Russian poetry is an extremely bright, expressive, diverse phenomenon. They formed it, determining the spiritual orientation and aesthetic criteria, Trediakovsky and Sumarokov, Lomonosov and Derzhavin. They, so to speak, paved the way for the appearance of Pushkin, Lermontov and other luminaries of the verse. But what was done for domestic literature by Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky is hard to overestimate. No wonder the great Pushkin called Zhukovsky his whole life his teacher.
Romantic in literature and in life
The poet, translator, literary critic, memoirist, Vasily Andreevich was a person with many talents. A special origin, a failed personal life left a dramatic imprint on his fate. And he became a romantic not only because of the proximity of this direction to his own soul movements, but also under the influence of external circumstances. The portrait of Zhukovsky by the famous Kiprensky (1816) and then later, written by the artist Sokolov in the 1920s, give us a rather complete picture of the extraordinary appearance of the still young poet, of his intense mental work. On both, we see an extremely expressive face full of inspiration and disturbing thoughts. It seems that the poet is immersed in himself, but at the same time tries to listen to the movements of life hidden from the ordinary eye. And another famous portrait of Zhukovsky, painted by Karl Bryullov, also conveys this character trait.
Unfinished work
When two masters, two extremely talented people come together for one reason or another, this tandem can give amazing results. The portrait of Zhukovsky by Kiprensky is the best confirmation of this. It was written in a fairly short time, before the artist left for sunny Italy. The painting was ordered by Count Uvarov. Connoisseurs of painting know about one feature: it turns out that the famous portrait of Zhukovsky is not finished! Kiprensky did not add, at the request of the customer, the poet’s left hand - to preserve the effect of creative impulse, inspiration. A romantic poet is depicted in an element close to him and the artist, against a background of a mysterious night landscape with a ruined tower, the silhouette of which emerges from the darkness. Zhukovsky’s hair flutters in the wind. The gaze of gorgeous thoughtful eyes is directed forward and deepened into oneself. The pose of an inspired dreamer trying to catch the mysterious "music of the spheres." It is felt that Kiprensky painted the portrait of Zhukovsky with pleasure, investing not only talent and skill, but also sincere sympathies for the model. And the poet himself was extremely pleased with the result.
“Memories and I are one and the same ...”
Many painters were lucky to capture the image of Vasily Andreyevich in different years of his life. However, contemporaries and critics recognized the most successful image written by Karl Bryullov. The impulses of rebellious youth passed, passions subsided, the heart softened, thoughts became wiser. Before us is already a middle-aged man who has experienced a lot, understood, comprehended, felt. The years left its imprint on him, especially if we compare this and the previous portrait of Zhukovsky. Kiprensky painted a young man, Bryullov - an almost elderly (by the standards of the 19th century) man. But in both images, in addition to external resemblance, there are other common features. This is concentration, thoughtfulness, natural kindness, the depth of nature. A table with books emphasizes the poet’s circle of interests, his rich spiritual life, and intellectual work. Peacefully executed and the pose of the poet, sitting quietly in a comfortable, cozy chair, leading a leisurely, measured lifestyle.
Zhukovsky for Shevchenko
The poet liked Bryullov’s painting so much that he dedicated a poetic message to his portrait. He played a special role in the fate of Taras Shevchenko. The portrait of Vasily Zhukovsky was drawn in a lottery between representatives of the royal family. The proceeds, as well as the reported personal money of Bryullov and Vasily Andreyevich, went to buy Shevchenko from bondage.