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by Nadia F., a Russian woman living in St Petersburg, Russia
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was born on January 13, 1832. His father was a merchant, engineer, archaeologist and the author of the book "The history of the city Elabug". In 1856 year Ivan Shishkin graduated from the Moscow College of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture and then studied in the Saint-Petersburg Academy of art (1856-1860). In 1858-59 years Ivan Shishkin often visited the beautiful island Valaam (located near Saint-Petersburg). He liked its harsh and majestic nature. At his graduation the Academy of Art awarded Ivan Shishkin with the Grand Golden medal and the pension to work abroad on probation.
From 1862 year Ivan Shishkin lived in Germany and Switzerland,where he attended the studio of the Swiss landscape painter Koller R. He also visited France, Belgium, Holland and other European countries. He was not impressed by the Swiss mountains and soon started working near the Dusseldorf forest. In 1865 year he returned to Russia and was entitled the academician for his work "View near Dusseldorf". In 1868 year Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin got married on Vasilieva E., the sister of the painter Vasilev F. But this marriage was not long as his wife and his two sons died in 1872-1875 years. But he had a great success in painting. The major influence on the art of Shishkin was made by his Motherland nature of Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and the island Valaam. Ivan Shishkin managed to reproduce the national character of the Russian nature as no one else. Some of his paintings transpose the dampness of the moss, while the others are full of sun and air. He was the master in the treatment of light and shade. The paintings of Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin were very popular in Russia and Europe. His picture "Noon in the Neighborhood of Moscow" (1869) was bought by Tretyakov, the creator of the famous Russian art gallery in Moscow. Ivan Shishkin was the founder of the Society of the mobile art exhibitions. He took part in many exhibitions and won several art contests. Ivan Shishkin joined the club of the aquafortists (painting with the use vodka) and followed it till the end of his life. Shishkin was also good at drawing and engraving. In 1866 year Shishkin published the album of his etchings. Over 600 sketches and etchings were shown off at the art exhibition in the Academy in 1891. This exposition demonstrated the great work of Ivan Shishkin and his talent in feeling the beauty and the power of the Russian nature. In 1892 year he wrote the sketches of the "Belovezhskaya Pusha" and published the album "The paintings and pictures of Shishkin I.I." In 1894 year Ivan Shishkin became the head of the art studio in Saint-Petersburg Academy. Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin died on March 8 (20), 1898 in Saint-Petersburg. Some of Ivan Shishkin's most famous paintings (available as reproductions on canvas):
Some books about Ivan Shishkin and his famous paintings:
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