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

At the Circus

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
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.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

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