January 25, 2017

Titan of the Russian Forest: An Ivan Shishkin Art Gallery


Titan of the Russian Forest: An Ivan Shishkin Art Gallery

Today marks the 185th birthday of Ivan Shishkin, a landscape painter whose representations of Russian nature evoke the beauty and vastness of his country. In five decades and hundreds of paintings, Shishkin probably painted thousands of trees. It’s no wonder he earned himself nicknames like “Forest Tsar,” “Titan of the Russian Forest,” “Lonely Oak,” and “Old Pine Tree.”

Shishkin started sketching as a child, graduated from the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Arts in 1860, and continued his studies in Europe before teaching landscape painting in St. Petersburg – of course, with many trips to the countryside for fodder for his artwork. His dacha in Vyra, south of St. Petersburg, and his hometown of Yelabuga in present-day Tatarstan were favorite spots for capturing the majesty of the Russian countryside.

Shishkin was a true patriot, his love of his native land centered around the natural landscapes unique to Russia. During his studies in Europe he lamented, “why am I not in Russia, that I love so?” And of his work in general, he stated:

"My motto? Be Russian. Long live Russia!"

He wasn’t alone in uniting his love for Russia with his love for art. In the 1860s, he became a founding member of the Peredvizhniki – the “Itinerants” or “Wanderers” – a realist artistic movement in realism impacted by the emancipation of the serfs in 1861 and dedicated to producing a view of Russian life that encapsulated both natural beauty and human suffering. While many works by members of the Peredvizhniki were openly liberal, took on religious subject matter, or made a critical social commentary, Shishkin’s paintings elevated nature in a way that was accessible, yet meticulous. He presented the Russian landscape as a space to be celebrated by all.

Shishkin was a real tree-hugger of an artist, and preferred daytime scenes because they allowed him to depict the interplay of natural light and lush greenery. Despite his preference for the sunlight, he also made his mark on the night sky: in 1978, the minor planet 3558 Shishkin was named after him. He’s not the only Russian artist to have a planet named after him, but his legacy in landscape painting makes him one of Earth’s greatest portrayers.

Take a wander through the Russian countryside with some of his most beloved paintings. 

Morning in the Pine Forest, with Konstantin Savitsky (1886)
Noon. Neighborhoods of Moscow. Bratzevo (1866)
Birch Grove (1878)
Haystacks, Preobrazhenskoe (1890)
Sunlit Willow (c. 1860s)
In the Wild North (1891)

 

You Might Also Like

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955