Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov was practically born with artistic talent in the Vyatka governorate in 1848. His father was a country priest, but his grandfather was an icon painter. Both supported him and gave him a good education. In addition to painting, he was also interested in astronomy from an early age. After completing a drawing course, he was drawn to the St. Petersburg Art Academy. His younger brother Apollinari followed him a little later. Viktor began exhibiting right at the start of his studies and received his first awards for his sketches and paintings. Mythical and religious themes, but also realistic scenes from life and fairy tales became his focus. Vasnezov joined the Peredvizhniki, a movement that opposed the teaching methods at the St Petersburg Art Academy in the 1870s. Among his friends was one of the heads of this democratic art movement, the painter Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi. He also maintained close relations with the artist a href"/artist/Ilya-Efimovich-Repin.html" class"main_textlink"Ilya Efimovich Repina, another member.rnbr/br/rnHowever, Viktor had to interrupt his studies in 1870 and return home. His father had died and, as his mother was no longer alive, he had to look after his other four brothers. Apollinari accompanied him. Vasnezow was only able to pursue his studies sporadically. He was only able to give in to his urge to learn again six years later, when his friend Ilya Repin invited him to Paris. The influence of French Impressionism on Viktor was not long in coming. This can be clearly seen in his work "Acrobats on a holiday in the Paris region". His works even made it into the famous Paris Salon. He returned to Moscow in 1877 and married Alexandra Vladimirovna Ryazantseva. Not much is known about his private life. But it must have been a happy marriage that produced a daughter and two sons. At least that much can be gleaned from portraits that have survived to this day.rnbr/br/rnInspired by his stay in Paris, the artist devoted himself to illustrating Russian fairy tales. However, his works met with resistance at home. The main criticism was that he was betraying the aims of the Peredvizhniki with these works. Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, a wealthy art collector with close ties to the Peredvizhniki, even refused to exhibit his works. But the tide turned in the following years. Vasnezov was commissioned to produce frescoes for the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev, where he worked together with Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel. He became his friend and teacher. In between, he travelled to Italy and worked on the stage decoration for Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Snow Maiden". He also designed the Russian pavilion for the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris. Vasnezov, who died in 1926, was honoured posthumously in 1978 when an asteroid, discovered by the Ukrainian-Soviet astronomer Lyudmyla Zhuravlova, was named after him and his brother.
Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov was practically born with artistic talent in the Vyatka governorate in 1848. His father was a country priest, but his grandfather was an icon painter. Both supported him and gave him a good education. In addition to painting, he was also interested in astronomy from an early age. After completing a drawing course, he was drawn to the St. Petersburg Art Academy. His younger brother Apollinari followed him a little later. Viktor began exhibiting right at the start of his studies and received his first awards for his sketches and paintings. Mythical and religious themes, but also realistic scenes from life and fairy tales became his focus. Vasnezov joined the Peredvizhniki, a movement that opposed the teaching methods at the St Petersburg Art Academy in the 1870s. Among his friends was one of the heads of this democratic art movement, the painter Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi. He also maintained close relations with the artist a href"/artist/Ilya-Efimovich-Repin.html" class"main_textlink"Ilya Efimovich Repina, another member.rnbr/br/rnHowever, Viktor had to interrupt his studies in 1870 and return home. His father had died and, as his mother was no longer alive, he had to look after his other four brothers. Apollinari accompanied him. Vasnezow was only able to pursue his studies sporadically. He was only able to give in to his urge to learn again six years later, when his friend Ilya Repin invited him to Paris. The influence of French Impressionism on Viktor was not long in coming. This can be clearly seen in his work "Acrobats on a holiday in the Paris region". His works even made it into the famous Paris Salon. He returned to Moscow in 1877 and married Alexandra Vladimirovna Ryazantseva. Not much is known about his private life. But it must have been a happy marriage that produced a daughter and two sons. At least that much can be gleaned from portraits that have survived to this day.rnbr/br/rnInspired by his stay in Paris, the artist devoted himself to illustrating Russian fairy tales. However, his works met with resistance at home. The main criticism was that he was betraying the aims of the Peredvizhniki with these works. Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov, a wealthy art collector with close ties to the Peredvizhniki, even refused to exhibit his works. But the tide turned in the following years. Vasnezov was commissioned to produce frescoes for the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev, where he worked together with Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel. He became his friend and teacher. In between, he travelled to Italy and worked on the stage decoration for Rimsky-Korsakov's opera "The Snow Maiden". He also designed the Russian pavilion for the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris. Vasnezov, who died in 1926, was honoured posthumously in 1978 when an asteroid, discovered by the Ukrainian-Soviet astronomer Lyudmyla Zhuravlova, was named after him and his brother.
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