Alexander Vladimirovich Makovsky (1869-1924) was a Russian artist who came from the famous noble Makovsky family, many of whose members were famous artists such as Konstantin and Vladimir Makovsky. As soon as it became clear that little Sasha had a talent for painting, the best teachers were invited to study with him.
Later Alexander entered the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture, where he studied under Polenov, Pryanishnikov and his father Vladimir. However, Vladimir did not indulge his son and treated him in class like any other student, following all the principles of pedagogy.
Waiting for the procession
It soon became clear that Alexander's talent was not inferior to his father and famous uncle Konstantin Makovsky, who was the highest paid artist in Russia and earned really big money. At the school, he was awarded silver medals several times, and there is no doubt that this was not done under the patronage of his father.
Then he continued his studies in Paris with the realist Fernand Cormon, who organized his own private art school, which produced many good artists, including Toulouse-Lautrec, Borisov-Musatov, Roerich, and others. And to top it all off, there was his studies at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts with Ilya Repin.
Plyos
It is not surprising that with such connections, talent, knowledge and relatives, Alexander's further life path resembled a smooth and even road to success. He painted, opened his own private art school, joined the Peredvizhniki society. However, by that time - the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, the Peredvizhniki had already begun to leave the stage, their paintings seemed outdated, their techniques familiar.
Exhibitions still attracted viewers in the provinces, but in the capital, sophisticated people were more interested in modernism and avant-garde. However, Alexander Makovsky did not know how and did not want to paint in a new way. But his creativity and knowledge were always in demand, he became an academician of painting and headed the painting school at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
Transportation on the Volga
Makovsky willingly painted landscapes, portraits and genre scenes. But if in portraits he often depicted members of the Romanov dynasty, then in his genre scenes he gave preference to ordinary people: workers, peasants, artisans and others, often depicting the most simple, but very accurate scenes that he himself witnessed.
Religious procession at Florus and Laurus
Alexander Makovsky's work is not about the suffering of the humiliated and oppressed, but about the view of an indifferent passer-by, who would not mind stopping for a while and enjoying a scene that has caught his eye, but who is unlikely to take an active part in it.
Bored
One of Makovsky's most famous paintings - ‘’Bored‘’ was painted by him in 1897. The first guy in the village and heartbreaker decided to dot all the i's in the relationship with his former lover. He initially became infatuated with a local girl, who was very flattered by the attention of such an enviable suitor. But for him it's just a love game, and he decided to stop it, perhaps his parents found him a more serious bride, or maybe some other local beauty.
Finally, out of the public eye and away from the gossips, the couple decided to sort out their relationship. The news of their separation was a severe blow to the girl: she threw the buckets of water and, unable to control her emotions, cried and wailed, leaning against the wattle. The boy nervously lit a cigarette and turned away. It was unfortunate that he had to listen to these pitiful lamentations, but his conscience must have been troubled, and it would not have allowed him to leave immediately after hearing of his former lover's grief. And it is not known how far their relationship has gone, and whether the girl will not have to suffer the censure of the world for having lost her virginity before marriage.
Landscape with a church
In addition to genre scenes, Makovsky liked to paint all kinds of landscapes, often depicting magnificent churches and monasteries that were in impressive harmony with their surroundings, as if they had not been built by man but had been created by the will of God.
Simonov Monastery
In search of beautiful views, he travelled extensively in Russia, visiting the Solovetsky Islands, and based on his impressions of what he saw there, he painted several wonderful pictures of the famous local monastery.
Solovetsky Monastery
Makovsky did not welcome the revolution of 1917, but he remained in Russia, survived the devastation and civil war, and died in 1924.
Marriage with a cousin, starvation and forced emigration. The tragic fate of Zinaida Serebryakova.
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