Vasily
Semenovich Sadovnikov

Self-taught from the serfs, belonged to Princess N. P. Galitzine — the prototype of the old Countess in Queen of spades by A. S. Pushkin. Received his freedom in 1838, after the death of the Princess, being already a very famous artist. According to some, the Academy of fine arts still not been studied, but the title of a free class artist received in the same 1838 "Promising Academic ladder from nature".

The name of V. S. Sadovnikova is one of the Central places among the artists who devoted their works to the image of St. Petersburg. He lived a long life. And if his early watercolors and lithographs captured the Russian capital times of A. S. Pushkin, N. Gogol, then the later appears to Petersburg Dostoevsky, N. G. Pomyalovsky. The most famous work of the artist, "Panorama of Nevsky prospect" (1830), known in art history as "Panorama Sadovnikova", was originally done in watercolor almost 16-meter length, then transferred to lithographic stone and published by publisher A. M. Prevost. Right (shadow) side of the Nevsky lithographed in 1830, I. A. Ivanov, left (sun) - P. Ivanov in 1835 the Precision with which the Gardeners have captured the main street of the capital, aroused the admiration of contemporaries, who believed that the artist created "the most similar portrait... handsome Nevsky Prospekt". In this Mature work emerged Sadovnikov the main features of his work. The accuracy is, you can tell, the documentary image of the urban landscape does not cut it kind of poetic mood. Petersburg in the transfer Sadovnikov - a living city, populated by many people of different classes. So those are right who think the artist equally vidoescom and genre painter. The life of the capital city, the artist watched since childhood. Serf of the Princess N. P. Golitsyna, which served as the prototype of Pushkin's old Countess in Queen of spades, Gardeners among domestic servants lived in her St. Petersburg home. He received his freedom only in the early 1830s, after the death of the Princess. While thirty-eight Gardeners was already a famous artist. The ability to draw from Sadovnikov emerged early. Apparently, an influence on his elder brother Peter, the future academician of architecture, the boy is given over for education to A. N. Voronikhin, a well-known architect and academician perspective painting. Of great importance for Sadovnikov had his part in 1823-27 years of coloring lithographed views of St Petersburg and environs, published by OPH. Thanks to this society, who helped many talented serf, Gardeners, met with artists and lithographic, who later played an important role in his life. So, K. P. Beggrov in the 1830s lithographed originals Sadovnikova a, painter M. N. Sparrows, supervised jointly with A. Venetsianov works for the coloring of lithographs in the society, in 1837, headed AH promising class for Tolstoy - it was at this time the Gardeners were preparing their software to work on the title of the artist. Gardeners was a good genre painter and a master image interiors. In addition, he traveled extensively in Russia: visited Moscow, revel, Vilna, Helsingfors, Novgorod and Tambov. Last known now Sadovnikov sheet depicting the interior of a peasant house, dated 1873 and has the inscription: "Tambov". Sadovnikov heritage dates back several hundred sheets. Among them are not only complete songs, but many of the preparatory drawings and sketches from nature, such, for example, notes of the artist: "the Day was clear, Sunny." For decades, creative manner Sadovnikov changed. In the 1840s he wrote his most successful watercolors. They are characterized by jewelry and fine attention to detail, a harmonious color scheme. By the end of the 1850s, Gardeners have worked differently: it became freer, bolder color - active. The individual sheets are characterized by excessively open color, almost variegated. However, the skill of the artist has grown considerably. Some decline was observed only in the 1860s, but Gardeners nevertheless continued to work actively. So, in 1862 he performed with the panorama of Petersburg Pulkovo heights for competitive album of watercolors to the 100-year anniversary of AH. He died at the venerable age and was buried in Petersburg, Mitrofanevskoe cemetery.