Why the famous Russian artist Vasily Perov had a fictitious name

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Among the outstanding Russian realist artists of the second half of the 19th century, who received popular gratitude, the name of Vasily Grigorievich Perov, called "the true singer of sorrow." Moreover, it is not unreasonable: the heroes of his genre paintings were mostly ordinary people, humiliated and insulted, always hungry and mourning their dead relatives. In addition, the personal drama of the artist's childhood and adolescence left its deep imprint on his entire career.

How an illegitimate boy with someone else's surname became Perov

The fate of Vasily Perov, the illegitimate son of the provincial prosecutor Baron Grigory Karlovich Kridener and the young widow of the tradesman Ivanov, Akulina Ivanovna, was dramatic. The exact date of his birth is not known; it fluctuates between December 1833 and January 1834. And even the fact that soon after the birth of Vasily his parents got married did not give him the right to either the surname or the title of his father.

Therefore, the officially "born in sin" child was initially given the name of the innkeeper, who agreed to become his godfather. The baby was named Vasily Grigorievich Vasiliev. And the pseudonym "Perov" will appear a little later, namely, with the light hand of a local sexton who taught the boy to read and write.

Vasya got interested in painting and calligraphy when he watched the work of an artist who was invited to their house, restoring a portrait. The boy, "enchanted by the magic of painting," will begin to paint as well. And the first thing that the future artist will depict will be letters that he will not write, namely, draw. For the beauty of writing and masterly possession of the pen, the sexton-teacher nicknamed Vasya - "Perov". Under this nickname, the artist became famous many years later. And Vasily in childhood had a chance to get sick with smallpox, as a result of which poor eyesight will remain with him for life, which, however, will not prevent him from becoming a famous painter.

Perov's father, a free-thinking man who made friends with the exiled Decembrists and received them in his home, was exiled to Arkhangelsk and deprived of material wealth. And then, in search of a profitable place, he and his family moved from city to city, wandering in strange corners. Until he stopped in Arzamas, where Vasily, despite the financial difficulties of the family, was sent to study at the art school of A. V. Stupin. The teacher said: and allowed him to paint with oil paints earlier than other students.

At the age of 18, his mother brought Vasily Perov to Moscow, and a year later he entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Because of his poverty, the young man had to live "out of mercy and on bread" with the hostess of the orphanage, where Akulina Ivanovna had attached him by acquaintance. But at the school, Vasily had a chance to rotate in an interesting creative environment: his comrades were novice artists from all over Russia. And the closest friend was the young landscape painter Ivan Shishkin.

Once Perov, left without a roof over his head and a livelihood, in despair, he almost left the school. However, in a difficult situation, his teacher helped him, who settled Vasily at his place and took care of him in a fatherly way.

After graduating from college, the young artist presented the "Portrait of NG Kridener" to the Academy of Arts, for which he was awarded a small silver medal. In those years, his other works were already noticed by both the public and critics. Many saw him as "the direct heir and successor of Fedotov."

The plot of this canvas was determined by the words of a folk song: “Mother cries like a river flows; sister cries like a stream flows; the wife cries, as the dew falls - the sun will rise, dry the dew”.

Having obtained permission to participate in the competition for the big gold medal of the Imperial Academy, Perov moved to St. Petersburg, where he wrote his works "Sermon in the Village" and "Rural Procession at Easter". And what was surprising - for the first work, he really received a large gold medal and the right to travel abroad as a pensioner.

But the second fell into disgrace and raised a storm of protest. Rumors went that. This work provoked heated debates: V. Stasov praised it for its truth and sincerity; at the same time, other influential critics argued that "such a trend kills real high art, humiliates it, showing only the unsightly side of life."

Far from home

But be that as it may, Perov still went abroad. For a whole year he lived in Paris, working and studying world art. However, the painter was burdened by life abroad, he passionately wanted to return home as soon as possible, even applied with a petition to the Academy.

In the history of the educational institution, such a case occurred for the first time, since the retirees of the Academy tried by all means to extend the period of stay abroad. But Vasily Perov, yearning for his homeland, strove with all his heart to Russia, and he was allowed to return home early.

Personal tragedy

There was also love in the artist's life with a taste of the bitterness of loss. Before his trip to Paris, in 1862, Vasily Perov married Helena Sheins, the niece of Professor Ryazanov. However, the family happiness of the young couple did not last long. Five years later, the painter suffered a great misfortune - first, his beloved wife died, and after her two older children, only the youngest son Vladimir remained alive, who later also became an artist.

Perov married a second time five years after the tragedy. But a heartbroken heart never healed. The master devoted himself entirely to painting. He worked a lot, wrote "loudly", in artless, soul-stirring works, sincerely reflected the life of "a mighty and abundant, great and powerless Mother Russia."

The great legacy of a brilliant artist

With sarcasm and irony, the painter exposes the immorality of the clergy and those in power, who have brought the common people to a miserable existence. An internal protest against an oppressed life determined the intention of almost all of the master's canvases.

Perov created in 1865 one of his best paintings: "Seeing the Dead". Although the canvas was small in size, it was great in content … The artist masterfully showed the hopelessness and loneliness of a peasant family without a breadwinner.

For the works "Troika" and "The Arrival of the Governess in the Merchant House" V. G. Perov received the title of Academician.

Five canvases by Perov ("Seeing the Dead", "First Rank", "Dilettante", "Guitarist-boby", "Troika") were shown at the World Exhibition of 1867 in Paris, where art critics and the educated public appreciated his creative works.

In 1869, Perov, together with Myasoedov, who had the idea of creating the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions, organized a group of Itinerants in Moscow. For seven years Vasily Grigorievich was a member of its board.

In 1870 he received the first prize for his work "Birds" and the title of professor of the Academy of Arts.

However, the brush of Vasily Perov belongs not only to social works, but to a whole portrait gallery, which you can see in the second part of the review.

The history of Russia without embellishment can be seen on the artist's sincere canvases. Vladimir Makovsky.