ISAAC LEVITAN

About Isaac Levitan Russia Grigory Gorin writer once said: "Isaak Levitan was a great Russian artist. And of himself and said . . . When he said: but you′re a Jew! He said: Yes, I am a Jew. So? And nothing. Smart people will agree that he - the great Russian artist and a Jew! "

Isaac Levitan - one of the greatest artists of Russia in the late XIX century, an unsurpassed master of the Russian "mood landscapes", born 18 (30) August 1860, in a small Lithuanian town of Kovno province Kybartai now Kybartai (Lithuania), a poor Jewish family railway employee. Despite the poverty, Levitan′s grandfather was a respected rabbi of the settlement Kybartai.

In the early 1870′s. Isaac with his family moved to Moscow. In choosing a life path of Isaac, the crucial role played by his older brother - the artist. He often took the boy with him to the studies, at art exhibitions. When Isaac was 13 years old, he was admitted to the number of pupils of the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he studied at VD Polenova and AK Savrasov.

Father and mother of Isaac, lived briefly in Moscow, both died, leaving Isaac with his brother and two sisters on the street. " Despite the fact that in the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture Savrasov other Levitan glory of French Corot, and friends of Isaac - the brothers Nikolai Korovin and Chekhov - whenever undertaken more of his paintings debate about the charms of a truly Russian landscape, live in Moscow, it was difficult and lonely young artist. Levitan spent the night in the cold classrooms at the School of Art Butcher, hiding it from the guard, nicknamed "the devil". My sister, who lived on strangers, occasionally Disobey Yushchenko him.

In 1879, police evicted Levitan from Moscow in a villa area Saltykovka. Released royal decree forbidding Jews to live in throned the Russian capital. At that time, Levitan was 18 years old. He was very poor, almost destitute.

That same autumn Levitan wrote "Autumn day. Sokolniki. It was his first painting and the only landscape painter, where there is a man, and then wrote a female figure Nikolai Chekhov. And after this film people have never appeared on his canvases.

". . . In track, Sokolniki Park, on piles of fallen leaves was a young woman in black .

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

. . She was one among the autumn woods, and it is surrounded by her sense of loneliness and melancholy reverie. Autumn Day at Sokolniki "the first painting of an outstanding Russian artist Isaak Levitan, where gray and golden autumn, the sad how contemporary Russian life, as life itself Levitan, breathed from the canvas cautious warmth and oppressing the heart of the audience . . . " - so wrote about the work of Isaac Levitan famous Soviet writer Konstantin Paustovsky.

Levitan, as Pushkin and Tiutchev, always waiting for the fall as the most expensive time of year for him. Even the spring on his canvases often reminiscent of the mood of his autumn day. Autumn in pictures Levitan is very diverse. It is impossible to enumerate all the autumn days, he had written, Levitan has created about a hundred "fall" pictures, not considering etudes.

Painting "Autumn day. Sokolniki "exhibited at the Moscow exhibition and was bought PM Tretyakov for his gallery. At the time, Levitan has studied, and it was 19 years.

Years of teaching in the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture adjourned. In 1885, Levitan wrote last, thesis - cloudy day, field, stacks of compressed bread. Savrasov, looking at the picture, written in chalk on the reverse side: "Most silver medal. Teachers College disliked and feared Savrasov. Always tipsy and quarrelsome, drunk, he subverts the whole "he shouted on the mediocre majority of recognized artists. Dislike for Savrasov teachers transferred and his beloved disciple - Levitan. In addition, a Jew, according to many teachers can not and must deal with the Russian landscape - the case of indigenous Russian artists. The picture was unworthy medal. Levitan did not even received the title of the artist, he was given a diploma of teacher of drawing, which, however, did not prevent him to make a substantial contribution not only in Russia but in world culture.

Levitan completely overcome conventions klassitsistsko-romantic scenery, and partly still preserved by his contemporaries, "the Wanderers". Levitanovsky "landscape mood" in spite of its full scale accuracy (Levitan always carefully preserved the original motive and had made it only a few adjustments) has received an unprecedented psychological intensity, expressing in the landscape is nothing like the life of the human soul, which is like stares into the nature and in the nature of the ineffable mystery of being concluded.

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

And these secrets are clearly visible in levitanovskih pictures, but the words they are inexpressible.

Speaking about the best Russian landscape artist, artist Igor Grabar singled out creativity Levitan: "He′s the greatest poet among them, and the biggest magician of the mood, he has the most musical soul and the most keen sense of Russian motives in the landscape. Therefore, Levitan, absorbed all the best parties Serov, Korovin, Ostroukhova and several other friends, could all of these elements to create your own style, which was, however, and the style of the Russian landscape, the justice called "levitanovskim.

Levitan wanted to write so that the pictures it was a palpable air, embracing its transparency, every blade of grass, every leaf. His paintings always seems immersed in something quiet, and the brilliant bluish. Levitan called this "something" air. We breathe it, feel its smell, cold, heat. Levitan also felt it as a boundless environment of transparent substance, which gave such a charming softness of his canvases.

In the essay "On the death of AK Savrasov (1897) Levitan so formulated his creative credo: the rejection of their attitude to the landscape "as a beautiful combination of lines and objects" to represent "not only beautiful places," but "those intimate, deeply touching, often sad features which are so strongly felt in our native landscape and so irresistibly act on the soul. "

One of the important pages of biographies Levitan - his friendship with AP Chekhov. Anton Chekhov and Isaac Levitan - the same age. The fate of their many similarities, they both arrived in Moscow from the provinces. Became friends with the artist Nikolai Chekhov, brother of the writer, Levitan then became friends with Anton Chekhov and the Chekhov with the whole family, having lived three summers at her side in a former chicken coop.

"When I learned Levitan - recalled his sister Maria Pavlovna Chekhov - he lived on pennies, like my brother, Nick . . . Closest Levitan made friends with our family after graduating from high school, when we settled in a beautiful estate Babkin, of Moscow . . . From morning till evening Levitan and brother were at work . . . Levitan sometimes just struck me so hard he worked, and the walls of his "Chicken Run" quickly covered with rows of excellent sketches .

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

. . Levitan love of nature as something special. It was not even love, but some love . . . Art was for him something even a saint . . . Levitan know what is the right way, believed in this way, he believed that he sees in the native nature new beauty. "

From Anton Chekhov Levitan established a unique relationship. They are always teasing each other, but those few words and letters, which have reached us, they say that Levitan opened his soul only to Chekhov.

In those years Chekhov spent every summer in the village Babkino about the New Jerusalem. Family Chekhov was a talented and noisy. Jokes and ridicule was not the end. From early morning at the tea table had already begun the incredible stories, imagination, laughter, which did not cease until the evening. And most of all joked about Levitan. He was constantly accused of every ridiculous crimes, and finally staged over him court. Anton Chekhov, made-up prosecutor, said the indictment, Nicholas Chekhov portrayed fool-witness. Alexander Chekhov - defender - sang stilted acting speech.

Especially teased Levitan for his beautiful Jewish face. In his letters Chekhov often referred to the beauty of Levitan. "I come to you, beautiful, as Levitan," - he wrote. "He was a languid, as Levitan. "

However, the name Levitan was not only the expression of male beauty, but also the special charm of Russian landscape. Chekhov invented the word "levitanisty" and used it very aptly. "Nature here is much levitanistee than you" - he wrote in one letter. Even paintings Levitan differed - some were more levitanistymi than others.

Personality traits of the artist they appear in Chekhov′s story "The Grasshopper" (which reflects the romance with the painter Levitan SP Kuvshynnykova) and in "The Seagull" where the action Treplev shot dead seagull, reproduces the same caprice Levitan-hunter.

Levitan severely offended at the Chekhov of the story "The Grasshopper". After Kuvshynnykova - a naive and direct - touching love Levitan. Friendship with Chekhov was discontinued, and reconciliation went long and painful. And the end of life Levitan could not forgive Chekhov this story.

Art as a master of landscapes Levitan, who can turn a simple landscape motif in the image of nature all over Russia, reaches its peak in the "Birch grove" (1885-1889).

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

The same force generalizations elevates the work of so-called Volga period of the artist: "Evening on the Volga" (1888), "Evening. Golden Ples "(1889)," After the Rain. Ples "(1889), and thematically adjacent picture" fresh breeze. Volga (1891-1895). All these paintings are now at the Tretyakov Gallery.

Levitan created and classic, unsurpassed examples of so-called ecclesiastical landscape, where the building of churches make to the nature of appeasement, as, for example, "Evening Bells" (1892). In the summer of 1890 Levitan was going to Yurievets and among the many landscapes and sketches wrote Krivoozerskogo view of the monastery. Thus was born one of the best paintings of the artist′s "quiet cloister, where the image of the quiet cloister and walkways over the river connecting it to the outside world, express their profound meditation on the artist′s life. This picture made a strong impression on Chekhov.

Deep civic sorrow sounded in the film "Vladimirka" (1892), where the road on which the prisoners were driven to Siberia, barely visible figure of the lonely wanderer. Vladimirka - this is a great way Vladimir province, leading to the east of the country. And the title of the painting - "Vladimirka" - people of that time caused social associations, forcing imagine definite picture of life in Russia. The picture "Vladimirka" in 1894, Levitan brought a gift PM Tretyakov for his gallery.

Important role in the work of Levitan play music, poetry and philosophical associations (he loved teaching A. Schopenhauer), but the main importance were his personal sensibility amorousness and susceptibility to seizures melancholy. Levitan acutely experienced by their own ill health (he had a congenital heart disease), and the dramatic situation of the Jews in Russia. Therefore, partly apprehended innovations of Impressionism, Levitan rarely given to pure, joyous play of light and color, staying in the circle of their images, imbued with the world yearning.

Thus, recalling the impermanence of all earthly things, inspires a concealed disturbing painting "Eternal Rest" (1893-1894), which was especially close in spirit to Levitan. "Eternal Rest" raises questions about the meaning of life and of its rapidity.

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

Levitan wrote in a letter: "Eternity is, terrible eternity, in which drowned generation and sink more . . . What a horror, the fear! " I′m all in it, with all his psyche, with all my content, "- said about this painting the artist.

In the painting "Above the Eternal Peace" with great force expressed Poetry rainy day. The picture was painted on the shore of Lake Udomlia in Tver province. On the hillside, where the dark birch trees bend under the gusty wind and stands in the midst of birches rotted corduroy church, called a remote expanse of the river, the darkened meadows of inclement weather, the vast cloudy sky. Heavy clouds hang over the land. Skew canvas rain closed spaces. None of the artists to Levitan did not refer to such a sad given Russia′s vast force of bad weather and human misery.

Levitan was not married, he had no children. Too often, it was a joyless, miserable as was the history of his people and his ancestors. Sometimes the painful thoughts about his people completely took hold of them, then he attacked painful bouts of depression - depression, which is aggravated by dissatisfaction with his work.

During the depression Levitan fled from the people. They all seemed to him enemies. Levitan became rude, impertinent, impatient. He angrily scrape paint with his pictures, hiding, leaving the dog to carry out on the hunt, but hunting and wandering aimlessly on Forests. On such days one nature of a substitute mother to him man.

Twice during the attacks of depression Levitan shot, but survived. Both times he saved his Chekhov. But blues was held, and Levitan back to the people, again, wrote, loved, believed, became entangled in the complexity of human relationships, until he overtook another blow depression. Chekhov was believed that levitanovskaya anguish was the beginning of a mental illness, but of course he was wrong.

Life Levitan was relatively uneventful, traveling abroad, he did not like. He loved only in Central Russia. Travel across the border, where he would send doctors to be treated, Levitan considered a waste of time. Levitan lived mainly in Moscow, has also worked in Ostankino (1880-1883), in different places of the Moscow and Tver provinces, in the Crimea (1886, 1899), on the Volga (1887-1890), went to Italy, France, Switzerland and Finland ( 1890-e gg.

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

). But the granites of Finland, its black river water and gloomy sea bored at Levitan depression. "Once again, I thought so, without measures and border - Levitan wrote to Chekhov from Finland. - There is no nature. " In Switzerland, he was struck by the Alps, but the sight of these mountains to Levitan′s no different from the kinds of blatantly painted cardboard models. In Italy, he liked only to Venice, where the air is full of silver shades, born dull lagoons. In Paris, Levitan saw paintings by Monet, however, do not remember them. Just before his death he appreciated Impressionists and realized that he himself was partly to be the Russian predecessor, and the first time the recognition mentioned their names.

Lawlessness Levitan haunted all his life. In 1892, his second was evicted from Moscow, despite the fact that he was an artist with the All-Russia glory. He went into hiding in the Vladimir province, while friends do not have cancellation of removal.

In Moscow, some time Levitan lived in a rooming house "England" on Tverskaya, again, as in his youth, returned a short time of need. Housekeeping for a room he sometimes does not pay cash, and sketches. Landlady his landscapes are often disliked. She wanted to see purebred cow in the meadow, and a couple sitting under a lime tree lovers, that would be pleasing to the eye. Some critics of the Levitan wrote about the same as demanding that the artist revived landscape flocks of geese, horses, figures of shepherds and women.

The last years of life Levitan spent much time around Vyshny Volochko on the shores of Lake Udomlia. There, in a family of landlords Panafidina, he again fell into the confusion of human relations, shot, but survived.

Severe heart disease Levitan from year to year has progressed, but neither he nor the people close to him did not know about it until she gave the first violent outbreak. Levitan did not want to be treated, afraid to go to the doctors, not to hear the death sentence.

Shortly before his death, he missed more than in his younger years. Increasingly, he went into the woods - he lived in the summer before his death near Zvenigorod, - and there he was often found crying and distraught. He knew that neither physicians nor the quiet life, no frenzy favorite of nature could no longer postpone the approaching end.

Photo — «Isaac Levitan»

However, approximately five years before his death, Levitan, an outbreak of a joyful attitude. The diary Chekhov there is a record marked December 1896: "We Levitan enlarged aorta. He wears on his chest clay. Excellent sketches and a passionate thirst for life. " During these years, wearing clay on his chest, Levitan wrote his most life-affirming things: "March" (1895), "Spring, a large water" (1897), reaching a climax in the love of life is extremely bright and resonant film "Golden Autumn" ( 1895). And last, unfinished painting "Lake. Russia "(1900) in spite of the deadly disease is perhaps the most buoyant piece of the artist.

In 1898, Levitan began teaching in the same school, where he studied himself. He dreamed of a house landscape - a big studio, which could work all the Russian landscape painters. In his landscape workshop almost half a large room was reserved for the corner of the forest, which had been eaten, small trees with yellow leaves, green moss, sod, tubs with ferns. The light from the window fell like a forest glade. Often Levitan brought flowers to the studio. He told his disciples that the flowers should be written so that they smelled no colors, and flowers.

In winter 1899 the doctors sent Levitan in Yalta. At that time he lived in Yalta Chekhov. Old friends met the aged and alienated. Levitan walked, leaning heavily on his stick, choking, all spoke of his imminent death. He was afraid, and frankly it did not hide it, my heart ached almost constantly.

Yalta did not help. Levitan returned to Moscow, and almost never left his home in Tryohsvjatitelskaja Lane. July 22 (August 4) 1900 Isaac Levitan died.

Total Levitan wrote about 1000 paintings and sketches, the best of them are in the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum. Pleso opened Museum Levitan.