Landscape painter Ivan Shishkin became famous during his lifetime for his paintings depicting the Russian forest. His contemporaries called him ‘the artistic forest warrior’ and the ‘forest king’.
He studied at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, already at that period of time Ivan Shishkin tried to get as close to nature as possible: he made sketches with interesting views and details of landscapes. After graduating from the painting school, in the same year he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg where he was considered to be a student with outstanding capabilities.
A real school of art for Shishkin was a trip to Valaam, where he went to be able to paint landscape pictures from nature. Here the young artist studied tree trunks, grass, moss, and tiny leaves with the attention of a biologist.
In the 1870s, Ivan Shishkin got acquainted with the members of the Association of traveling art exhibitions. He participated in exhibitions held by this association until the end of his life. In 1872, the Academy of Arts awarded Shishkin the title of Professor of painting for his painting ‘Forest wilderness’. Shishkin’s artworks were purchased by Alexander III and by the Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich.
The image of the Russian forest became the basis of his artistic inspiration. The artist liked to paint pristine corners of nature where nothing reminded of civilization. Shishkin carefully studied nature and tried to show in the finest details the shape of leaves, the roughness of the bark, the structure of grass and moss. He experimented with different brushes and strokes, refined the skill of painting forms, showing the most delicate shades.
In the painting from our collection called “Forest meadow with pine trees” Ivan Shishkin depicted the small corner of the forest in the hot summer. Tall and strong pine trunks, illuminated by the sun, set the rhythm of the artwork. In the etude landscape, Shishkin’s special style was revealed — the accuracy of drawing in the smallest details of plants. And this is despite the fact that ‘glade with pines’ is a sketch work that is characterized by liveliness and incompleteness.
Ivan Shishkin worked until the last day of his life and even died at the easel. His creative legacy is immense. Shishkin’s artworks are exhibited in the collections of museums and private collections throughout Russia and abroad.
He studied at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, already at that period of time Ivan Shishkin tried to get as close to nature as possible: he made sketches with interesting views and details of landscapes. After graduating from the painting school, in the same year he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg where he was considered to be a student with outstanding capabilities.
A real school of art for Shishkin was a trip to Valaam, where he went to be able to paint landscape pictures from nature. Here the young artist studied tree trunks, grass, moss, and tiny leaves with the attention of a biologist.
In the 1870s, Ivan Shishkin got acquainted with the members of the Association of traveling art exhibitions. He participated in exhibitions held by this association until the end of his life. In 1872, the Academy of Arts awarded Shishkin the title of Professor of painting for his painting ‘Forest wilderness’. Shishkin’s artworks were purchased by Alexander III and by the Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich.
The image of the Russian forest became the basis of his artistic inspiration. The artist liked to paint pristine corners of nature where nothing reminded of civilization. Shishkin carefully studied nature and tried to show in the finest details the shape of leaves, the roughness of the bark, the structure of grass and moss. He experimented with different brushes and strokes, refined the skill of painting forms, showing the most delicate shades.
In the painting from our collection called “Forest meadow with pine trees” Ivan Shishkin depicted the small corner of the forest in the hot summer. Tall and strong pine trunks, illuminated by the sun, set the rhythm of the artwork. In the etude landscape, Shishkin’s special style was revealed — the accuracy of drawing in the smallest details of plants. And this is despite the fact that ‘glade with pines’ is a sketch work that is characterized by liveliness and incompleteness.
Ivan Shishkin worked until the last day of his life and even died at the easel. His creative legacy is immense. Shishkin’s artworks are exhibited in the collections of museums and private collections throughout Russia and abroad.
