Konstantin Dmitriyevich Flavitsky is known almost exclusively as the artist who created the painting “Princess Tarakanova”, while his other canvases are known mainly to a narrow circle of specialists in the history of Russian art of the 19th century. In part, this is due to the fact that the artist lived a short life and managed to leave behind only a number of history paintings and a small series of illustrations for the works of Mikhail Lermontov.
The result of his academic training was the canvas “The Children of Jacob Sell Their Brother Joseph” painted in 1855, inspired by a biblical plot. He received a large gold medal for it and a small gold medal for the painting “Judgment of King Solomon” completed a year earlier.
When he was awarded the gold medal, the artist also received the right to travel abroad, where he went in May 1856. Flavitsky visited Berlin and Dresden, and then settled in Rome. There he soon painted a portrait of a young Italian woman in the traditions of Academic art, through which, however, a lively feeling breaks through, with some idealization. The work is signed by the artist, which is extremely rare for him. Flavitsky admires his model. It is possible that the image could serve as the basis for one of the paintings he planned to create.
Flavitsky’s painting “Christian Martyrs in the Colosseum” was completed in the last year of his travels abroad. After the artist returned to Russia, the painting was displayed at the Academic Exhibition of 1863. The Academy of Arts awarded Flavitsky the title of honorary free artist for the canvas.
The painting “Princess Tarakanova” with its stunning dramatic scene was painted by Flavitsky in 1864. In the same year, it was exhibited at the Academy of Arts and attracted the attention of the Russian public. The art critic Vladimir Stasov called Konstantin Dmitriyevich’s canvas “a wonderful painting, the glory of our school, the most brilliant creation of Russian painting.” But the choice of the plot was not approved by everyone, especially since the interpretation of the event did not meet historical realities.
When the artist worked on the painting “Princess Tarakanova”, his health was already severely weakened due to consumption, and in September 1866, he passed away.
The result of his academic training was the canvas “The Children of Jacob Sell Their Brother Joseph” painted in 1855, inspired by a biblical plot. He received a large gold medal for it and a small gold medal for the painting “Judgment of King Solomon” completed a year earlier.
When he was awarded the gold medal, the artist also received the right to travel abroad, where he went in May 1856. Flavitsky visited Berlin and Dresden, and then settled in Rome. There he soon painted a portrait of a young Italian woman in the traditions of Academic art, through which, however, a lively feeling breaks through, with some idealization. The work is signed by the artist, which is extremely rare for him. Flavitsky admires his model. It is possible that the image could serve as the basis for one of the paintings he planned to create.
Flavitsky’s painting “Christian Martyrs in the Colosseum” was completed in the last year of his travels abroad. After the artist returned to Russia, the painting was displayed at the Academic Exhibition of 1863. The Academy of Arts awarded Flavitsky the title of honorary free artist for the canvas.
The painting “Princess Tarakanova” with its stunning dramatic scene was painted by Flavitsky in 1864. In the same year, it was exhibited at the Academy of Arts and attracted the attention of the Russian public. The art critic Vladimir Stasov called Konstantin Dmitriyevich’s canvas “a wonderful painting, the glory of our school, the most brilliant creation of Russian painting.” But the choice of the plot was not approved by everyone, especially since the interpretation of the event did not meet historical realities.
When the artist worked on the painting “Princess Tarakanova”, his health was already severely weakened due to consumption, and in September 1866, he passed away.
