Oil painting -> List of Painters -> Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov

Personal Details Name Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov Place of birth St.Petersburg Date of Birth 1 June 1844 Date of Death 18 July 1927 Nationality Russian Movement Peredvizhniki movement of realist artists Field Landscape Painter

Vasily Polenov (1844–1927) was a pre-eminent Russian landscape painter and a major figure of the Peredvizhniki school of art. He is celebrated for his mastery of light and color, as well as his ability to capture the essence of the Russian countryside.

Polenov was born in St. Petersburg, in the heart of the Russian Empire. He was the son of a doctor, and was educated at a gymnasium, where he showed an early interest in art. His parents were supportive of his artistic ambitions, and he was enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1861, at the age of 17.

At the Academy, Polenov studied under the great landscape painter Ivan Aivazovsky, who had a profound influence on his work. Polenov also met and befriended Ivan Shishkin, another great Russian landscape painter, and the two became close friends and colleagues.

Polenov's career as a painter began to take off in the 1870s. His landscapes, which often featured scenes of the Russian countryside, were well-received by the public and established him as a major artist. He was a member of the Peredvizhniki, an influential art collective and movement, and his work was exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Polenov traveled extensively throughout the Russian Empire, painting landscapes of the Black Sea coast, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Crimea. He also visited Egypt, where he painted a series of landscapes. His travels inspired him to create a number of sketches and paintings that depicted the everyday life of the people he encountered.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Polenov's style evolved, and he began to explore more modern themes, such as industrialization, in his works. His later paintings often featured large factories, as well as more contemporary cityscapes.

Throughout his life, Polenov remained an active member of the Russian art scene, and was a close friend of many of the most important figures in Russian art. He was a lifelong friend of Ilya Repin, and the two often collaborated on projects. Polenov also served as a mentor to younger artists, and was a major influence on the development of Russian art.

Polenov died in 1927, and his work has continued to be celebrated as a major example of Russian landscape art. His paintings have been exhibited in major art galleries around the world, and his works are highly sought after by collectors. Polenov's art remains an important part of Russian art history, and his legacy as a major landscape painter continues to be remembered.

   Works Of Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov: