at his expense, an archaeological museum of antiquities was built, located on Mount Mithridates. Unfortunately, the museum was destroyed during the war in 1941.
The artist helped organize the construction and development of the railway, which was opened in 1892. Thanks to his efforts, the largest trading port on the Crimean coast, located in the master’s hometown, was rebuilt.
The story of the Subashinsky source
The Aivazovsky family was quite wealthy. The artist owned the Subashinsky spring with crystal clear water. In 1886, the master’s hometown suffered from a lack of drinking water. Aivazovsky turned out to be a very generous man: seeing the suffering of the inhabitants of Feodosia due to the lack of clean water, he allowed to use his source. For these purposes, a water supply was laid, since there were 25 miles from the city to the source. In the city, according to the artist’s project, a fountain was created, any resident could take as much water from him as he needed, and absolutely free of charge. Nowadays, this fountain bears the name of the artist.
Testament of the master
The years of life of Aivazovsky were filled with the creativity and beautification of his native Theodosius. One of the wonderful gifts for the city was an art gallery. The Aivazovsky Museum is also famous, opened in the artist’s house, where paintings are exhibited that, according to Aivazovsky’s will, should not leave Theodosius.
At the end of his life, the artist created the painting “Sea Bay” - this is his last completed work. The day before his death, Aivazovsky begins work on the painting "The explosion of the Turkish ship", but does not have time to complete it.
He died at the age of 82, on April 19, 1900.
Aivazovsky was twice married, his two grandchildren became painters. Mikhail Latri was a representative of the Cimmerian school, painter and ceramic artist. Alexey Gansen, like his great grandfather, was a marine painter.