Venetsianov Alex Gavrilovic (1780-1847)

Alexei Venetsianov was born February 7, 1780 in Moscow to a merchant family. In those days the church books of his father, Gabriel Yu, mean "Moscow merchant, a Greek." Indeed, the artist's ancestors were originally from Greece.
Somewhere around the turn of 17-18 centuries they migrated to Bulgaria, and from there - to the Nizhin, and only then - in Moscow. Gabriel Y. selling berries for jam, berry bushes yes tulip bulbs and saw his son on his work. And that from an early age became interested in "artistry": drawing with other people's art and nature, portrayed his comrades.

It is difficult to answer the question - "Does somebody have studied young Venetsianov?". There is evidence that there was a certain Pahomych who taught the boy be paint, prepare and prime the canvas, pulling him onto a stretcher.
Whatever it was, the first known work Venetsianov related to the beginning of the 19th century indicate that this is a far new to painting.

After the end of the guesthouse Venetsianov served briefly in the drawing management, and in 1802 went to St. Petersburg. The motivation for this move is not too clear.
More about the artist until 1807 researchers opinions diverge. Some argue that, having come to grief, Venetsianov returned to Moscow. Others, however, wrote that he was in St. Petersburg, and received from his father the content, seriously attended to his artistic education.

In 1807 Venetsianov joined the office of the Director of Postal D. Troshchinsky. Apparently, it Troschinsky brought him to the famous portrait painter V. Borovikovsky . The meeting of two artists - novice and veteran - had as its consequence that Venetsianov became a disciple Borovykovs'kogo. Most likely, at this time he lived, and boarded with him. The house Borovykovs'kogo Venetsianov got into the thick of the then artistic life, seen and heard live many famous Russian writers and artists.

In the same 1807, the year his mind was born a new "Project". Venetsianov planned to publish the "Journal of the cartoons." In December, subscribers to receive two first-release prints the magazine. The third issue (cartoon "dignitary") has not reached them. He came to Alexander I, who asked him to convey to the author that "his talent, he could draw on a much better thing," and the magazine banned.

Discouraged Venetsianov on reflection decided to enter into the sphere of public life in a different way. Official. Through the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1811, he received the title of "designated" in favor of the self-portrait. Proposed to overcome this stage to all those who did not study at the Academy. The following year, the artist executed the competition program and became an academician.

In 1815, he married Venetsianov representative of an impoverished noble family of Martha Afanasevne Azarevoy. By the time he was obviously tired of Petersburg. In 1818, he became a landowner, bought in the Tver province Safonkovo ​​small estate. Then matured the decision to throw the service and leave town for good. In 1819, the master of this solution is performed. Since then, he homebody by nature, only knew the way from the bottom Safonkovo ​​and Peter and back.

The host Venetsianov was zealous and kind. He has taken a number of improvement.
upheaval in the village come to pass in the artistic faith of the artist. Leaving the exercises in the portrait genre, he began to write the peasants. These works and pushed it into the ranks of the most prominent painters of his time.

Since the early 1820s, the artist began to gather talented peasant teenagers and teach them the craft of the artist. Gradually formed a group known as the "School Venetsianov." The chicks flew out one after another from Venetsianov nest in the big world, many people might get a job at the Academy. Just attach themselves and failed. His sketches for the painting, which was to open the way to the title of "adviser", rejected the Academic Board. In the future, with the Academy Venetsianov nizmenno was "at odds." Sweeten the pill could not even assign it to the 1830 title of "artist of the Emperor", the purpose of the annual salary of 3,000 rubles and awarding the Order of St.. Vladimir, 4th degree.

The exorbitant costs associated with the need to keep the school and provide their students, have placed a heavy burden on the estate. In the end, he was forced to mortgage the estate in the Board of Trustees. Trying to somehow straighten out the financial situation, Venetsianov took up the custom work. For the most part, these were the portraits and paintings for churches.
Dec. 4, 1847, after graduating from sketches of icons for the Tver churches, he wanted to personally take them to the Tver. On the way down a steep hill horses bolted, Venetsianov thrown out of the sleigh, and he became entangled in the reins. In the village Poddube trio has dragged the lifeless body.