Vasnetsov Appolinary Mikhailovich (16 works)
Vasnetsov Appolinary Mikhailovich (July 25 (August 6) 1856 - January 23, 1933) - Russian artist, master of historical painting, art critic, brother of Viktor Vasnetsov.
Vasnetsov Appolinary was born on July 25 (August 6), 1856 in the village of Ryabovo near Vyatka (now Kirov region), in a large family of a priest who came from the ancient Vyatka family of Vasnetsov.
At the age of thirteen, the boy was left an orphan. Possessing remarkable talent, Apollinaris did not receive a systematic artistic education. While studying at the Vyatka Theological School, he began taking lessons from the Polish artist Michal Elviro Andriolli, exiled to Vyatka:
“Vasnetsov visited Andriolli every Sunday and brought him drawings made at home for review, and also drew the view from his window from life or copied the mountain and forest landscapes of the Swiss artist A. Calam.”
In 1872 he graduated from the Vyatka Theological School and, at the insistence of his older brother, Viktor Vasnetsov, moved to St. Petersburg, where he lived from 1872 to 1875. He studied painting with Viktor Vasnetsov, as well as with such masters as V. D. Polenov, I. E. Repin, M. M. Antokolsky, V. M. Maksimov.
In 1875, Apollinaris abandoned the idea of entering the Academy of Arts and passed the exam for the title of national teacher, after which he left to work in the village of Bystritsa, Oryol province. Soon, however, he became disillusioned with populist ideas. In 1878, Apollinary Vasnetsov left the village, went to Moscow, to his brother, and from then on he devoted himself entirely to art.
Since 1882, Apollinary Vasnetsov annually spent the summer at his brother’s dacha in the village of Akhtyrka near Abramtsevo, the estate of Savva Ivanovich Mamontov, and communicated a lot with members of the Abramtsevo circle.
Since 1883, Apollinary Vasnetsov began showing his works at the exhibitions of the Association of Traveling Art Exhibitions.
In 1885-1886, the artist traveled throughout the Russian Empire, visiting Ukraine and Crimea.
In 1898 he traveled through France, Italy and Germany.
In 1900, Vasnetsov became an academician of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. In 1903 he participated in the organization of the Union of Russian Artists.
In 1901-1918 he led the landscape class at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
Since 1918, he headed the Commission for the Study of Old Moscow and conducted archaeological research during excavation work in the central part of the city.
Apollinary Vasnetsov died in Moscow on January 23, 1933, and was buried at the Vvedensky cemetery. There is a memorial apartment-museum of the artist in the capital.
