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35-612: In 1863 a group of fourteen students decided to leave the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. The students found the rules of the Academy constraining; the teachers were conservative and there was a strict separation between high and low art. In an effort to bring art to the people, the students formed an independent artistic society; The Petersburg Cooperative of Artists (Artel) . In 1870, this organization

70-437: A de facto government department; it supervised matters concerning art throughout the country, distributing orders and awarding ranks to artists. The academy vigorously promoted the principles of Neoclassicism by sending the most notable Russian painters abroad, in order to learn the ancient and Renaissance styles of Italy and France . It also had its own sizable collection of choice artworks intended for study and copying. In

105-570: A new building. It took 25 years to complete the Neoclassical edifice, which opened in 1789. Konstantin Thon was responsible for the sumptuous decoration of the interiors. He also designed a quayside in front of the building, with stairs down to the Neva River, and adorned it with two 3000-year-old sphinxes , which were transported from Egypt . Ivan Betskoy reorganized the academy into

140-401: A number of Russian art masterpieces. Even now publishers use the reproductions in textbooks as a visual icon of national identity. As the authority and public influence of the society steadily grew, government officials had to stop their efforts to repress the members. Attempts were made to subordinate their activity, and raise the falling value of Academy of Arts-sanctioned works. By the 1890s,

175-498: A separate workshop, materials for work and a generous cash allowance. Those admitted to the competition were obliged to execute the «program» , to draw a picture according to the program (creative task), one for all, approved by the Council of the Academy of Arts. The task, most often on a historical theme, was made in such a way that the participant showed all the professional skills and knowledge he mastered during his studies. After

210-405: A world which widened every day, a world splendid like the cities of romance. They brought me views of lofty peaks and lovely beaches. Life unfolded its marvels; earth became more enchanting, studded with towns and laden with treasures." Niva was very successful; starting with 9,000 readers in its first year, by the early twentieth century it had a circulation of over 200,000. Its editorial office

245-718: Is Zurab Tsereteli and its vice-president is Tair Salakhov . The historic building on the Neva River in St. Petersburg is used for the Repin Institute of Arts (in Russian: «Институт имени Репина» ), full name: Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture , in honor of one of its well-known alumni. It is also called the St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Fine Arts, Sculpture and Architecture (as on its website) . Niva (magazine) Niva ( Russian : Нива ) ( Grainfield )

280-457: Is no country more beautiful than Russia! There can be a true landscapist only in Russia". Peredvizhniki gave a national character to landscapes, so people of other nations could recognize Russian landscape. The landscapes of Peredvizhniki are the symbolic embodiments of Russian nationality. Even though the number of travelling exhibition visitors from the provinces was increasing during the years,

315-520: Is still considered to be the Russian "Singer of forest", while Levitan's landscapes are famous for their intense moods. The Russian landscape gained importance as a national icon after Peredvizhniki. Peredvizhniki painted landscapes to explore the beauty of their own country and encourage ordinary people to love and preserve it. Levitan once said, "I imagine such a gracefulness in our Russian land – overflowing rivers bringing everything back to life. There

350-854: The Institute of Proletarian Fine Arts in 1930, the Russian Academy of Arts in 1933, and the Academy of Arts of the USSR in 1947. After the Academy's move to Moscow that year, the building in what was then called Leningrad was renamed Ilya Repin Leningrad Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. The national academy has stayed in Moscow. In 1991 it was renamed the Russian Academy of Arts. The old academy's art collection, which included major works by Poussin , David and Ingres,

385-605: The Russian aristocratic orders and autocratic government in their humanistic art. They portrayed the emancipation movement of Russian people with empathy (for example, The Arrest of a Propagandist , Refusal of Confession , and They Did Not Expect Him by Ilya Yefimovich Repin ). They portrayed social-urban life, and later used historic art to depict the common people ( The Morning of the Streltsy Execution by Vasily Surikov ). During their blossoming (1870–1890),

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420-691: The Russian Revolution , the academy was renamed several times. It established free tuition; students from across the country competed fiercely for its few places annually. In 1947 the national institution was moved to Moscow, and much of its art collection was moved to the Hermitage . The building in Leningrad was devoted to the Ilya Repin Leningrad Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture , named in honor of

455-803: The Russian Revolution of 1917 , the Imperial Academy passed through a series of transformations. It was formally abolished in 1918 and the Petrograd Free Art Educational Studios ( Pegoskhuma ) created in its place; this was renamed the Petrograd Svomas (Free Art Studios) in 1919, the Petrograd State Art-Educational Studios of the Reconstructed Academy of Arts in 1921, Vkhutein in 1928,

490-402: The Academy and organized their own exhibitions, which traveled from town to town across Russia. Ilya Repin , Mikhail Vrubel and some other painters still regarded the academy's training as indispensable for the development of basic professional and technical skills. In 1893, Imperial Academy of Arts was divided into the Academy of Arts itself, which was responsible for all the artistic work in

525-691: The Academy of Arts structure was including Peredvizhniki art in its classes and history, and the influence of the artists showed in national art schools. Peredvizhniki artists included: Imperial Academy of Arts The Russian Academy of Arts , informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts , was an art academy in Saint Petersburg , founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under

560-575: The Peredvizhniki society developed an increasingly wider scope, with more natural and free images. In contrast to the traditional dark palette of the time, they chose a lighter palette, with a freer manner in their technique. They worked for naturalness in their images, and the depiction of people's relationship with their surroundings. The society united most of the highly talented artists of the country. Among Peredvizhniki there were artists of Ukraine , Latvia , and Armenia . The society also showed

595-547: The Russian Empire, and the Higher Art School of the Academy of Arts, which dealt only with academic affairs. The initiator of the reform was the vice-president of the Academy, Count Ivan Ivanovich Tolstoy . The Charter, approved at the end of 1893, divided the former Academy into two institutions: Both institutions were located in St. Petersburg in the historic building of the Academy of Arts. Instead of

630-666: The Ukrainian-born Repin , one of the foremost realist artists in the Russian Empire and Soviet Union. Since 1991 it has been called the St. Petersburg Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture . The academy was initially located in the Shuvalov Mansion on Sadovaya Street. In 1764, Catherine the Great renamed it the Imperial Academy of Arts and commissioned its first rector , Alexander Kokorinov , to design

665-485: The best in Russian literature, including the works of Gogol , Lermontov , Goncharov , Dostoevsky , Turgenev , Leskov , Chekhov , and others." In his autobiography, Maxim Gorky says that his employers in the early 1880s subscribed to Niva "for the cut-out patterns and the prize offers; but they never read it"; he himself, however, was enthralled by the volumes he pulled out from under their bed and read at night: "[T]he pictures and their captions... placed in my ken

700-463: The emancipation of serfs , which was finally realized in the reform of 1861 . He viewed press censorship, serfdom, and capital punishment as Western influences. Because of his political activism, officials prohibited publication of any of his writing, including his dissertation; but it eventually found its way to the art world of nineteenth-century Russia. In 1863, almost immediately after the emancipation of serfs, Chernyshevsky's goals were realized with

735-468: The help of Peredvizhniki, who took the pervasive Slavophile-populist idea that Russia had a distinguishable, modest, inner beauty of its own and worked out how to display it on canvas. Peredvizhniki portrayed the many-sided aspects of social life, often critical of inequities and injustices. But their art showed not only poverty but also the beauty of the folk way of life; not only suffering but also fortitude and strength of characters. Peredvizhniki condemned

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770-575: The main audience was the urban elite. Local photographers created the first reproductions of Peredvizhniki's paintings, which helped popularize the works and could be bought at exhibitions. Niva magazine also published illustrated articles about the exhibitions. Since 1898, the landscapes of the society have been used in the postcard industry. Various books of poems were published with the illustrations of landscapes. Ordinary Russian people at that time could not afford to go to Moscow or Saint Petersburg, so popularization of Russian art made them familiar with

805-466: The mid-19th century, the Academism of training staff, much influenced by the doctrines of Dominique Ingres , was challenged by a younger generation of Russian artists who asserted their freedom to paint in a Realistic style . The adherents of this movement became known as peredvizhniki (Itinerants, related to their desire to bring art to the people). Led by Ivan Kramskoi , they publicly broke with

840-572: The name Academy of the Three Noblest Arts . Catherine the Great renamed it the Imperial Academy of Arts and commissioned a new building, completed 25 years later in 1789 by the Neva River . The academy promoted the neoclassical style and technique, and sent its promising students to European capitals for further study. Training at the academy was virtually required for artists to make successful careers. Formally abolished in 1918 after

875-708: The old professors, peredvizhniki artists were invited to teaching positions at the Higher Art School. The program of study at the Higher School has changed significantly: the institute of professors and managers was established and free topics for competitive tests were established. New professors came to the academy, among whom Ilya Repin stood out. Famous artists were invited by the heads of personal workshops: Vladimir Makovsky , Ivan Shishkin , Arkhip Kuindzhi , Aleksey Kivshenko . Later came: Alexander Kiselyov , Dmitry Kardovsky , Nikolay Dubovskoy , Nikolay Samokish , Vasily Mate . The Big Gold Medal, which granted

910-464: The right to a foreign pensioner (from three to six years), was awarded in a competition to which the most talented graduates of the Academy were allowed to complete their studies, awarded to the beginning of the competition with the small gold medal of the Academy «For Success in Drawing» . Graduates who received a large gold medal remained at the Academy of Arts for another year; they were provided with

945-538: The society arranged 48 mobile exhibitions in St. Petersburg and Moscow, after which they were shown in Kiev , Kharkov , Kazan , Oryol , Riga , Odessa and other cities. Peredvizhniki were influenced by the public views of the literary critics Vissarion Belinsky and Nikolai Chernyshevsky , both of whom espoused liberal ideas. Belinsky thought that literature and art should attribute a social and moral responsibility. Like most Slavophiles, Chernyshevsky ardently supported

980-552: The urban middle class to the gentry." One of its most popular features was the bonus premiums offered as an inducement to subscribe; at first these consisted of large colored prints of art in traditional style by artists such as Konstantin Makovsky . Later science and literature supplements were added, as well as a children's section; by the end of the century, the most important premium was the collected works of Russian classical authors: "By 1912 Niva subscribers had received much of

1015-559: The work of Mark Antokolski , Vasili Vereshchagin , and Andrei Ryabushkin . The work of the critic and democrat Vladimir Stasov was important for the development of Peredvizhniki's art. Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov showed the work of these artists in his gallery and gave them important material and moral support. Landscape painting flourished in the 1870s and 1880s. Peredvizhniki painted mainly landscapes; some, like Polenov, used plein air technique. Two painters, Ivan Shishkin and Isaak Levitan, painted only landscapes of Russia. Shishkin

1050-679: The years were A. K. Tolstoy , Fyodor Tyutchev , Leo Tolstoy (his Resurrection was first serialized in Niva ), Nikolai Leskov , Grigory Danilevsky , Afanasy Fet , Anton Chekhov , Maxim Gorky , Vladimir Solovyov , Alexander Blok , Sergei Yesenin , Korney Chukovsky , Ivan Bunin , Osip Mandelstam , Anna Akhmatova , Nikolay Gumilyov , Valery Bryusov , Dmitry Merezhkovsky , Georgy Ivanov , Konstantin Balmont , Mikhail Kuzmin , Fyodor Sologub , Teffi , Alexander Grin , and Ilya Ehrenburg , among many others. After Marx's death in 1904, Niva

1085-678: Was at 22 Malaya Morskaya Street. It was a large publication, almost the size of a tabloid newspaper; in 1900 a typical issue had 24 pages. Most of the text consisted of serialized fiction by respected writers; there were also short news and sports reports, ethnographic essays, and notes on science and technology, as well as information on all aspects of city life. Its editors included Viktor Klyushnikov (1870 to 1892, with interruptions), Dmitry Stakheev (1875—1877), Fedor Berg (1878—1887), Mikhail Volkonsky (1892—1894), Alexei Tikhonov-Lugovoi (1895—1897), Rostislav Sementkovsky (1897—1904), and Valerian Ivchenko-Svetlov (1910—1916). Among its contributors over

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1120-428: Was founded by A. F. Marx , a German immigrant who saw that Russia "lacked moderately priced magazines of general interest. He intended Niva to be a politically neutral family magazine, but the periodical soon outgrew its original purpose and became an ambitious vehicle for the dissemination of good literature in the provinces. It was read by an audience that extended from primary schoolteachers, rural parish priests, and

1155-475: Was largely succeeded by the Association of Travelling Art Exhibits (Peredvizhniki) to give people from the provinces a chance to follow the achievements of Russian Art, and to teach people to appreciate art. The society maintained independence from state support and brought the art, which illustrated the contemporary life of the people from Moscow and Saint Petersburg , to the provinces. From 1871 to 1923,

1190-792: Was removed to the Hermitage Museum across the river. During the Soviet era, academies were free of tuition fees as they were financed by the government, but admission was intensely competitive. Many would-be students would apply to the Academy for as many as six or seven years in a row without success. With just twenty places available and thousands of applicants, the competition was brutal. Well-known graduates of Ilya Repin Leningrad Institute for Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1930–1950s include: The Russian Academy of Arts has been headquartered in Moscow since 1947. Its current president

1225-412: Was the most popular magazine of late-nineteenth-century Russia; it lasted from 1870 to 1918, and defined itself on its masthead as "an illustrated weekly journal of literature, politics and modern life." Niva was the first of the Russian "thin magazines," illustrated weeklies that "contrasted with the more serious and ideologically focused monthly 'thick journals' intended for the educated reader." It

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