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Peter the Great (1672-1725)

— Ivan Kramskoi, from a letter to V. V. Stasov, 8th August 1886

Catherine the Great (1729-1796)

he evolution of Russian Art from the traditional icon and folk art to the more Western influenced art begins with the Reign of Peter the Great.

Peter the Great of Russia (1672-1725) is credited with dragging medieval Russia into the 18th Century. He was an avid collector and he loved all things European. He made numerous trips to Amsterdam to study their architecture, shipping centers and to purchase medical apparatus, collections, and art. He often made these recognizance trips in disguise. (Tzar Peter was close to 7 feet tall, and the idea of this Russian giant, dressed as a serf, buying up Flemish masterpieces presents an intriguing image.) He founded St. Petersburg, Russia in 1703, modeling it after European cities.

The interest in Western art and culture that began with Tzar Peter's visits to Western Europe burgeoned under the leadership of Catherine the Great.

Ilya Repin, Self Portrait (1844-1930)

The German born Catherine married Peter III, grandson of Peter the Great. Peter III was an effete, weak man. Six months after he was crowned Tzar in 1762, Catherine (1729-1796), with the support of the Russian military, clergy, and even Peter's own advisers, staged a bloodless coup, and was crowned Catherine II.

She lost no time in putting Russia on track to becoming a formidable nation. She built ports, installed schools in every city and village, encouraged industry development and new agricultural enterprises. She commissioned the building of palaces, opera houses and theaters, and opened the School of Architecture, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the first public library. She also built up the Imperial art collection from a dozen works to an incredible 3,926.

Ivan Kramskoi, Self Portrait (1837-1887)

In 1764 Catherine ordered the building of the Hermitage to house her enormous collection of art work, and established the Academy of Fine Art. The curriculum of the Academy was based on the French atelier. A number of artists continued their education by training in France at the end of their academic studies at the Academy in St. Petersburg.

For nearly 100 years, the government sponsored Academy of Art in St. Petersburg produced an array of masterful artists, among them Orest Kiprensky, Vasily Tropinin, and Karl Briullov. But by the time artist Ivan Kramskoi was finishing his studies at the Academy in 1852, he perceived that it was time for a change.

Vasily Perov, Self Portrait (1834-1882)

A firebrand, activist and outstanding artist, Ivan Kramskoi (1837-1887) felt that it was time for Russian artists to stop painting in the European style and to be independent from the Academy of Art and bureaucratic and government control. He felt it was time for Russian artists to band together and paint Russian art. Taking 13 of the top Academy of Art students with him, he resigned in protest and organized the Artist Artel, a commune of young Russian artists in St. Petersburg. The Artel thrived for nine years.

Valentin Serov, Self Portrait (1865-1911)

A even more lasting testament to Kramskoi's vision of Russian art controlled by the artists was the establishment of the "Associationfor Traveling Exhibits," or "The Itinerants." The initial group of artists included Kramskoi, Ivan Shishkin, and Nikolai Gay. The Itinerants eventually grew to over 100 active members and 440 participating artists and organized 48 traveling exhibitions.

From 1858-1900, Russia was awash in brilliant paintings by exceptional artists. This was a glorious period for art not just in Russia, but across the Western World, with artists like John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn, Cecilia Beaux, Mary Cassett, James McNeill Whistler, and William Bouguereau producing incredible masterpieces.

In this series of essays, I explore the masterful Russian art and artists of this period, including Ivan Kramskoi, Ilya Repin, Valentin Serov, and Vasily Perov.

Russian Art. Bred in the Russian soul, nurtured in classical study, and flowering into genius.

Peggy Baumgaertner
April 10, 2006

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