In order for an artist to truly paint a picture with genius, he must love what he writes. This was Ivan Shishkin, the famous master of the brush and easel, infinitely in love with his native nature. The pictures behind his authorship amaze with the depth of detail elaboration, attention to trifles and, most importantly, the indescribable atmosphere that really takes over the soul.
In his youth, the future painter studied at the gymnasium in order to become an official, but soon realized that this was not his way. After that, Ivan left the gymnasium and entered the school of painting in Moscow. In the school for the first year he received two silver medals for his success. Throughout his life, Shishkin had no problems with money thanks to the help of his family, who was very well off. During his studies at the gymnasium, the future artist had problems with the exact sciences, in particular, with mathematics.
Ivan Shishkin became famous during his lifetime, unlike many other great artists. The pictures he painted were readily bought by connoisseurs both in Russia and abroad. The most famous painting by Shishkin, “Morning in a Pinery”, was not entirely written by Shishkin – he painted the landscape, but the painter added painting to the painting by artist Savitsky. It is this picture that flaunts on the wrapper of famous sweets. At the same time, Savitsky’s signature from the picture was erased by order of Pavel Tretyakov, who ordered this picture. Once in his youth, Shishkin was tried in Germany, but was acquitted. He was detained when he heard several local residents abusing the Russians, and pounced on them with their fists and a metal bar tucked under their arm.
Shishkin’s father, a rich merchant, was sympathetic to the hobby of his son drawing, and in childhood he gave him books about painting. In the USSR were issued postage stamps with paintings by Shishkin and with his own portrait. The names of Shishkin are the streets of two capitals at once – Moscow and Minsk. Once Shishkin criticized the picture of Repin, which depicted floating logs on the river, because Repin could not answer what kind of wood it was. Shishkin always scrupulously treated small details, and therefore stated to Repin that it is impossible to float some trees along rivers, since their wood can soak up a lot of water and sink. The second after painting Shishkin’s passion was engraving – he was a very talented aqua fortress, that is, a man painting on metal with the help of strong vodka. During his life, the great artist has painted over 800 paintings, which are currently kept in museums and galleries around the world.
