Ivan Aivazovsky first arrived in Italy in 1840. The painters of his generation regarded Rome as the Promised Land. Silvestr Shchedrin painted there his chamber landscapes, Orest Kiprensky worked there, the fame of Karl Bryullov resounded there. Those painters were extremely important to young Aivazovsky’s creative formation. During the years he spent abroad he had a chance to work in Rome and Naples, Sorrento and Venice. Aivazovsky figured out his routes to visit as many Italian cities as possible.
His European fame began in Italy. Despite his rather young age, Aivazovsky was soon accepted and appreciated by Roman aristocracy. He was close to writer Nikolai Gogol and painter Alexander Ivanov, who passionately approved his paintings. Several years spent abroad turned Aivazovsky into a first-rate painter. From then on vibrant Italian nature held the painter hard — during his life he regularly returned to those images.
The picture Italian Landscape. Evening was painted in 1858. This is a very subtle work full of idyllic spirit. Its prevalent shades are intense blue and purple. The artist portrayed the Alps at a distance and mirror-like surface of lake Lago Maggiore. Aivazovsky’s friend, painter Vasily Sternberg, is recognizable in one of the paddlers, and the painter himself is at the wheel. The picture was painted on the basis of recollections about the years the artist spent abroad, in Italy.
Recollections about sunlit Italy inspired Aivazovsky for many years. To a great extent, this work evoked pieces painted by Silvestr Shchedrin, who also enjoyed painting Italian scenery. The picture was made in a soft palette, which brought the memories of carefree student years of the artist. His first success came to Aivazovsky after the exhibition in Rome in 1841. The press then wrote: ‘At an art exhibition in Rome, Aivazovsky’s pictures were highly acclaimed… newspapers bristled with exuberant praise, and everyone unanimously said and wrote that no one had yet portrayed light, air and water so truthfully and lively’.
His European fame began in Italy. Despite his rather young age, Aivazovsky was soon accepted and appreciated by Roman aristocracy. He was close to writer Nikolai Gogol and painter Alexander Ivanov, who passionately approved his paintings. Several years spent abroad turned Aivazovsky into a first-rate painter. From then on vibrant Italian nature held the painter hard — during his life he regularly returned to those images.
The picture Italian Landscape. Evening was painted in 1858. This is a very subtle work full of idyllic spirit. Its prevalent shades are intense blue and purple. The artist portrayed the Alps at a distance and mirror-like surface of lake Lago Maggiore. Aivazovsky’s friend, painter Vasily Sternberg, is recognizable in one of the paddlers, and the painter himself is at the wheel. The picture was painted on the basis of recollections about the years the artist spent abroad, in Italy.
Recollections about sunlit Italy inspired Aivazovsky for many years. To a great extent, this work evoked pieces painted by Silvestr Shchedrin, who also enjoyed painting Italian scenery. The picture was made in a soft palette, which brought the memories of carefree student years of the artist. His first success came to Aivazovsky after the exhibition in Rome in 1841. The press then wrote: ‘At an art exhibition in Rome, Aivazovsky’s pictures were highly acclaimed… newspapers bristled with exuberant praise, and everyone unanimously said and wrote that no one had yet portrayed light, air and water so truthfully and lively’.
