In January 1893, Pyotr Tchaikovsky spent two weeks in Odessa where he was invited as a conductor at concerts and to attend the staging of The Queen of Spades. Odessa also hosted three symphony concerts of the Imperial Russian Musical Society, directed by Tchaikovsky.
While in Odessa, Tchaikovsky got acquainted with artist Nikolai Kuznetsov who wished to create the composer’s portrait. He painted Tchaikovsky’s portrait during the rehearsals of The Queen of Spades. The composer sat for the portrait in the city theater. Tchaikovsky expressed his opinion of the portrait in his letter to artist Vladimir Makovsky: ‘The portrait was created in a hurry, so it may not have the desired perfection of details, but when it comes to expression, lifelikeness and realism, unless I’m mistaken, it appears to be very successful’. The picture became one of the best portraits of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky created during his lifetime. It was painted 9 months before the composer’s death. In a letter to Makovsky, Tchaikovsky asked for his assistance, because ‘Nikolai Kuznetsov is eager to have my portrait featured at the traveling exhibition… To be quite honest, I too really want the portrait to get to St. Petersburg’.
Nikolai Kuznetsov painted the Spring View a year before his meeting with Tchaikovsky, in 1892. He depicted a manor house surrounded by green gardens. The canvas comes in a bulky carved wooden frame.
While in Odessa, Tchaikovsky got acquainted with artist Nikolai Kuznetsov who wished to create the composer’s portrait. He painted Tchaikovsky’s portrait during the rehearsals of The Queen of Spades. The composer sat for the portrait in the city theater. Tchaikovsky expressed his opinion of the portrait in his letter to artist Vladimir Makovsky: ‘The portrait was created in a hurry, so it may not have the desired perfection of details, but when it comes to expression, lifelikeness and realism, unless I’m mistaken, it appears to be very successful’. The picture became one of the best portraits of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky created during his lifetime. It was painted 9 months before the composer’s death. In a letter to Makovsky, Tchaikovsky asked for his assistance, because ‘Nikolai Kuznetsov is eager to have my portrait featured at the traveling exhibition… To be quite honest, I too really want the portrait to get to St. Petersburg’.
Tchaikovsky’s portrait created by Nikolai Kuznetsov was displayed at the 21st Traveling Exhibition: first, at St. Petersburg’s Academy of Sciences, and then in Moscow, at the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Later on, collector Pavel Tretyakov saw the picture. He called it ‘lovely’ and purchased it for his gallery, where it is featured today. According to the composer’s brother, ModEst Tchaikovsky, Kuznetsov wanted to gift the portrait to Pyotr Tchaikovsky, but the latter refused. That’s when the artist offered Tchaikovsky to choose any of his other works, and the composer picked the Spring View which is currently displayed at the House-Museum, in Tchaikovsky’s bedroom.
Nikolai Kuznetsov painted the Spring View a year before his meeting with Tchaikovsky, in 1892. He depicted a manor house surrounded by green gardens. The canvas comes in a bulky carved wooden frame.
