Moscow courtyard (Polenov) | |
---|---|
Artist | Vasily Polenov |
Year | 1878 |
Type | Oil on canvas |
Dimensions | 80,1 cm × 64,5 cm (315 in × 254 in) |
Location | Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow |
Moscow Courtyard is a landscape painting by the Russian artist Vasily Polenov (1844-1927), completed in 1878. It belongs to the State Tretyakov Gallery (inventory 2670). Its dimensions are 64.5 × 80.1 cm.[1][2] Together with two other works by Polenov from the late 1870s: the paintings "Grandmother's Garden" and "Overgrown Pond", the canvas "Moscow Courtyard" has been attributed to "a kind of lyrical and philosophical trilogy of the artist".[3][4]
The painting depicts the courtyard of a house at the intersection of Durnovsky and Trubnikovsky Streets, in the wing of which Polenov rented an apartment in 1877-1878. Behind the courtyard and the adjacent buildings is the Church of the Transfiguration on the Sand, and in the right part of the canvas are the outlines of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Plotniki.[1][5] The work organically combines landscape and genre motifs.[6]
The painting "Moscow Courtyard" was presented at the Moscow part of the 6th Exhibition of the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions ("Peredvizhniki"),[7] which was held in May 1878.[1][8] It became Polenov's first work presented at the traveling exhibitions.[9] Pavel Tretyakov bought that canvas directly from the exhibition.[1][10]
According to art historian Alexei Fedorov-Davydov, the painting "Moscow Courtyard" is "full of simple and clear heartfelt poetry"[11] and this work by Polenov "was a new word in Russian landscape painting and played a great role in it".[12] Art historian Tamara Yurova noted that this canvas was among the "pearls of the Russian school of painting" and became "a milestone in the history of Russian landscape painting".[10] Art historian Vitaly Manin called "Moscow Courtyard" a "masterpiece of landscape art" and wrote that "one such painting is enough to go down in history".[13]
History
Past events
In 1863-1871 Vasily Polenov studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts, where he was first (until 1866) a free student and then a regular student.[14][15][16] His mentors in the history painting class were Alexei Markov, Pyoter Basin, Pyoter Shamshin, Alexander Beydeman and Carl Wenig.[14] In 1871, Polenov was awarded a large gold medal by the Academy of Arts for his painting "The Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter" (now in the NIM RAH). Along with this award he received the title of the first class artist, as well as the right to a pensioner's trip abroad.[14] In 1872-1873 Polenov visited Germany and Italy, and in 1873-1876 he lived and worked in Paris.[14] In a letter to his parents, written shortly before the end of his trip abroad, the artist reported: "Here I tried all kinds of painting: historical, genre painting, landscape, marine art, head portrait, picture, animals, still life, and so on, and came to the conclusion that my talent is closest to the domestic landscape genre, which I will take up".[17][18]
In the summer of 1876, Polenov returned to St. Petersburg. In the same year, "the Academy of Arts awarded him the title of Academician[14] for his excellent knowledge of painting, as evidenced by the works presented. In the fall of 1876, having joined the Russian Volunteer Army, which took part in the First Serbian–Ottoman War, Polenov went to the area of military operations, where he created a number of drawings based on his battle impressions.[19][14] At the end of the year, the artist returned to St. Petersburg, but with the desire to move to Moscow as soon as possible. In a letter to Elizaveta Mamontova (wife of entrepreneur and art patron Savva Mamontov) dated December 24, 1876, Polenov wrote "Strongly aspire to you in Moscow, probably, in it will be easier to work than in St. Petersburg, where not a minute can not have free to concentrate ...".[20]
Polenov also discussed his move with the art critic Vladimir Stasov, who wrote to him in a letter dated 3 January 1877: "You are going to settle down in Moscow <...>, and in the meantime you do not need Moscow for anything, nor anything else in Russia. You have a mentality that is not Russian, not only not historically, but not even ethnographically not Russian. It would be better for you to live permanently in Paris or Germany. Unless, of course, some unexpected changes suddenly happen to you, opening some previously unknown boxes and pouring out unknown treasures and news. Of course, I am not a prophet!"[21][22][23] Polenov, upset by Stasov's critical remarks, shared his doubts with the artist Ilya Repin. In a letter from Khuguev dated January 20, 1877, Repin wrote to Polenov: "No, dear brother, you will see for yourself how our Russian reality, which has never been depicted before, will shine before you. How you will be drawn in, to the marrow of your bones, to its poetic truth, as you begin to comprehend it, yes, with all the heat of love to translate it on your canvas, and you will be surprised at what will turn out before your eyes and the first to enjoy his work, and then all will not yawn in front of it".[24][25][26]
Move to Moscow and work on the painting
In June 1877, the artist arrived in Moscow. He stayed with his father's friend, industrialist and publisher Fyodor Chizhov. In Moscow, Polenov planned to work on the historical painting "The Tonsure of the Incompetent Tsarevna". In addition, the artist planned to make a trip along the Volga and the eastern part of Russia, but soon after arriving in Moscow he left this idea.[22][26]
It took him about three weeks to find an apartment.[26] On 23 June 1877, Polenov wrote to Chizhov: "My new home is very close to yours, in Durnovsky Lane between Novinsky Boulevard and the Sobachiy Square. In the same letter, Polenov gave his new address: "Moscow, Durnovsky Lane near the Savior on the Sands, the Baumgarten house".[27][28][26] Polenov rented an apartment with his fellow artist Rafail Levitsky.[26] Vasily Dmitrievich later recalled (according to his son's notes): "I was looking for an apartment. I saw a note on the door, went in to look, and right out of the window I saw this view. Vasily Dmitrievich later recalled (according to his son's notes): "I was looking for an apartment. I saw a note on the door, went in to look, and right out of the window I saw this view. I immediately sat down and painted it".[29][30] The artist was referring to the original sketch variant "Moscow courtyard" (in Polenov's own list of his works it was recorded under the title "Arbat corner").[31][30] In the summer of the same year, already living in Durnovsky Lane, Polenov began to work on the main version of the canvas "Moscow courtyard", as well as on the painting "Grandmother's Garden".[32] At the same time the artist worked on studies of cathedrals and interiors of the Moscow Kremlin.[33]
Apparently, a considerable part of the work on "The Moscow Courtyard" was done by Polenov in July and the first half of August 1877, because in the following months he had to travel a lot.[34] At the beginning of July, 1877, the parents of Vasily Dmitrievich died: Dmitry Vasilievich and Maria Alekseevna invited him to their dacha, which was located in the village of Petrushki near Kiev; apparently, the trip to the Kiev province took place in August.[35][36] In September of the same year, Polenov stayed in Olshanka[35] — the estate of his grandmother Vera Nikolaevna Voyeikova, located in Borisoglebsky uyezd, Tambov province.[37] At the end of 1877 — beginning of 1878 Polenov was at the Bulgarian front of the Russo-Turkish War, where he performed the duties of an artist at the headquarters of the Imperial Russian Army.[38]
6th Travelling Art Exhibition and Painting Sale
On March 9, 1878, the 6th exhibition of the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions (Peredvizhniki) was opened in St. Petersburg, which worked until April 22 and then moved to Moscow, where it continued its work on May 7.[39] At the St. Petersburg part of the exhibition, Polenov's paintings were not presented.[40] It is known that Polenov tried, at least belatedly, to send "Moscow Court" there - in a letter to the artist Ivan Kramsky, sent from Moscow and dated April 13, 1878, he wrote: "... my picture for the traveling exhibition is ready (the picture has been ready for a long time, but the frame only now). Unfortunately, I did not have time to do more important things, but I wanted to appear at the traveling art exhibition with something decent; I hope to earn lost time for art in the future. My picture shows a courtyard in Moscow in early summer. In the same letter, Polenov consulted with Kramsky about how to proceed: "Now I do not know whether to send it [the painting] to St. Petersburg or to wait until the exhibition arrives here" and asked to be informed "until what time the exhibition will continue in St. Petersburg".[41][42][43] Polenov replied. In a reply dated April 14, 1878, Kramsky wrote to Polenov that he regretted "that your name does not appear here in St. Petersburg (since the exhibition closes on April 22 and is immediately sent to Moscow)". According to Kramskoi, "the matter does not change from that; nor will it change from the fact that: more or less important you will put".[44][42]
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