In the Mikhailovsky (Engineers') Castle of the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg) has opened an exhibition devoted to 200 anniversary of the birth of Grigory Gagarin (1810-1893) - painter, graphic, architect, art activist, vice-president of the Imperial Academy of Arts, member of the Russian Archaeological Society, honorary member of the Geographical Society, a member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, and the gentleman of many awards. The exhibition features about 150 exhibits, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, State Historical Museum, the Russian Museum of Ethnography, the Institute of Russian Literature, the Research Museum of Russian Art Academy.
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Grigory Gagarin had not received formal art education, only a short time he took lessons from Horace Vernet and Karl Briullov, with the latter later maintained friendly relations. His work - the result of natural endowments and daily exercise. Russian Museum has the most comprehensive collection of works by artists of various types and genres: it is more than four thousand units of graphics, including architectural drawings, sketches, ornaments, some forty paintings, photographs, engravings. The main part of the graphic work has been presented to the Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III in 1898, the artist's widow.
Gagarin was a lot of time in the Caucasus - v1840-1847's there appeared a series of "Picturesque Caucasus:" Lezginka "," Warriors Samur Militia "," fire-worshipers of the algebra, "" The funeral ceremony in the village Ahalchi and others. Most researchers tend to think of his work that the artist followed by the young officers that belonged to the "circle of sixteen, whose center was Mikhail Lermontov: in 1840, many of them went to the Caucasus to the poet, exiled from St. Petersburg after a duel.
As an amateur artist Gagarin also participated in military expeditions. Hiking to the village Chirkei in May 1841 was a serious challenge. The aim of the campaign was the mastery of an important strategic point the troops of Shamil, a stronghold of Muridism - fortified aul Sulak River in Dagestan. For personal bravery June 21, 1841 Prince Gagarin was awarded the Order of St. Anne 3rd degree with a bow, and on 1 July enlisted a lieutenant in the Life Guards Hussar Regiment.
On impressions from the trip to the village Chirkei he wrote "The Battle of Ahatli" May 8, 1841, painting became a personal collection of Emperor. Rakurs pattern is unusual - a scene "taken" a few on top, denoting the position of the artist as a kind of "above the fray." Fight shows by the Highlanders, the artist is portrayed them in the foreground. Gagarin studied in detail the architecture of the Caucasus, did sketches of ancient temples in Armenia, Georgia, finding in them bond with the art of Byzantium. The artist tries to understand the interweaving of religious teachings, he was interested in the origins of Islam and Muridism. The result of these reflections was the work of "preaching of Mohammed." He was executed painting Sioni Cathedral, as well as projects of churches in Khasavyurt (Dagestan), in Kutaisi, Muhravani, Grozny, Borjomi, Alagir, Eyske, Temir-Khan-Shura (Makhachkala), Elisavetpole , Yekaterinodar, Shusha, Mykolayiv village, to Tiflis Gymnasium, the home of the Exarch of Georgia.
1 6.Hudozhnik Grigory Gagarin (1810-1893)