Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (Hovhannes Ayvazyan) was born in Feodosia on July 29, 1817. His father, Konstantin Grigorievich Aivazovsky, an Armenian by nationality, married a fellow Armenian named Hripsime. Ivan (or Hovhannes - this was the name he was given at birth) had three sisters and a brother Gabriel (at birth - Sargis), who later became an Armenian historian and priest. Konstantin Aivazovsky was a merchant, initially quite successful, but in 1812 he went bankrupt due to the plague epidemic.

Even as a child, Ivan Aivazovsky showed extraordinary artistic and musical abilities- for example, he mastered playing the violin without outside help. Yakov Christianovich Koch, an architect from Feodosia, was the first to notice artistic talents young Ivan, and taught him elementary lessons skill. He supplied Aivazovsky with pencils, paper, paints, and also attracted the attention of A.I. Kaznacheev, the mayor of Feodosia, to the boy’s talents.

Aivazovsky graduated from the Feodosia district school, then was admitted to the Simferopol gymnasium with the assistance of the mayor, who by that time had already become an admirer of the young man’s talent. Following this, he was enrolled in the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (education in which was carried out at the expense of the state), thanks to the recommendation German painter Johann Ludwig Gross - the first drawing teacher of the young Aivazovsky. Sixteen-year-old Ivan Aivazovsky arrived in St. Petersburg in 1833.

In 1835, Aivazovsky’s landscapes “View of the Seaside in the Vicinity of St. Petersburg” and “Study of Air over the Sea” were awarded a silver medal, and the artist was appointed assistant to the fashionable French landscape painter Philippe Tanner. The latter forbade Aivazovsky to paint on his own, but the young artist continued to paint landscapes, and in the fall of 1836, five of his paintings were presented at an exhibition at the Academy of Arts, all of which received favorable reviews from critics.

But Philip Tanner filed a complaint against Aivazovsky to the Tsar, and on the instructions of Nicholas I, all the artist’s works were removed from the exhibition. Aivazovsky was pardoned six months later. He was transferred to the military class sea ​​painting under the guidance of Professor Alexander Ivanovich Sauerweid. After several months of studying with Sauerweid, Aivazovsky experienced unprecedented success - in the fall of 1837 he was awarded the Great Gold Medal for the painting “Calm”, thereby earning the right to travel to the Crimea and Europe.

The period of creativity from 1838 to 1844.

In the spring of 1838, the artist went to Crimea, where he lived until the summer of 1839. The main topic his works became not only seascapes, but also battle scenes. At the suggestion of General Raevsky, Aivazovsky took part in military operations on the Circassian coast in the valley of the Shakhe River. There he made sketches for the future painting “Detachment Landing in the Subashi Valley,” which he painted later; then this painting was acquired by Nicholas I. By the fall of 1839, the painter returned to St. Petersburg, and on September 23 he was awarded a certificate of graduation from the Academy of Arts, first rank and personal nobility.

During this period of time, Aivazovsky became a member of the circle of artist Karl Bryullov and composer Mikhail Glinka. In the summer of 1840, the artist and his Academy friend Vasily Sternberg went to Italy. The final destination of their journey was Rome; along the way they stopped in Florence and Venice. In Venice, Aivazovsky made acquaintance with N.V. Gogol, and also visited the island of St. Lazarus, where he met his brother Gabriel. Based in southern Italy, in Sorrento, he worked in his own unique manner - spending only a short time outdoors, and in the workshop he recreated the landscape, improvising and leaving free rein to his imagination. The painting “Chaos” was purchased by Pope Gregory XVI, who gave it to the artist as a reward for this work. gold medal. The “Italian” period of the artist’s work is considered very successful both from a commercial point of view and from a critical point of view - for example, the works of Ivan Konstantinovich earned high praise from the English painter William Turner. The Paris Academy of Arts awarded Aivazovsky's paintings with a gold medal.

In 1842, Aivazovsky visited Switzerland and Germany, then went to Holland, from there to England, and later visited Paris, Portugal and Spain. There were some incidents - in the Bay of Biscay the ship on which Ivan Konstantinovich was sailing was caught in a storm and almost sank, and information about the death of the artist appeared in the Parisian press. In the fall of 1844, Aivazovsky returned to his homeland after a four-year journey.

Further career, period from 1844 to 1895.

In 1844, Ivan Konstantinovich was awarded the title of painter of the Main Naval Staff, in 1847 - professor of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. He was an honorary member of five Academies of Arts in European cities - Paris, Rome, Florence, Stuttgart, Amsterdam.

The basis of creativity Aivazovsky was a maritime theme, he created a series of portraits of cities on the Crimean coast. Among marine painters, Aivazovsky has no equal - he captured the sea as a stormy element with menacing foaming waves, and at the same time he painted numerous landscapes of amazing beauty depicting sunrises and sunsets at sea. Although among Aivazovsky’s paintings there are also types of sushi (mainly mountain landscapes), as well as portraits - the sea is undoubtedly his native element.

He was one of the founders of the Cimmerian school landscape painting conveying beauty on the canvas Black Sea coast eastern Crimea.

His career can be called brilliant - he had the rank of rear admiral and was awarded many orders. Total Aivazovsky’s works exceed 6000.

Aivazovsky did not like metropolitan life; he was irresistibly drawn to the sea, and in 1845 he returned to his hometown of Feodosia, where he lived until the end of his life. He received the title of the first honorary citizen of Feodosia.

He was not only an outstanding artist, but also a philanthropist - with the money he earned he founded an art school and art gallery. Aivazovsky put a lot of effort into the improvement of Feodosia: he initiated the construction railway, which connected Feodosia and Dzhankoy in 1892; thanks to him, water supply appeared in the city. He was also interested in archeology, he was involved in the protection of Crimean monuments, and participated in archaeological excavations (some of the items found were transferred to the Hermitage). At his own expense, Aivazovsky erected a new building for the Feodosia Historical and Archaeological Museum.

To the Palestinian Society, which was headed by I.I. Tchaikovsky, brother famous composer, Ivan Konstantinovich donated his work “Walking on the Waters”.

Completion of career and last days of the painter

Aivazovsky died on May 2, 1900 in Feodosia, having reached old age (he lived for 82 years).

Before last day Aivazovsky wrote - one of his last paintings is called “The Bay of the Sea”, and the painting “The Explosion of a Turkish Ship” remained unfinished due to sudden death artist. The unfinished painting remained on the easel in the painter’s studio.

Ivan Konstantinovich buried in Feodosia, in the fence of a medieval Armenian temple. Three years later, the painter’s widow installed a marble tombstone on his grave - a white marble sarcophagus by the Italian sculptor L. Biogioli.

In 1930, a monument to Aivazovsky was erected in Feodosia in front of the art gallery of the same name. The painter is represented sitting on a pedestal and peering into the sea, in his hands - a palette and a brush.

Family

Aivazovsky was married twice. He first married in 1848 to an Englishwoman Julia Grevs, daughter of a St. Petersburg doctor. In this marriage, which lasted 12 years, four daughters were born. At the beginning family life was prosperous, then a crack appeared in the relationship between the spouses - Yulia Yakovlevna wanted to live in the capital, and Ivan Konstantinovich preferred his native Feodosia. The final divorce took place in 1877, and in 1882 Aivazovsky remarried - Anna Nikitichna Sarkisova, a young merchant widow, became his wife. Despite the fact that her husband was almost 40 years older than Anna Sarkisova, Aivazovsky’s second marriage was successful.

An interesting fact is that many of the great painter’s grandchildren followed in his footsteps and became artists.

Aivazovsky said that the sea is his life. The artist believed that, having lived three hundred years, he would still see something new in the sea even after such a time. Aivazovsky was not the only one who gave his life to the sea, but only he managed to give himself entirely to this magical element. Love for the sea and talent allowed us to convey all the beauty of the sea element. Over the course of his entire life, Aivazovsky, just imagine, painted about six thousand paintings, most of which depicted the sea. This article will examine the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky, or rather ten of them, because it is impossible to describe all six thousand in one article.

Storm at sea at night

Opens the Top 10 most famous paintings Aivazovsky canvas "Storm at Sea at Night". The painting has become an example of emotional painting, which clearly and in detail conveys the character of the sea element and shows its temperament. The picture can be called a living creature that has gone wild in the vast expanses of the sea. The “Storms at Night” palette amazes, first of all, with its combination of golden and dark shades. The night moon covers the waves of the sea, as if with “trembling gold.” The ship itself is presented as if it were alien, among the beauty of the sea.

Koktebel Bay

"Sea. Koktebel", "Sea. Koktebel Bay" or simply "Koktebel Bay"- one of the most beautiful paintings Aivazovsky, with the creation of which were associated best years his childhood. In the picture the author depicts his homeland - Feodosia. This is where he spent his childhood. Art connoisseurs say that it was while painting this painting that Ivan Aivazovsky achieved the true mastery of a “marine painter.” In the painting, the author successfully combined pink, orange and lilac colors, which allowed the painting to impart a unique warmth coming from the Black Sea, which it radiates to this day.

Rainbow

An equally famous painting by Aivazovsky is the canvas "Rainbow", which is on this moment stored in Tretyakov Gallery. The picture depicts a storm and people’s attempt to escape from the power of the sea. Aivazovskaya takes the viewer to the very epicenter of a powerful hurricane that does not want to stop. But still, in last moment a rainbow appears - it becomes hope for sailors desperately trying to survive.

Sunset on the sea

One of the most famous paintings by the marine painter Aivazovsky - "Sunset at sea", now stored in the city of Kostroma - in Kostroma art museum. The artist’s skill was appreciated by Tretyakov and Stasov. First of all, the painting was attracted by the living movement of nature, which the author was able to show by depicting the expanses of sky and sea. Attention is drawn to the endless variability of the shapes of the sea surface. Somewhere the picture shows calm calm, and somewhere – raging elements. The steamer seems alien among the “wild” marine nature.

Naval battle of Navarino

Aivazovsky painted not only “peaceful marinas”, but also loved to depict battle scenes of key naval battles. One of these works was the famous painting by Aivazovsky - "Sea Battle of Navarino". Powerful Russian fleet together with his allies in battle he opposed the Turkish fleet, which was ultimately completely defeated. The victory over the Turkish fleet accelerated the development of the national liberation war in Greece and amazed Aivazovsky. Having heard the feats, the author embodied the battle on canvas. The picture conveys all the cruelty of a naval battle: boarding, volleys of artillery ship guns, debris, drowning sailors and fire.

Sinking ship

Among the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky, "Sinking ship"- one of the most tragic works, because it shows the death of a sailing ship, which cannot contain the full power of the sea elements. The shipwreck is conveyed in such detail that it makes any viewer worry about the crew of the unfortunate ship. A small ship cannot withstand such large and powerful waves. Aivazovsky paid special attention to detail when writing. To see them, you have to look at the picture for hours and only then can you feel all the pain of the ship and the sailors fighting death.

Bay of Naples

During a trip to Italy, Aivazovsky painted one of his most famous paintings - "Bay of Naples". Europe was so amazed by the skill of the Russian author that it called him one of best artists throughout Europe. King Ferdinand Charles and Pope Gregory XVI personally expressed a desire to see the painting by the Russian author. After what they saw, they were amazed by Aivazovsky’s skill, and the Pope presented him with a gold medal. While painting the painting, Aivazovsky finally identified himself as a marine painter who uses methods of creating paintings from memory.

Brig "Mercury"

One of the most famous and at the same time most battle paintings Aivazovsky is a canvas "Brig "Mercury", attacked by two Turkish ships." The painting depicts the battle of the Mercury against two Turkish battleships, which took place in 1829 off the coast of the Bosphorus. Despite the enemy's ten-fold superiority in guns, the brig emerged victorious and inspired Aivazovsky to paint a painting that immortalized the memory of Russian sailors. Now the painting is stored in the Feodosia Art Gallery of Aivazovsky.

View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus Bay

"View of Constantinople and the Bosphorus Gulf." During his trip to Ottoman Empire, Aivazovsky liked the great city and its ports most of all; the author did not ignore the Bosphorus Bay itself.

Returning home, Aivazovsky painted a painting, which in 2012 was valued at more than three million pounds sterling or 155 million Russian rubles. The painting depicts in detail the port of Constantinople, a mosque, Turkish ships, the sun, which is about to disappear behind the horizon, but most of all the blue water surface attracts and allows the canvas to be called one of the most famous paintings by Aivazovsky.

Ninth va

Without any doubt, Aivazovsky’s most famous painting was "The Ninth Wave". At the moment, the painting is in storage at the Russian Museum. Art lovers say that it is in this painting that the romantic nature of the great artist is conveyed in most detail. The author shows what the sailors had to endure after their ship was wrecked by the power of the sea. With bright colors, Aivazovsky depicted all the power and strength not only of the sea elements, but also the strength of the people who managed to overcome it and survive.

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia:
After the end of the war in 1856, on the way from France, where international exhibition His works were exhibited, Aivazovsky visited Istanbul for the second time. He was warmly received by the local Armenian diaspora, and also, under the patronage of the court architect Sarkis Balyan, was received by Sultan Abdul-Mecid I. By that time, the Sultan’s collection already had one painting by Aivazovsky. As a sign of admiration for his work, the Sultan awarded Ivan Konstantinovich the Order of Nishan Ali, IV degree.
I.K. Aivazovsky made his third trip to Istanbul, at the invitation of the Armenian diaspora, in 1874. Many artists in Istanbul at that time were influenced by the work of Ivan Konstantinovich. This is especially evident in the marine paintings of M. Jivanyan. Brothers Gevork and Vagen Abdullahi, Melkop Telemakyu, Hovsep Samandzhiyan, Mkrtich Melkisetikyan later recalled that Aivazovsky also had a significant influence on their work. One of Aivazovsky’s paintings was presented by Sarkis Bey (Sarkis Balyan) to Sultan Abdul-Aziz. The Sultan liked the painting so much that he immediately ordered the artist 10 canvases with views of Istanbul and the Bosphorus. While working on this order, Aivazovsky constantly visited the Sultan’s palace, became friends with him, and as a result he painted not 10, but about 30 different canvases. Before Ivan Konstantinovich’s departure, an official reception was arranged for the padishah in honor of his being awarded the Order of Osmania, II degree.
A year later, Aivazovsky again goes to the Sultan and brings him two paintings as a gift: “View of St. Petersburg from the Holy Trinity Bridge” and “Winter in Moscow” (these paintings are currently in the collection of the Dolmabahce Palace Museum).
The next war with Turkey ended in 1878. The San Stefano Peace Treaty was signed in a hall whose walls were decorated with paintings by a Russian artist. It was a symbol of the future good relations between Turkey and Russia.
Paintings by I.K. Aivazovsky, which were in Turkey, were repeatedly exhibited in various exhibitions. In 1880, an exhibition of the artist’s paintings was held in the building of the Russian embassy. At the end of it, Sultan Abdul-Hamid II presented I.K. Aivazovsky with a diamond medal.
In 1881, the owner of the art store Ulman Grombach held an exhibition of works famous masters: Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Bruegl, Aivazovsky, Jerome. In 1882, an art exhibition by I.K. Aivazovsky and the Turkish artist Oskan Efendi took place here. The exhibitions were a huge success.
In 1888, another exhibition was held in Istanbul, organized by Levon Mazirov (nephew of I.K. Aivazovsky), at which 24 paintings by the artist were presented. Half of her proceeds went to charity. It was during these years that the first graduation of the Ottoman Academy of Arts occurred. Aivazovsky’s style of writing can be traced in the works of Academy graduates: “The sinking of the ship “Ertugrul” in Tokyo Bay” by the artist Osman Nuri Pasha, the painting “Ship” by Ali Cemal, some marinas of Diyarbakır Tahsin.
In 1890, Ivan Konstantinovich made his last trip to Istanbul. He visited the Armenian Patriarchate and Yildiz Palace, where he left his paintings as a gift. On this visit, he was awarded the Order of Medjidiye, I degree, by Sultan Abdul-Hamid II.
Currently, several famous paintings by Aivazovsky are in Turkey. The Military Museum in Istanbul houses the 1893 painting “Ship on the Black Sea”; the 1889 painting “Ship and Boat” is kept in one of the private collections. The residence of the President of Turkey houses the painting “A Ship Sinking in a Storm” (1899).

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky is a famous Russian marine painter, author of more than six thousand canvases. Professor, academician, philanthropist, honorary member of the Academies of Arts of St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, Rome, Stuttgart, Paris and Florence.

Was born future artist in Feodosia, in 1817, in the family of Gevork and Hripsime Gaivazovsky. Hovhannes’s mother (the Armenian version of the name Ivan) was a purebred Armenian, and his father came from Armenians who migrated from Western Armenia, which found itself under Turkish rule, to Galicia. Gevork settled in Feodosia under the name Gaivazovsky, writing it down in the Polish manner.

Hovhannes's father was amazing person, enterprising, savvy. Dad knew Turkish, Hungarian, Polish, Ukrainian, Russian and even Gypsy languages. In Crimea, Gevork Ayvazyan, who became Konstantin Grigorievich Gaivazovsky, very successfully engaged in trade. In those days, Feodosia grew rapidly, acquiring the status of an international port, but all the successes of the enterprising merchant were reduced to zero by the plague epidemic that broke out after the war with.

By the time Ivan was born, the Gaivazovskys already had a son, Sargis, who took the name Gabriel as a monk, then three more daughters were born, but the family lived in great need. Repsime's mother helped her husband by selling her elaborate embroideries. Ivan grew up as a smart and dreamy child. In the morning he woke up and ran to the seashore, where he could spend hours watching the ships and small fishing boats entering the port, admiring extraordinary beauty landscapes, sunsets, storms and calms.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "Black Sea"

The boy painted his first pictures on the sand, and after a few minutes they were washed away by the surf. Then he armed himself with a piece of coal and decorated the white walls of the house where the Gaivazovskys lived with drawings. The father looked, frowning at his son’s masterpieces, but did not scold him, but thought deeply. From the age of ten, Ivan worked in a coffee shop, helping his family, which did not at all prevent him from growing up as an intelligent and talented child.

As a child, Aivazovsky himself learned to play the violin, and, of course, constantly drew. Fate brought him together with the Feodosia architect Yakov Koch, and this moment is considered to be a turning point, defining in the biography of the future brilliant marine painter. Noticing artistic ability boy, Koch supplied young artist pencils, paints and paper, gave the first drawing lessons. The second patron of Ivan was the mayor of Feodosia, Alexander Kaznacheev. The governor appreciated Vanya’s skillful playing of the violin, because he himself often played music.

In 1830, Kaznacheev sent Aivazovsky to the Simferopol gymnasium. In Simferopol, the wife of the Taurida governor, Natalya Naryshkina, drew attention to the talented child. Ivan began to visit her home often, and socialite placed at his disposal her library, a collection of engravings, books on painting and art. The boy worked incessantly, copying famous works, drew studies, sketches.

With the assistance of the portrait painter Salvator Tonchi, Naryshkina turned to Olenin, the president of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, with a request to place the boy in the academy with full board. In the letter, she described in detail Aivazovsky’s talents, his life situation and attached drawings. Olenin appreciated the young man’s talent, and soon Ivan was enrolled in the Academy of Arts with the personal permission of the emperor, who also saw the drawings sent.

At the age of 13, Ivan Aivazovsky became the most a young student Academy in Vorobyov's landscape class. The experienced teacher immediately appreciated the magnitude and power of Aivazovsky’s talent and, to the best of his ability and ability, gave the young man a classical art education, a kind of theoretical and practical basis for the virtuoso painter that Ivan Konstantinovich soon became.

Very quickly the student surpassed the teacher, and Vorobiev recommended Aivazovsky to Philip Tanner, a French marine painter who arrived in St. Petersburg. Tanner and Aivazovsky did not get along in character. The Frenchman dumped all the rough work on the student, but Ivan still found time for his own paintings.

Painting

In 1836, an exhibition was held where the works of Tanner and the young Aivazovsky were presented. One of Ivan Konstantinovich’s works was awarded a silver medal, he was also praised by one metropolitan newspaper, but the Frenchman was reproached for mannerisms. Philip, burning with anger and envy, complained to the emperor about a disobedient student who had no right to exhibit his works at an exhibition without the knowledge of the teacher.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "The Ninth Wave"

Formally, the Frenchman was right, and Nicholas ordered the paintings to be removed from the exhibition, and Aivazovsky himself fell out of favor at court. A talented artist was supported by the best minds of the capital, with whom he managed to make acquaintance: , President of the Academy Olenin. As a result, the matter was decided in favor of Ivan, for whom Alexander Sauerweid, who taught painting to the imperial offspring, stood up.

Nikolai awarded Aivazovsky and even sent him and his son Konstantin to the Baltic Fleet. The Tsarevich studied the basics of maritime affairs and fleet management, and Aivazovsky specialized in the artistic side of the issue (it is difficult to write battle scenes and ships without knowing their structure).

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "Rainbow"

Sauerweid became Aivazovsky's teacher in battle painting. A few months later, in September 1837, the talented student received a gold medal for the painting “Calm”, after which the leadership of the Academy decided to release the artist from educational institution, because it could no longer give him anything.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky " Moonlight night on the Bosphorus"

At the age of 20, Ivan Aivazovsky became the youngest graduate of the Academy of Arts (according to the rules, he was supposed to study for another three years) and went on an paid trip: first to his native Crimea for two years, and then to Europe for six years. The happy artist returned to his native Feodosia, then traveled around the Crimea and took part in the amphibious landing in Circassia. During this time he painted many works, including peaceful seascapes and battle scenes.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "Moonlit Night on Capri"

After a short stay in St. Petersburg in 1840, Aivazovsky left for Venice, and from there to Florence and Rome. During this trip, Ivan Konstantinovich met with his older brother Gabriel, a monk on the island of St. Lazarus, and became acquainted with. In Italy, the artist studied the works of great masters and wrote a lot himself. He exhibited his paintings everywhere, and many were sold out immediately.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "Chaos"

The Pope himself wanted to buy his masterpiece “Chaos”. Hearing about this, Ivan Konstantinovich personally presented the painting to the pontiff. Touched by Gregory XVI, he presented the painter with a gold medal, and the fame of the talented marine painter thundered throughout Europe. Then the artist visited Switzerland, Holland, England, Portugal and Spain. On the way home, the ship on which Aivazovsky was sailing was caught in a storm, and a terrible storm broke out. For some time there were rumors that the marine painter had died, but, fortunately, he managed to return home safe and sound.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky "Storm"

Aivazovsky fell lucky fate make acquaintances and even friendships with many outstanding people that era. The artist was closely acquainted with Nikolai Raevsky, Kiprensky, Bryullov, Zhukovsky, not to mention his friendship with the imperial family. And yet connections, wealth, fame did not seduce the artist. The main things in his life were always family, ordinary people, and his favorite job.

Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky " Chesme fight"

Having become rich and famous, Aivazovsky did a lot for his native Feodosia: he founded an art school and an art gallery, a museum of antiquities, sponsored the construction of a railway, and a city water supply fed from his personal source. At the end of his life, Ivan Konstantinovich remained as active and active as in his youth: he visited America with his wife, worked a lot, helped people, was involved in charity work and landscaping hometown and teaching activities.

Personal life

The personal life of the great painter is full of ups and downs. There were three loves, three women in his destiny. Aivazovsky’s first love is a dancer from Venice, world celebrity Maria Taglioni was 13 years older than him. The artist in love went to Venice to follow his muse, but the relationship was short-lived: the dancer chose ballet over the young man’s love.

In 1848, Ivan Konstantinovich Great love married Julia Grevs, the daughter of an Englishman who was the court physician of Nicholas I. The young couple went to Feodosia, where they played magnificent wedding. In this marriage, Aivazovsky had four daughters: Alexandra, Maria, Elena and Zhanna.

In the photo the family looks happy, but the idyll was short-lived. After the birth of her daughters, the wife changed in character, suffering nervous disease. Julia wanted to live in the capital, attend balls, give parties, host social life, and the artist’s heart belonged to Feodosia and ordinary people. As a result, the marriage ended in divorce, which did not happen often at that time. With difficulty, the artist managed to maintain relationships with his daughters and their families: his grumpy wife turned the girls against their father.

Last love the artist met already at an advanced age: in 1881 he was 65 years old, and his chosen one was only 25 years old. Anna Nikitichna Sarkizova became Aivazovsky's wife in 1882 and was with him until the very end. Her beauty was immortalized by her husband in the painting “Portrait of the Artist’s Wife.”

Death

The great marine painter, who became a world celebrity at the age of 20, died at home in Feodosia at the age of 82, in 1900. The unfinished painting “Ship Explosion” remained on the easel.

Best paintings

• "The Ninth Wave";
• "Shipwreck";
• "Night in Venice";
• "Brig Mercury attacked by two Turkish ships";
• “Moonlit night in Crimea. Gurzuf";
• "Moonlit Night on Capri";
• "Moonlit Night on the Bosphorus";
• "Walking on the Waters";
• "Chesme fight";
• "Moonwalk"
• "Bosphorus on a Moonlit Night";
• "A.S. Pushkin on the Black Sea coast";
• "Rainbow";
• "Sunrise in the Harbor";
• "Ship in the middle of a storm";
• "Chaos. World creation;
• "Calm";
• "Venice Night";
• "Global flood".

The Black Sea is the constant and most frequent subject of Ivan Aivazovsky’s images. A native of Feodosia, great marine painter he knew his native shores almost by heart, which is why the waters of the Black Sea are so diverse in his work. “The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, which attracts with its simplicity and inner strength. It depicts nothing but the sea, and that is what makes it subtle and beautiful.

Marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky

The real name of the recognized master of the seascape is Hovhannes Ayvazyan, he comes from the family of an impoverished Armenian merchant. Due to his difficult financial situation, young Aivazovsky could not afford decent training in the art of drawing and painting until he attracted the attention of the chief architect of Feodosia with his natural talent.

After initial help from his benefactor, Aivazovsky was able to quickly achieve recognition and popularity. His unique manner of depicting water in general and seascapes in particular played a big role in achieving the status of academician of art.

The painter's talent was not limited to images of the sea, as evidenced by his numerous portraits, rare genre compositions and subjects on religious themes. However, Aivazovsky’s only and unquenchable passion was the sea.

The Black Sea in the works of Aivazovsky

Despite the fact that “The Black Sea” (a painting by Aivazovsky, painted in 1881) is the only painting with that title, the great marine painter often depicted the waters of the Black Sea on his canvases. The artist was born in Feodosia and lived there most of his life. Aivazovsky believed that it was impossible to draw water from life, since it is the most fickle and changeable of the elements. However, the shores and waves of his native Black Sea were so familiar to him that he could depict their various states from memory.

Among the huge artistic heritage author greatest number The paintings are dedicated to the Black Sea, which was the artist’s constant theme. Aivazovsky depicted the Black Sea in all its guises - in calm and storm, day and night, in the rays of the morning sun or in the fire of sunset. The work of the great marine painter leaves no doubt about his love and affection for his native shores.

Description of Aivazovsky’s painting “Black Sea”

Despite the frequent depiction of native shores, in creative heritage There is only one painting by Aivazovsky, which is simply called “The Black Sea”. This canvas was created by the artist in 1881 and offers viewers a view of the endless sea expanse, frozen on the canvas just before the storm begins. The second title of the painting is “A storm begins to break out on the Black Sea.”

“The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, characterized by simplicity of plot and practically perfect proportions compositions. The canvas depicts a darkened sea with frequent, restless, but not yet high waves, decorated with small foamy crests. Such waves, penetrated by rays of light and as if glowing from within, were called “Aivazovsky’s waves” by the artist’s contemporaries.

The horizon line divides the picture almost perfectly into two equal parts - a stormy sea below, a darkened sky above, and between them a thin strip of land and a lonely sail rushing towards it are barely visible through a curtain of fog.

Analysis of the picture

“The Black Sea” is a painting by Aivazovsky, which attracts the eye with its relaxed harmony and unusually realistic color palette. In addition to the fact that the picture is compositionally divided in half into sea and sky, the elements of these two parts seem to be reflected in each other.

The dark clouds on the right merge and form an equilateral wedge with the dark waves of the stormy sea. The play of light and shadow in the painting creates a lively composition, the dynamism of which is emphasized by the horizon line tilting slightly to the left.

The symmetry of the forms in the picture is the opposite of the asymmetry in the application of colors: while the sky is replete with a rich palette of shades, including lilac, blue, azure, gray and ivory, the sea spread out under the sky cannot boast of such chromatic diversity. The sea in Aivazovsky’s painting “The Black Sea” is painted in bluish-green, muted tones. The painting “Black Sea” (Aivazovsky masterfully depicted the state water element) should captivate not with the abundance of details and riot of colors, but with realism, natural beauty and the power of the raging sea.

The Black Sea in other paintings by Aivazovsky

The Black Sea was eternal theme Aivazovsky and never left the canvases on which the great marine painter worked for long. The artist’s works glorify the beauty, variability and natural power of the water element, so it is not surprising that the Black Sea, close to Aivazovsky, is shown in his paintings in all its diversity and inconstancy.

The calm and serene Black Sea can be seen in the paintings “Entrance to Sevastopol Bay” and “Gurzuf”, and its waters, penetrated by the rays of the setting sun, are depicted in the paintings “View of the Sea from the Crimean Mountains” and “Sunset on the Crimean Shores”. The description of Aivazovsky’s painting “Storm on the Black Sea” is complicated by the fact that in the marine painter’s heritage there are three paintings with the same name.

Aivazovsky depicted the Black Sea in the first rays rising sun(“Sunrise in Feodosia”) and in a stormy wind (“View of Odessa from the sea”). In the artist’s paintings, they are engulfed in fog (“Foggy Morning”) or illuminated by the bright moon (“Feodosia. Moonlit Night”). Each image of the Black Sea indicates that the marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky carefully kept it in his memory all his life and even in Italy he did not stop painting views of his native shores.