Fate of Vasily Smirnov

[SergeiSK]

Vasily Smirnov could grow into a major historical painter, but fate had brought him too short life.
He was born in Moscow on August 12, 1858 in family court chamberlain of His Imperial Majesty, Sergey Semenovich Smirnov, the former to the same and nobility Klin County. The family, who lived in Moscow in Prechistenka, loved art and maintained friendships with many Moscow artists, including an outstanding painter, VG Perov. Vasily G. followed with interest the artistic achievements of the young Basil and advised his parents to identify his son at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he at that time was a professor.
 In 1875 a young man who has not graduated from high school, he began attending classes at the famous art school. He was enrolled in a class by Perov, where the passion began to comprehend the basics of the genre, and then a historical painting. A talented young man immediately attracted attention and fellow college, and educators. Already in this period, he makes the first attempt to recreate on canvas the heroic pages of Russian history. In 1878 he became involved in the annual student exhibitions and won several small silver medals. In the same year on the recommendation of Perov very promising young artist accepted into the Academy of Arts.
 Smirnov and are lucky with the teachers, he began to study under Professor PM Shamshina and PP Chistyakov. Here, as in Moscow, he quickly became one of the best students. During the four years of study at the Academy of Basil received all possible academic awards, including a small gold medal for the program "Return of the Prodigal son in a house parent, is allowed to participate in the contest for the right to a pensioner's travel abroad for four years by the Academy of Fine Arts. On competition, he presented a large painting of the St. pious Prince Michael of Chernigov in front of the Horde of Batu Khan's bid. " For his work Smirnov received a gold medal, the title of class artist of 1 degree (give the right to high rank in the admission to the civil service) and became a pensioner of the Academy.
It is curious that even then a young artist drew the attention of the recognized masters of painting. IE Repin said in a letter to PM Tretyakov, that the academic exhibition in 1883 a young Smirnov presented a "good thing", they talked about the competitive picture. By the way, after the competition now left the Museum of the Academy of Fine Arts, immediately after his death it was transferred to the Russian Museum, and since 1932 it is in the Tretyakov Gallery. Agree, an enviable fate for the first major work of young artists.
In the pensioner's trip abroad Smirnov went into a period when a European painting went dramatic changes. In it there were new styles and trends, the experiments of young artists with color and form stirred accustomed to all the European audience. In this raging artistic life Smirnov dipped just over my head. He travels to Europe, visiting famous museums, shops and venerable artists not yet recognized geniuses of painting, whose talent is just beginning to punch a road to the spectators. In a short time he had visited in Vienna, Venice, Bologna, Padua, Florence, briefly stopped in Rome. He then went on industrial art exhibition in Turin, from Paris on a regular salons. Then the desire to see the new European painting led him to England, Belgium, Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic. And yet he still managed to write myself. Simply amazing performance. No wonder that he told friends: "We sleep in old age. Now must find time to see everything better and write better than his. "
Since the autumn of 1884 Smirnov settled in Rome. He wanted to understand everything I saw and began the serious work. In early 1885 he began work on the painting with the Gospel story - "The Apostles Peter and John at the Sepulchre." But the biblical theme progressed with difficulty, and the artist soon left her and turned to stories from the history of ancient Rome. His first big picture of this series was the painting "The Triumph of Poppaea over octaves.
In 1888 he completed and submitted to the Academic exhibition, "Death of Nero." The picture was greeted with great interest the audience and his colleagues on painting, it was acquired for himself the Emperor Alexander III. A Smirnov for this work, which became the pensioner's account of the trip, received the title of academician of historical painting. In January 1889 the young artist was appointed associate professor in drawing classes at the Art Academy. Enviable career start for the young painter.
Smirnov eagerly plunged into the educational life of the Academy. However, in a wet climate of St. Petersburg has become a serious lung disease progression, resulting in the years of academic study. In late 1889 he had to return to Italy. The artist began working on sketches in Pompeii, suggesting to write some new historical paintings. In these studies, many of whom now are in leading museums and galleries, he demonstrated his approach to plein air painting, gaining more supporters in Europe. His sketches are literally filled with sunlight and air flowing from the heat.
Despite failing health, the artist began work on the big picture "Morning output Byzantine queen to the tombs of their ancestors, the primary sketch which he drew back in 1884. In this work he finally moved away from academic canons. Smirnov began to write small strokes, trying to assimilate a colorful picture of a Byzantine mosaic. Approach has been very interesting and promising. So while the painters had not yet written.
Aggravated the disease and a possible premonition of death, forced to interrupt work and return to Russia. Not before reaching Moscow, Vasily Sergeyevich Smirnov died on 17 December 1890 on a train near the station near Moscow Golitsyn. Friends and colleagues Smirnova organized for next year in St. Petersburg, his posthumous solo exhibition, were represented, and his last unfinished work "Morning output Byzantine queen to the tombs of their ancestors, and sun-filled Italian sketches.
Vladimir Rogoza

[artcol]

Thank you, first work very much.

[Кирилл Сызранский]

artcol, and "The Death of Nero?

[artcol]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

artcol, and "The Death of Nero"?

"But this - not so" (C) Borat Sagadiev

[Кирилл Сызранский]

artcol, but I like this thing.
Such Pre-Raphaelite.

[artcol]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

artcol, but I like this thing.
Such Pre-Raphaelite.

Too active a red background (wall) shifts the emphasis from Nero to the wall.
And in general - too active, without accents.
My IMHO.

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от artcol

is too active a red background (wall)

In a live everything is OK.

[artcol]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

live everything is OK.

We still represent the size of this thing-177,5 x 400!

So of course better.