Historical and genre painter K. V. Lebedev (1852-1916) (35 works)

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Klavdiy Vasilyevich Lebedev (1852-1916) - Itinerant artist, historical and genre painter, representative of the Russian realistic school at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. His name remains little known. Only those who are well acquainted with the work of Konstantin Ton know about his works. And the only small book dedicated to his life and work was published in 1948.

K.V. was born. Lebedev on October 16, 1852 in the family of a peasant, a church painter, which, of course, later influenced his work. Almost nothing is known about the future artist’s childhood and adolescence. In the beginning. 1870s he entered the Stroganov School. From there in 1875 he moved to the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. Favorite teacher K.V. Lebedev was V.G. Perov. Vladimir Makovsky became his closest friend and associate.
70s – 80s XIX century - a remarkable period in the history of Russian art, marked by a surge of interest in Russian history and its comprehension in artistic images. The historical genre captivated many Russian painters, who depicted on canvas a wide variety of events in Russian history.
It is quite natural that Lebedev’s favorite genre was historical painting, which allows him to show characters using the colorfulness of ancient Russian costumes and the features of the setting.
For the painting “The Hawthorn Exit from the Church” he received a large silver medal. Knowledge of history, love for his native past, and historical flair allowed him to create the most interesting paintings, including “Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible asking Abbot Kirill to bless him to become a monk.”

(Tsar Ivan the Terrible asks Abbot Cornelius to tonsure him as a monk)

Russian history of the period of the XVI-XVII centuries. aroused particular interest. Therefore, it was no coincidence that the success of his painting “Boyar Wedding” (XVII century), which was shown in 1884 at the XII exhibition of the Wanderers, was no coincidence. The first large historical painting by K.V. Lebedev received mixed reviews from critics. “St. Petersburg Vedomosti” wrote that the types presented in the film “are impossible, ugly to the extreme, disgusting to look at.” V.V. Stasov considered that the most attractive thing about Lebedev’s work was “the types and characters, perfectly understood and expressed.” Lebedev's name becomes famous.

(Boyar wedding)

This “big thing” was the historical painting “The Destruction of the Novgorod Assembly,” demonstrated for the first time in 1891 at the 19th exhibition of the Itinerants. Next, in 1894, the painting “Polonyannik” was painted, inspired by the historical story by N. Polevoy “Russian Polonyannik” and dedicated to the tragic events of Russian history - the Mongol-Tatar yoke. The artist constantly turned to genre historical scenes in his work and did not forget about them: “The Jester’s Treat” (1892), “The Fool” (1892), “In the Moscow Prikaz of the 17th century.” (1898), “Rested” (1900), “To the boyar with a slander” (1903).

(To the boyar with a slander, 1903)

His “paintings have one very valuable quality - the ability to quickly read the composition. The viewer, even without knowing the title, easily catches the thread of the story. The slightest detail is necessary in the picture and does not become superfluous. Lebedev is an unrivaled and fascinating storyteller.”

(Structure of a Bear in the Forest 1907)

(Dance, 1900)

(Ivan the Terrible in the chambers)

(In 1836 he attended the class of K.P. Bryullov, received the title of “appointed” for the painting “Girl with a Tambourine”)

(Christmas)

(Baptism of Kievites)

(Assembly at the court of Peter I)

(To my son, 1894)

(Night on Ivan Kupala)

(Russian development of new lands 1904)

(Portrait of a boy. 1900)

(Tiff on the terrace)

In the 80s The artist begins to seriously engage in book illustration. Among the first known works are illustrations for some stories from “Notes of a Hunter” by I.S. Turgenev, completed in 1883-1884.

The luxurious edition of N.I. is well known. Kutepov "Grand-Ducal, Royal and Imperial hunting in Rus'." The pictures for this book were painted by I.E. Repin, V. Serov, A. Ryabushkin, and K.V. Lebedev. The second volume of the book - “The Royal Hunt” - opened with a frontispiece by K.V. Lebedev: “Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich’s departure for falconry from the Spassky Gate of Moscow.”

Deep knowledge of Russian history and good knowledge of the book traditions of Ancient Rus' allowed K.V. Lebedev is talented at illustrating a number of historical works by the famous Russian writer P.N. Polevoy: these are “God’s Chosen One”, “Echoes of Antiquity”, “Historical Stories and Tales”, retellings of Novgorod epics, etc.

In the 90s XIX century K.V. Lebedev becomes a teacher, first at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, then at the Higher Art School at the Academy of Arts (St. Petersburg). From 1896 to 1898 he was a professor of life class at the Higher Art School at the Academy. Since 1906 Lebedev has been a full member of the Academy of Arts.

Claudius Vasilyevich Lebedev died on September 21, 1916. His painting “Ivan the Terrible” remained unfinished.

Until the end of his life, the artist remained faithful to his chosen historical theme, and his knowledge allowed him to carry outworks, be it a painting or an illustration for a book, are not only highly artistic, but also historically accurate. With his works, Lebedev glorified the beauty of the Russian man, his spiritual strength. All his works are imbued with love for Russia and Russian history.