Vladimir
Egorovich Makovsky

Vladimir Egorovich Makovsky (26 January (7 February) 1846, Moscow — 21 February 1920, Petrograd) – Russian artist, an outstanding representative and one of the leaders of the Association of traveling exhibitions. Taught in the life class of the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, led the scenic workshop at the Imperial Academy of arts.

Features of works by Vladimir Makovsky:It is best to Makovsky managed a small genre paintings, ideally the two characters. He is a recognized master of "small genre". The subjects of works by Vladimir Makovsky, as a rule, literature, looking at them, the viewer sees the whole story, which includes not only the images but also preceding and subsequent events. Episodes of everyday life – a favorite theme of the artist. As can be seen from the biography of Vladimir Makovsky, during his lifetime he was highly successful, and the fact that the main characters of his paintings – the poor, do not interfere with the setting high enough prices for his work.

Famous paintings of Vladimir Makovsky: "Date", "Not comin!", "Mother and daughter", "Girl with geese", "Two mothers. The foster mother and home".

Vladimir and Konstantin Makovsky: two brothers, two of the world something in common

Vladimir and KonstantinMakovsky are both artists worked in different styles. The elder, Constantine, was considered a salon artist, he painted portraits of aristocrats, the Emperor called him "my painter" and Russkaya Starina appeared in his paintings of the idyllic. Younger, Vladimir, constantly roamed the shelters, flea markets and cheap restaurants in search of nature. Constantine, very briefly, consisted in the Association of traveling exhibitions, and Vladimir was connected to him all the years of its existence. Pavel Tretyakov – a measure of success of Russian artists of the time, philanthropist and collector, to whom we owe the Tretyakov gallery, almost did not purchase paintings of Constantine, considering the price of them too high. But the paintings of Vladimir Makovsky in his collection were many, and the relationship with the younger artist developed warm and friendly. However, despite all these differences, something Makovsky United: both were expensive for their time artists. However, senior – prohibitively expensive, and Vladimir – just expensive, just enough to lead a fairly prosperous life and succeed. They were similar because both in life, many battered by critics. Reproach them put different, but criticized both.

The artist Vladimir Makovsky: the origin and education

Family Makovsky at the time was one of the cultural centers of Moscow. Mother had a wonderful voice, he taught at the Moscow Conservatory. Father – artist, collector, musician Yegor Makovsky, one of the founders of Moscow "natural class", is well known as the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture. There began his studies and Vladimir, and Konstantin. Also they had a brother, artist and architect Nicholas and two sisters the artist Alexanderand artist Maria. Vladimir, like Constantine, called the first teacher of his father. By some accounts, his childhood was also taught Tropinin. And officially the school both started at the Moscow school. With the Wanderers Vladimir Makovsky contacted in 1872, and two years later became one of the organizers of their shows.

In the 70-80-ies written his best works. Most of them are somehow connected with the life of the poor. Maximize the talent of Vladimir Makovsky was manifested in the depiction of genre scenes, he was called an artist-novelist. Looking at his paintings, we "read" each the whole story, know what happened with the characters up to this point, hypothesize what will happen to them after. And if the poor people in the paintings of Konstantin Makovsky sometimes when you change the outfit might seem aristocratic frequenters of the salonthen Vladimir Makovsky highly convincing in the depiction of the lower classes– adventures in cheap areas and shelters were not in vain. "He visits all the poorhouse...He knows all the sticks of Moscow, all the slums will meet him in the markets, at festivities, at all the flea market and then at balls, theatres, concerts, masquerades, on the Boulevard"that's what wrote about him contemporaries.

His small stories, small paintings on everyday topics differ surprising warmth and humanity. While often they are characterized by subtle irony that never reaches the level of satire (1, 2).

Led Makovsky at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, nature class, and in 1894 he was invited to teach at the Academy of fine arts, for which he moved to St. Petersburg. Ideologist of the Peredvizhniki, the critic Vladimir Stasov, considered the decision a big mistake, saying that in isolation from the roots of Moscow, Makovsky has become a salon painter.

Personal life, artistic views and "violin Makovsky"

Vladimir Makovsky at the age of 22 married Anna Gerasimova, singer, daughter of the architect of the Moscow Palace office. Their son Alexander became a landscape artistand the second, Constantine architect.
Makovsky is a prolific artist. There are about a thousand of his paintings. Some contemporaries believed that he so actively worked in order to provide a spouse's lifestyle to which she aspired. It is also true, however, his financial situation although was not as brilliant as his older brother, it was impossible to compare it to, for example, the deplorable state of Affairs Ivan Kramskoythat was almost a portrait of slavery. It seems that Makovsky just himself liked to be in the thick of things, constantly learning, thinking on your feet, immediately put his impressions on canvas. However, not only on the canvas – with regard to Vladimir Makovsky often commemorate and "violin of Ingres" (see biography of Ingres).

Russian artist was a big fan of music and even bought a very expensive violin made by Guarneri. If you believe the memoirs of itinerant James Minchenkova, musical talents Makovsky appear very dubious (because the violin of Ingres remember!), and he Makovskiy – the person is extremely materialistic, cold, devoid of passion and implying only benefit. But let's not forget the circumstances of their meeting: Minchenkov failed to enroll in the School of painting, looking for the patronage of the then senior lecturer Vladimir Makovsky, but did not achieve it. School, he later graduated from in the Association of the Wanderers was, but apparently, evil feelings for Makovsky held. At least, in his memoir good words to the artist we can find. But Polenovremember with pleasure the music of Vladimir Makovsky. However, Minchenkov not spared and teaching Makovsky, stating that he was not able to teach anything the students. Meanwhile, his disciples were the representatives of the Union of Russian artists, Arkhipov as, Golovin, Baksheyev, Bags, Aladzhalov. But to new trends in the art of Vladimir Makovsky was totally intolerable. Well known for his statement about the picture Serov "Girl in the sunlight". He indignantly asked Pavel Tretyakov:"Since when do you put your gallery syphilis"?

Revolution, Makovsky took, but after it lived for only two years, receiving the pension from the Soviet government.

Author: Alain Esaulova