Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Detail; Death of Virginia. Sketch, c. 1857
Oil on canvas
I have no further description, at this time
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge (15 February 1831 – 13 June 1 June 1894) was a Russian realist painter and an early Russian symbolist. He was famous for his works on historical and religious subjects.
Nikolai Ge was born to a Russian noble family of French origin. His grandfather who was a French nobleman immigrated to the Russian Empire during the 18th century and married a Russian woman. Ge's mother died when he was three months old.
Ge grew up on his family estate in Popelukhy near Mohyliv-Podilskyi in Podilia. His grandmother and a serf nurse cared for him.
He graduated from the first Kyiv Gymnasium No. 1 where Mykola Kostomarov was one of his teachers. Then he studied physics and mathematics at Kyiv University and Saint Petersburg University.
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Witch of Endor, c. 1857
Oil on canvas
288 × 341.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The Witch of Endor is a woman who, according to the Hebrew Bible, was consulted by Saul to summon the spirit of prophet Samuel in order to receive advice against the Philistines in battle, after prior attempts to consult God through sacred lots and prophets had failed.
Later Christian theology found trouble with this passage as it appeared to imply that the Witch had successfully summoned the spirit of Samuel, therefore giving credence to the idea that necromancy and magic were possible. More on The Witch of Endor
The picture is painted in dark shades with bright color contrasts. The spirit is dressed in snow-white attire, and the king in a blood-red robe. This allows us to expressly highlight exactly these two figures on the rest of the dark background. More on this painting
In 1850, Ge enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. In 1857, he graduated from the Academy where he received a gold medal for The Witch of Endor Invoking the Spirit of the Prophet Samuel (See above).
The gold medal secured a scholarship for Ge to study abroad. He visited Germany, Switzerland and France. In 1860 he settled in Italy where he met Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov in Rome. The Russian artist became a strong influence to Ge's future works.
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
The Last Supper, c. 1863
Oil on canvas
Height: 283 cm (111.4 in); Width: 382 cm (12.5 ft)
Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg
The Last Supper is the final meal that, in the Gospel accounts, Jesus shared with his apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "Holy Communion" or "The Lord's Supper".
The Last Supper portrays the reaction given by each apostle when Jesus said one of them would betray him. All twelve apostles have different reactions to the news, with various degrees of anger and shock. More on the last supper
The painting was painted in Italy and brought to Russia for an academic exhibition in 1863. It was a huge success and received many press reviews.
The viewers of Ge's painting were divided into two camps: some admired the painting, others were indignant. Literary critic and censor Alexander Nikitenko reprimanded Ge for mixing the genres of historical painting and everyday life in the painting, in which he saw a decline in the lofty ideals of the gospel narrative: “Christ is like some young guy, twisting about something ... The main thing is she ( picture. - T. K. ) does not revolt me by itself, but by the fact that it serves as an expression of that crude materialism, which wants to take possession of art, as well as the moral order of things." More on this painting
In 1861, Ge painted The Last Supper (See above) using a photograph of Aleksandr Ivanovich Herzen as an image for his central figure of Christ. The photograph was taken by Herzen's cousin, Russian photographer Sergei Lvovich Levitsky.
This was the first known occasion where photography was used as the main source for a central character in a painting and speaks to the deep influences that photography would have later on in art and artistic movements like French Impressionism.
The painting was first purchased by Tsar Alexander II of Russia, and made such a strong impression when it was shown in Saint Petersburg in 1863 that Ge was made a professor of Imperial Academy of Arts.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge
Messengers of the Resurrection, c.1867
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
When Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene early on that first Easter Sunday, she “went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.”
This image captures Mary running with good news towards people in darkness. At this point, she is the only one in the world who knows how God has changed everything. New light is breaking on the horizon. In the shadows at her feet we can see ruins of the cross, which has been broken, toppled, and left behind.
This is urgent news for people who live in darkness. Who needs to hear good news from us today? More on this painting
In this painting, the central figure is not actually in the center, it is on the left side above the middle line. An invisible wind is made evident by the position of the central figure. The figure has long hair that is not following the rules of gravity. The wind is blowing the hair off the figure’s face. Further proof of the strong wind is seen in the position of the figure’s body; it is leaning ever so slightly forward in order to counter the wind’s force.
This figure has a light shining on it from above. Even though the sky is light we do not see a sun or light source specifically. The light directed at the figure is coming from an unseen source because the angle of the painting offers only a limited viewpoint. While the light shines from above it also comes from within. The light comes from the figure itself and the sky. This effect combined with the confident winged creature it is centered upon gives the figure an angelic look. While it remains unclear what the central figure is specifically, a person with wings is commonly identified as an angel. More on this painting
In 1864, Ge returned to Florence and painted Herzen's portrait along with the Messengers of the Resurrection (See above) and the first version of Christ on the Mount of Olives (See below). The new paintings were not much of a success and the Imperial Academy refused to exhibit them in its annual exhibition.
Nikolay Nikolaevich Ge
Christ on the Mount of Olives, c. 1869-1880-th
Oil on canvas
258 x 198.5
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
He represented in his head what Jesus looked like in the last hours before the crucifixion. On the face of the savior, we see anxiety, but not despair. The main character of the canvas turns to his creator for understanding and for him to accept him in his immense embrace. He asks for forgiveness for not being able to set people on the path of truth. More on this painting
In 1870, Ge again returned to Saint Petersburg where he turned to Russian history for subject matter. The painting Peter the Great Interrogates Tsarevich Alexey at Peterhof (1871) was a great success (See below), but his other historical paintings were met with little to no interest. Ge wrote that a man should live off of farming and art should not be for sale. He bought a small farm and moved there. Ge became acquainted with Leo Tolstoy around this time and became a follower of his philosophy.
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Peter the Great Interrogating the Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich at Peterhof, c. 1871
oil on canvas
134,5 x 173
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Ge created two identical paintings: one purchased by Pavel Tretyakov and another one by Russian Tzar Alexander II. The first is now exhibited in the Tretyakov gallery in Moscow, the second in the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Grand Duke Alexei Petrovich of Russia (28 February 1690 – 7 July 1718) was a Russian Tsarevich. He was born in Moscow, the son of Tsar Peter I and his first wife, Eudoxia Lopukhina. Alexei despised his father and repeatedly thwarted Peter's plans to raise him as successor to the throne.
Tsarevich Alexei, made a stand against his father’s orders. However the conspiracy was unmasked and the Tsarevich fled abroad, but was returned to Russia at the order of Peter the Great. Russian Senate based on the Emperor’s consent sentenced him to death. To recreate this historical episode in every detail, the artist thoroughly studies documents and portraits of Peter the Great and the Tsarevich, as well as the costumes dated back to the beginning of the 18th century. He also faithfully reproduced the Emperor’s study in the Monplaisir palace in Peterhof. More on this painting
In the early 1880s, he returned to religious subjects and portraits. He claimed that everyone had the right to have a personal portrait and agreed to work for whatever commission the subject could afford. Among his later portrait subjects were Tolstoy (See below), Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin (See below) and the biblical Judas (See above).
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Portrait of Author Leo Tolstoy, c. 1884
Oil on canvas
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow,
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Author Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin
Oil on canvas
I have no further description, at this time
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Conscience, Judas, c. 1891
Oil on canvas
149 x 210 cm
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
His later paintings on New Testament subjects were praised by liberal critics like Vladimir Stasov and criticized by conservatives for illustrating Ernest Renan rather than the New Testament and were banned by authorities for blasphemy. Quid Est Veritas? Christ and Pilate (1890) (See below) was also banned from an exhibition. The Judgment of the Sanhedrin: He is Guilty! (1892) (See below) was not admitted to the annual Academy of Arts exhibition; The Calvary (Golgotha) (1893) remained unfinished; The Crucifixion (1894) was banned by Tsar Alexander III (See below).
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
Christ and Pilate, What is truth? c. 1890
Oil on canvas
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Nikolai Ge (1831–1894)
The Judgment of the Sanhedrin: He is Guilty! c. 1892
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Nikolaï Gay (1831-1894)
The Calvary (Golgotha), unfinished, c. 1893
Oil on canvas
222.4 x 191.8 cm
The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
Nikolaï Gay (1831-1894)
Calvary, also called Golgotha; Crucifixion, Circa 1892
Oil on canvas
H. 278; W. 223 cm
Paris, Musée d'Orsay
Ge died on his farm in 1894. The fate of many of his works remains a mystery. Ge had bequeathed all of his works to his Swiss benefactress, Beatrice de Vattville in exchange for a small stipend from her during his lifetime. When she died in 1952, none of Ge's works were found in her castle. Among the lost works is Ge's supposedly magnum opus painting The Crucifixion. More on Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge
Please visit my other blogs: Art
Collector, Mythology, Marine
Art, Portrait of a Lady, The
Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The
Canals of Venice, Middle
East Artists, 365
Saints and 365 Days, also visit my Boards on Pinterest
Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others.
Some Images may be subject to copyright
I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless
it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell
me.
I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are
shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.
If you enjoyed this post, please share with friends and family.
Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.
Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles
available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.
No comments:
Post a Comment