Not only sisters, but also wives: What secret is hidden in the painting "Cornflowers" by Igor Grabar
Not only sisters, but also wives: What secret is hidden in the painting "Cornflowers" by Igor Grabar

Video: Not only sisters, but also wives: What secret is hidden in the painting "Cornflowers" by Igor Grabar

Video: Not only sisters, but also wives: What secret is hidden in the painting
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Portrait of the artist Igor Grabar and his painting Cornflowers
Portrait of the artist Igor Grabar and his painting Cornflowers

Igor Grabar is known not only as an art critic and restorer, but also as a talented impressionist painter. Under his leadership, the Tretyakov Gallery turned into a world-renowned museum complex, and it was through his efforts that the multivolume History of Russian Art was written. Much is known about Grabar's professional activities, but the details of his personal life are still shrouded in mystery. His painting "Cornflowers" can serve as a clue to its solution.

February azure. Artist Igor Grabar, 1904 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
February azure. Artist Igor Grabar, 1904 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

For Igor Grabar, art has always been a subject of knowledge and creation. As a child, Igor showed a passion for drawing. According to his parents, he harassed piles of paper and enthusiastically drew with paints. When the boy grew up, he began to take painting lessons, spent hours in the workshop. After - he entered the Lyceum of Tsarevich Nicholas in Moscow. Igor's childhood was spent in the Ryazan province, and moving to Moscow opened new horizons for him.

Unkempt table. Artist Igor Grabar, 1907 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Unkempt table. Artist Igor Grabar, 1907 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

Despite the fact that studying at the Lyceum was difficult (Igor was almost the poorest of the students, he lived on the maintenance), the Lyceum student began to devote time to visiting art galleries. In particular, the Tretyakov Gallery attracted him like a magnet. Could this boy even have hoped then that years later he would receive the position of trustee of this gallery?

Morning tea (In the alley). Artist Igor Grabar, 1917. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Morning tea (In the alley). Artist Igor Grabar, 1917. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

After graduating from the Lyceum, Igor Grabar entered the Faculty of Law at St. Petersburg University. He filled his student years in the city on the Neva for the rest of his life. Here he seriously took up painting, quickly entered the social circle of the St. Petersburg bohemia. From here, I went on a tour of European countries, eagerly responding to what I saw in art.

Chrysanthemums. Artist Igor Grabar, 1905. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Chrysanthemums. Artist Igor Grabar, 1905. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

Passion for painting did not give rise to doubt that the next step for Igor Grabar should be training at the Academy of Arts. True, after admission, it became clear that the soul of a talented student thirsted for novelty, and not for strict academicism. The path of Igor Grabar lay in the Munich school of painting … During this period, Grabar began active cooperation with Sergei Diaghilev, and his formation as a critic and art historian.

Frost. Artist Igor Grabar, 1905. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Frost. Artist Igor Grabar, 1905. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

In subsequent years, Igor Grabar constantly combined painting with scientific activities. It took a lot of strength and energy. Working in the Tretyakov Gallery, Grabar made a complete inventory of all exhibits, cataloged them. His merit is a course of lectures on the scientific restoration of works of art.

March snow. Artist Igor Grabar, 1904 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
March snow. Artist Igor Grabar, 1904 Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

And what about the artist's personal life? Grabar met his future wife Valentina Meshcherina at the Dugino estate, where his friend and artist Nikolai Meshcherin lived (Valentina was his niece). Valentina was a real beauty, her fiery red hair drove Igor crazy, and he soon proposed to her. The house of the Grabbers was a full bowl, the family had two children - Olga and Mstislav. It seemed to live and rejoice, but fate prepared a difficult test for them. Valentina began to lose her mind, she was diagnosed with a severe hormonal disease.

Cornflowers. Artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Cornflowers. Artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

Treatment in the clinic for party workers did not give results: Valentina returned to her family as a completely different person. There was no longer either love of life or energy in her. She lived at home quite a bit, and … disappeared. She left her husband and children. All attempts to find her were in vain.

Cornflowers (group portrait). Artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Cornflowers (group portrait). Artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

After a while, Valentina's own sister, Maria, began to take care of Igor Grabar and his two children. The painting "Cornflowers" depicts both women - red-haired Valentina and dark-haired Maria. Both in different years were the wives of the artist.

Portrait of the artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru
Portrait of the artist Igor Grabar. Photo: hudojnik-impressionist.ru

As for the children of Igor Grabar, Olga and Mstislav, their fates are also remarkable. Mstislav became a talented mathematician, and Olga became a biologist. Olga entered the university in 1940, and, three years later, voluntarily went to the front. In the war, she served as an interpreter, first in intelligence, then in the rifle corps. Returning from the front, she finished her studies, but did not quit science. A few years later she defended her Ph. D. thesis, and later - her doctoral dissertation.

The Tretyakov Gallery became the work of Igor Grabar's life, he was captivated by the artistic wealth that was in the museum's funds. Secrets of the Tretyakov Gallery do not give rest to modern art critics. Recently, X-ray analysis of some famous canvases was carried out, and the result was unexpected.

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