Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich (1839–1915), a lucky spoiled child of fate, grew up in an environment where everything breathed art. He loved beauty in all its forms and manifestations and hastened to capture it on his canvases.
Makovsky family
A large Makovsky family, consisting of the father of Yegor Ivanovich, who devotedly loved art and did a lot to create a school of painting and sculpture in Moscow, the beautiful singer-songwriter of mother Lyubov Kornilievna, three sons and two sisters, lived in a large hospitable apartment on the embankment of the Moscow River. The Kremlin was visible from the windows. Glinka, Gogol, Pushkin, Shchepkin, and later K.P. Bryullov, V.A. Tropinin. All children grew up looking at his father's collection, listening to conversations about painting, music, theater and literature. Father reverently treated art, believing that it instills humanity in a person. He himself studied with his sons, teaching them to make copies from his rare prints. But especially for the children did Tropinin, who closely followed them. All of them later became painters, but worked in different genres. Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich, starting to paint from the age of four, from the age of twelve he began to receive professional education.
Years of study
In 1851, a capable boy entered the Moscow School of Painting. He had teachers M.I. Scotty and S.K. Zaryanko. But Tropinin and Bryullov, who was then at the zenith of fame, had a great influence on him. Six years in school ran like a flash, and now Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich in 1857 he went to continue his studies in St. Petersburg, at the Academy of Arts. He was interested in historical painting. And in the fifth year of training in 1862, he receives an award for the painting "Agents of Dmitry the Pretender kill the son of Boris Godunov." It is written as a historical romantic work. But a year later, refusing to paint a picture on the topic proposed by the Academy, Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich out of the AH. He received the title of artist only 2 degrees. Much later, he will become an academician.
Beginning of work
The young artist was not at a loss. He had already gained fame by painting a portrait of the emperor-liberator for the Russian embassy in London in an extremely short time, in just one session. This attention to his work of the august surname did not make orders from high-profile customers wait. In the 60s, the artist worked a lot on portraits of dignitaries. Naturally, his earnings are also growing. As a result, Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich Gets the glory of a brilliant portrait painter. His ceremonial portraits are very beautiful, both in color and composition.
Amazingly beautiful fabrics and transparent, and velvety, sparkling jewels on the hands, necks, ears, gold bracelets,
order ribbons and the orders themselves are beautifully painted with light strokes. The depth of disclosure of the psychology of the depicted character, they do not differ. But this is not required by its customers.
Portraits of members of the imperial family and their entourage
From very young to very old, Makovsky will remain a court painter. He was commissioned by portraits of emperors and empresses, Grand Dukes and Grand Duchesses and their high-ranking associates. All these canvases reflect the increasing technical skill of the artist. Aesthetically, they are simply pleasing to the eye. Both the models themselves and the entire surroundings surrounding them are beautiful.
“Portrait of Countess Maria Mikhailovna Volkonskaya” was executed against the background of the deep burgundy color of the draperies. The chair itself, on which the countess sits, is scarlet, trimmed with gold, and a cloak with ermine trim has been casually thrown over it. The head of the countess with a simple smooth hairstyle is decorated with a dark diadem with precious stones, which in style matches the decoration on the neck. The snow-white dress of the model competes with the delicate white skin of the arms and shoulders. Its rounded neckline is decorated with a blue bow, feathers and a brooch with emeralds. In the hands decorated with bracelets and rings - a half-open fan. Embroidery from flowers and leaves falling to the translucent hem completes the decoration of the dress. The model is full of calm dignity.
Family life
For some time, Makovsky painted paintings in the style of realism. This is a period of rapprochement with the Wanderers. Makovsky, Konstantin Egorovich, whose paintings sentimentally reflect the life of the Petersburg ordinary people, for example, The Widow or Seamstress, have nothing to do with critical realism . But it was in the 70s that Makovsky became close to the musical world of St. Petersburg and married in 1866 to actress Elena Timofeevna Burkova. In their happy and hospitable house there are composers, musicians, singers and members of The Mighty Handful. But the happiness of the young couple was short-lived - the wife fell ill with consumption and died in 1873. In 1874, "in the midst of a noisy ball," artist Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich met a young girl of striking beauty - Julia Pavlovna Letkova.
She is not only beautiful as an angel, but musical. She has a soprano, and Konstantin Egorovich is not only beautiful, well-groomed, charming, but also has a beautiful baritone, sings on a professional stage.
That was how Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich looked before his marriage. The portrait was painted by him. In general, the wedding took place in 1875. The age difference of twenty years did not bother them. But in 1873 - 1876, the painter traveled to Africa, more precisely, to Cairo. From there, the artist Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich brings exotic paintings and sketches. Their color is oriental bright, the created images are full of life convincing.
And the emperor will acquire a fabulous beauty and picturesqueness that conveys the spicy flavor of the East, the painting "Transferring the Sacred Carpet in Cairo" (1896). The Makovsky family now lives in Paris, meeting there with the Viardot family, then in St. Petersburg, communicating with Russian artists. In their marriage, which lasts until 1898, three children will be born. But the amorous artist drew attention to the charming beauty Maria Alekseevna Matavtina, whom she married after a divorce.
Four children appeared in this union. The artist loved to paint both children's and
family portraits. There are a lot of them.
Historical paintings
Makovsky from his father received a passion for collecting collections. Everywhere he searches for and acquires objects of ancient life, jewelry, clothes, which he will then use when painting. Compositionally, they resemble a theater stage, since the artist was always passionate about the theater. Such a "staged" picture can be considered "Boyars wedding feast in the XVII century" (1883).
This multi-figured canvas is striking in its decorativeness, an abundance of carefully painted expensive household items (ivory products), overseas dishes and cups of various bizarre shapes, exotic clothes and fabrics made of brocade and dug velvet. The feast comes to an end, and they bring in the crown dish - the swan. The painting, like many other works by the artist, "went" abroad, at first it was in America, now in the Netherlands. Other artist’s works that followed later are also colorful - Dressing the Bride to the Crown (1890), Kissing Rite (1895), based on an episode from A. Tolstoy’s novel “Prince of Silver”, and many others from this cycle. These works must be carefully considered, savoring the details, details in all their beauty, enjoying their general golden or silver color. The exotic "boyar genre" was invented by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky. The description of the paintings gives little, only the eyes of the viewer will show him the texture of the fabrics, the decoration of the rooms, and the delicate delicate skin on the girls' faces, their shyness, and the splendor of the outfits. All this is extremely loved by foreigners, and most of the works are in private collections abroad. Makovsky's art anticipated the emergence of symbolism and modernity. It was also simply blinded by unreal beauty.
Women's and children's heads
These small paintings were always popular.
The beautiful faces of the young lady in the kokoshniks just give you the opportunity to touch the girlish purity and beauty, framed by airy fabrics, multi-row beads, hanging earrings. Huge eyes in which you want to drown, dark sable eyebrows screaming, scarlet with raised corners of the sponge - everything is admirable. No wonder they were repeatedly copied or published on postcards.
Artist's death
Makovsky Konstantin Egorovich, whose biography as a whole was happy, died shortly before the revolution, in 1915. He was seventy-six years old. He left a significant legacy, part of which the widow sold. She buried the artist in St. Petersburg. But after the revolutionary events, the grave was lost.