Went through the initial path of a young Russian artistic talent. After training at K. I. Rabus at the Moscow school of painting and sculpture (1843-1848), he became volnoprihodyaschim student of the Academy of arts in St. Petersburg (1850). Under the guidance of Professor M. N. Vorobyov, his talent quickly implemented in high skill: in 1851 I. Davydov is a large silver medal in 1852, for the painting "View from the vicinity of Narva" — a small gold medal, in 1853 — a gold medal for landscape "View on the island Valaam" and the title of class artist of the first degree and the right to pensioner's trip abroad.
Among the masters who have left a bright trace in the history of art chronicle of Balaam, stands out the name of the artist Ivan G. Davydova. His creative legacy is small, as he had passed away. But he belonged to the most gifted and promising authors.
About the childhood and adolescent years, Davydova I. G. very little is known. The son of a Moscow merchant, was born in 1826, in 1843-1848 he studied under K. I. Rabus at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture (also known as the Moscow school of painting) of the Moscow art society.
An excellent draftsman and painter Karl Ivanovich Rabus (1800-1857) proved himself an outstanding teacher. In College, where he led a class of perspective and landscape painting, he started young, I. Shishkin and L. Kamenev, who later, as the Davydov, quite successfully worked on Valaam. Cannot be overemphasized and the importance of the school, one of the best at that time art schools in Russia, in development of the best traditions of Russian realistic landscape.
Being so many years in the creative atmosphere that prevailed at the school, receiving many of the necessary skills, Davydov, have outstanding talent, could not feel the thirst for further learning within the walls of the St. Petersburg Academy of arts. He started in 1850 the training on the rights volnoprihodyaschego student in the class known tutor of the whole galaxy of artists (not only landscape) M. N. Vorobiev (1787-1855). Among them are the names which are inseparably connected with Balaam it again Shishkin I. I. and his friends: Gina A. V., Gogin p. P., M. K. Klodt and others.
The stages of learning and artistic success I. Davydova Protocol and documented in various reference books, journals of the Council of the Academy, catalogues of the annual academic exhibitions. My first medal, a small silver, Ivan Davydov received in 1847, while in the walls of the Moscow school. Other awards he was awarded during his studies at the Academy of fine arts: in 1851 – a large silver, in 1852 – a small gold for the "View from the vicinity of Narva" and in 1853 – a large gold and the title of "class artist of the first degree" for the painting "View on the island Valaam". This title gave him the right to foreign pensioner (with boarding provision at public expense) a trip than he in 1854 took. Ivan G. went first to Geneva (Switzerland), and then to Italy and Rome.
About the extraordinary personality of the romantic artist and his talent today can be judged only on the basis of his heritage, which, unfortunately, are few and also scattered throughout the various collections of our country and abroad (Finland).
Some of the statements, opinions of him still preserved in the epistolary heritage of other authors. In particular, it is known that the great Russian painter Alexander Ivanov of Russia, as the author unprecedented in conception and execution of paintings "the appearance of Christ to the people", while still in Rome by the time of his arrival there, Ivan Davydov, noticed a young landscape painter. He recommended that his paintings Kozma Terentievich Soldatenkov, who started in the early 1850's acquisition of the gallery of Russian art, the predecessor of the famous gallery Tretyakov brothers. Without a doubt, the recommendation of the master, could not more strongly characterizes the level of talent of Ivan Davidov.
In the State Tretyakov gallery kept a portrait of Davydova, written by his friend I. A. by Kabanova (1823-1869). On the back of the canvas is an inscription: "the Portrait of Eve. Grig. Davydova umershego in Rome on 6 December. 1856 31 year from tuberculosis, written by the artist Kabanova". Ivan Andreevich not only wrote the suicide portrait of Davidov, but also informed his father by letter. This letter was published in the book "materials for the history of art in Russia. The first book of Nicholas Ramazanov" (CM. 1863. Volume 1, p. 267-268).
"You lost," he writes, " my dear son, and we a cute companion. Last summer, Ivan G. went to the neighborhood of Rome and caught the fever (it is rampant here), then he developed tuberculosis. He was always confident of the outcome of his illness, but instead went to Monte Tectarrio where our brothers were buried. I spent most of the time, worked two summers in the vicinity of Rome.
After the artist's death left the portfolio with seventeen hundred of his sketches, three oil paintings of the Swiss kinds, oil of the same kind of ARICIA a great album with nine young (eternal associates of vidoescom). Dying, he asked me to cut out his heart and send you, but the judge how to do it!
Ivan Grigor'evich confessed and received the communion of St. Secrets. Buried him in a decent manner; on the burial were all artists, not even the Russians who knew him and loved: all gave him due honour.
You wanted to know about the last minute for your son: two days before his death he was unable to see comrades; in the last moments of life, supported by his kind mistress, who had nursed him like a mother, he was on his feet and suddenly after a long silence said: what do I see? What kind of person, what kind of people? Here's my father! – after these words, Yves. Grig. bowed his head on the breast of the mistress and died. With the dead man took off his mask. It's a pity that he went abroad; I left the right only to die in Rome; and many a blue sky is not entirely healthy" (the text is reproduced with minor spelling amendments – L. P.).
Today we can only imagine what heights would reach the works of Ivan Davydov, had he lived longer... His works are in major museums: the State Tretyakov gallery, the research Museum of the Russian Academy of arts (St. PETERSBURG), State Russian Museum and others, as well as in Finland.
- Artworks in 2 selections
