Ilya Semenovich Ostrukhov. Portrait of S.V. Marlyudina
Member of the Gallery of Works and Biographies of Russian Artists and Collectors, Member of the Society of Traveling Exhibitions and the Union of Russian Artists, Academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and one of the leaders of the Tretyakov Gallery.
Biography of the artist Ilya Ostrukhov
The artist Ilya Semenovich Ostrukhov was born in Moscow in July 1858 to a successful merchant family. Wealthy parents gave their sons a good education. Ilya Semenovich Ostrukhov spent his summer vacation with his parents on Lake Senezh near Moscow – one of the most beautiful places near Moscow. Osterhof collected animal and plant samples near Moscow, and soon his collection became so large and sophisticated that not only Russian scientists, but also many experts in the field of natural sciences in Europe knew the young naturalist.
In 1871, Ilya Semenovich Ostrukhov entered the Moscow Academy of Practical Business, successfully completed all the courses, and even planned to work in his father's company. But it was at this time that he met The famous publisher and owner of the printing house, Mamontov.
River at noon (Kupawa on the pond)
Ostrukhov showed Mamontov his notes on birds in central Russia. Mamontov liked the prose of Ilya Semenovich, and he also liked the authors of those essays. Since then, the Mamontov family has established a warm and friendly relationship with Ostrukhov.
Mamontov was one of the richest men in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century. A great and successful entrepreneur who loved art rather than his work, this entrepreneur indulged in the famous gallery of his distant relative Tretyakov. Mamontov himself collects works of art.
In Russia's famous Abram Tsevo estate, through the efforts of the Mamontov family, a circle of like-minded ideas has been formed. Polenov and Repin, Vrubel, Leviathan, Vasnetsov and many others have visited the circle. Mamontov wholeheartedly supports the creative work of young artist Sava Ivanovich. The artist, in turn, paid Mamontov with sincere love.
The beginning of Ilya Ostrukhov's creative path
It is in such a family and creative environment that 21-year-old Ilya Ostroukhov found herself. He is a bit shy, but well educated (he speaks three languages, plays the piano like a professional pianist, loves theatre and opera).
Not surprisingly, Ostrukhov soon caught fire with his desire to paint and began to learn from the teacher of Mamontov's children, a brilliant teacher and artist whose name was Alexander Aleksandrovich Kiserev. Indeed, Osterrühoff began to learn in a very unusual way - he rejected the classical method, which involved drawing plaster models and objects for a long time with a pencil, and then it was necessary to depict antique statues with charcoal, etc.
spring
Ilya Semyonovich created his first painting in oil. The teacher was surprised by the quality of the paintings submitted by Ostrukhov and believed that they were "a spark of God" and began to copy Polynov's paintings with new students. Soon, Repin became interested in the novice artist and proposed that Osterushof learn to draw, and then even opened a separate course for the young painter.
In the winter of 1882, Ostrukhov began to attend classes at the Academy of Arts to teach Chistiyakov. Ostrukhov was not admitted to the Academy of Arts, and he did everything in his power to make up for the failure at the Chistakov School.
It can be said that Chistiyakov's class marked the end of Osterrükhov's art education. Ilya Semenovich returned to Abramcevo to begin work. He painted so much, so tenaciously, that for a time he became the main topic of conversation on the estate. In 1887, Osterrühoff made his debut in the fourteenth exhibition "Wanderers", with the scenery as "The Last Snow". Critics noticed the painting, and they began to write about the young artist and touted his work.
The last snow
When the next painting of the same year, "Golden Autumn", "left" to the Tretyakov Gallery, the press comments simply exploded.
golden autumn
The artist worked outdoors for a long time, often traveling the country to study the works of the ancient masters, and at the end of 1887 traveled to Italy with a large group of Russian artists.
Osterrhof returned from Italy to impress and inspire, and in 1888 the Moscow exhibition showed the landscape "the first green".
The first piece of green
Again, there was overwhelming praise from the public and critics.
Literally, the artist's skill is growing. And in 1890, the artist presented the painting "Siverko" to the public. The painting was unanimously accepted by all members of the Roving Exhibition Association, and P.M. Tretyakov did not take the risk, but bought the painting on the first day of the exhibition (Tretyakov later considered Siverko to be one of the most important ornaments of his gallery). Immediately after the exhibition, Ostrukhov was admitted as a member of the association, together with Levitan and Kasatkin, which granted the right to participate in the annual exhibition without having to discuss the work with the jury beforehand.
Siviko
Osterrhof continues to participate in exhibitions depicting very mature and interesting landscapes, but he will no longer create works of Siverko level.
Since the second half of the 1890s, Ostrukhov's paintings have become less and less numerous – he began to collect and devoted much of his time to the Tretyakov Gallery, serving as chairman of the council and as a trustee of the gallery.
They say osterrhof's collection of paintings was once completely unique. Ilya Semyonovich collected paintings entirely for painting. Instead of collecting individual "successful" paintings, he collected a large number of works by one author, and many of the painters in the "second row" of his collection are very broadly represented. He also bought works from his friends: Repin, Bolenov, Serov, Levitan.
Since 1902, Osterrhof has concentrated on collecting a series of icons. Ostrühoff's collection of ancient Russian icons was a big sensation – since the collection was publicly displayed, interest in this ancient Russian art has rekindled (thanks to Osterrhof, people have begun to compare icons with ancient Russian paintings). In Osterrhof's collection, the icons are not placed in a separate room, but next to landscapes and portraits, and such proximity only enhances the artistic value of the icon paintings, emphasizing the decorative and unique plasticity of these works.
In the scientific community, they debated for a long time the possibility of treating icon painting as a painting. The Osterrhof collection ended these disputes, and Europe became interested in ancient Russian painting.
Forest stagnant water
After the Revolution of 1917, all major museums were nationalized. By decree of the Council of People's Commissars, it was unanimously decided to appoint Ostrukhov as the guardian of life in the museum of his collection.
In 1925, in the hall of the Tretyakov Gallery, a solo exhibition of the artist Osterrükhov was held, showing 62 works by the master. Many of his contemporaries were amazed that they had forgotten about the artist. Many people only know that she is a collector and administrator. But suddenly, it turned out to be a master whose work could be compared to the paintings of the best landscape painters of the late nineteenth century.
In 1929, the artist Ilya Semyonovich Ostrukhov died. Most of his collection of paintings and icons ended up on display in the Tretyakov Gallery, and some of the works were transferred to the Russian Museum and the Polynov Manor Museum.
Painting by the artist Ilya Semenovich Ostrukhov
early spring
Landscape and water
hydrangea
The last snow
early spring
alley
In early spring
In Abramtsevsky Park
The last snow. Abram Tsevo
Italian boy
Landscape view
birch
Ural landscape
forest
Piazza San Marco in Venice