Konstantin Savitsky
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Apollonovich Savitsky was a Russian realist painter born in the city of Taganrog
in the village Frankovka or Baronovka, named after former governor Otto Pfeilizer-Frank
. Today this area is occupied by Taganrog Iron and Steel Factory TAGMET.
, where his father worked as a doctor. In Frankovka the family rented a summer house. Savitsky spent his childhood and youth in Taganrog
. He showed an interest for painting in the early childhood. Being on the shore of Azov Sea with his parents, he loved to make sketches, and drawing lessons at Gymnasium were his favorite subject.
When Konstantin was fifth-grader at Taganrog Gymnasium, his teenager's life changed unexpectedly. Both of his parents died suddenly. Kostya was taken by his uncle who lived in present-day Latvia
and became his guardian. There Savitsky entered a private boarding-school and in 1862 he graduated and left for Saint Petersburg
, where entered The Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg
. Personal contacts with outstanding representatives of Russian culture - Ilya Repin, Ivan Shishkin
, Viktor Vasnetsov
, Mark Antokolski
, Stasov, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin
- made a great influence on development of the young artist.
After graduation from Imperial Academy of Arts and two years abroad, the artist becomes co-partner of mobile art exhibitions (Peredvizhniki
, a group of Russian realist artists who in protest to academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative, which evolved into the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions in 1870. The artwork "Repairing Railway" was one of the first paintings of that time dedicated to life of the working class.
Konstantin Savitsky is a co-author of the famous painting Morning in the Pine Forest. On the original Peredvizhniki
exhibition the painting was shown by two authors Ivan Shishkin
and Konstantin Savitsky. It was assumed that Savitsky had painted the bears and Shishkin
the forest but later the scholars found that preparational drawing of the pine forest were made by both Savitsky and Shishkin. Later Savitsky withdrew his signature from the painting and it is currently attributed solely to Shishkin.
The titles of his artworks as "Lost all their possessions in the fire", "To war", "Herdsmen", "Krutchnik", "Argument at the Bound" speak about the direction of his art.
After graduation from Imperial Academy of Arts the artist dedicated more than 20 years to teaching arts in the art schools of Moscow, Saint Petersburg
and Penza
. In 1897 Konstantin Savitsky became member of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
in the village Frankovka or Baronovka, named after former governor Otto Pfeilizer-Frank
Otto Pfeilizer-Frank
Baron Otto Wilhelm Hermanovich Pfeilizer-Frank, sometimes referred to as Otto Romanovich Frank or Otto Romanovich Pfeilizer-Frank was a Russian statesman, the 6th governor of Taganrog.-Biography:...
. Today this area is occupied by Taganrog Iron and Steel Factory TAGMET.
Early life
Savitsky's family lived in the building of Taganrog Gymnasium for BoysChekhov Gymnasium
The Chekhov Gymnasium in Taganrog on Ulitsa Oktyabrskaya 9 is the oldest gymnasium in the South of Russia. Playwright and short-story writer Anton Chekhov spent 11 years in the school, which was later named after him and transformed into a literary museum...
, where his father worked as a doctor. In Frankovka the family rented a summer house. Savitsky spent his childhood and youth in Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
. He showed an interest for painting in the early childhood. Being on the shore of Azov Sea with his parents, he loved to make sketches, and drawing lessons at Gymnasium were his favorite subject.
When Konstantin was fifth-grader at Taganrog Gymnasium, his teenager's life changed unexpectedly. Both of his parents died suddenly. Kostya was taken by his uncle who lived in present-day Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and became his guardian. There Savitsky entered a private boarding-school and in 1862 he graduated and left for Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, where entered The Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. Personal contacts with outstanding representatives of Russian culture - Ilya Repin, Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was a Russian landscape painter closely associated with the Peredvizhniki movement.Shishkin was born in Yelabuga of Vyatka Governorate , and graduated from the Kazan gymnasium...
, Viktor Vasnetsov
Viktor Vasnetsov
Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov , 1848 — Moscow, July 23, 1926) was a Russian artist who specialized in mythological and historical subjects. He was described as co-founder of folklorist/romantic modernism in the Russian painting and a key figure of the revivalist movement in Russian art.- Childhood ...
, Mark Antokolski
Mark Antokolski
Mark Matveyevich Antokolski was a Russian sculptor who was admired for psychological complexity of his historical images and panned for occasional lapses into sentimentalism.-Biography:...
, Stasov, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin
Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin
Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin was a Russian writer, poet, historian, and critic. He is best remembered for his History of the Russian State, a 12-volume national history.- Early life :...
- made a great influence on development of the young artist.
Education and career
Soon Savitsky became one of the best students of the Imperial Academy of Arts. His student paintings were awarded with silver medals and for his painting "Cain and Abel"1871 he received a gold medal.Peredvizhniki
Peredvizhniki , often called The Wanderers or The Itinerants in English, were a group of Russian realist artists who in protest at academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative; it evolved into the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions in 1870.- History :In 1863 a group of fourteen students...
, a group of Russian realist artists who in protest to academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative, which evolved into the Society for Traveling Art Exhibitions in 1870. The artwork "Repairing Railway" was one of the first paintings of that time dedicated to life of the working class.
Konstantin Savitsky is a co-author of the famous painting Morning in the Pine Forest. On the original Peredvizhniki
Peredvizhniki
Peredvizhniki , often called The Wanderers or The Itinerants in English, were a group of Russian realist artists who in protest at academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative; it evolved into the Society for Travelling Art Exhibitions in 1870.- History :In 1863 a group of fourteen students...
exhibition the painting was shown by two authors Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was a Russian landscape painter closely associated with the Peredvizhniki movement.Shishkin was born in Yelabuga of Vyatka Governorate , and graduated from the Kazan gymnasium...
and Konstantin Savitsky. It was assumed that Savitsky had painted the bears and Shishkin
Ivan Shishkin
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was a Russian landscape painter closely associated with the Peredvizhniki movement.Shishkin was born in Yelabuga of Vyatka Governorate , and graduated from the Kazan gymnasium...
the forest but later the scholars found that preparational drawing of the pine forest were made by both Savitsky and Shishkin. Later Savitsky withdrew his signature from the painting and it is currently attributed solely to Shishkin.
The titles of his artworks as "Lost all their possessions in the fire", "To war", "Herdsmen", "Krutchnik", "Argument at the Bound" speak about the direction of his art.
After graduation from Imperial Academy of Arts the artist dedicated more than 20 years to teaching arts in the art schools of Moscow, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Penza
Penza
-Honors:A minor planet, 3189 Penza, discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1978, is named after the city.-Notable residents:...
. In 1897 Konstantin Savitsky became member of the Imperial Academy of Arts.