Artist Borovikovsky biography. Female images in portraits of the artist Borovikovsky

Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky (1757-1825) - Russian artist, master of portraiture.

Vladimir Borovikovsky was born on July 24 (August 4, new style) 1757 in the Hetmanate in Mirgorod in the family of the Cossack Luka Ivanovich Borovikovsky (1720-1775). The father, uncle and brothers of the future artist were icon painters. In his youth, V. L. Borovikovsky studied icon painting under the guidance of his father.

From 1774 he served in the Mirgorod Cossack Regiment, while simultaneously painting. In the first half of the 1780s, Borovikovsky, with the rank of lieutenant, retired and devoted himself to painting. Paints images for local churches.

In the 1770s, Borovikovsky became closely acquainted with V.V. Kapnist and carried out his instructions for painting the interior of a house in Kremenchug, intended to receive the Empress. Catherine II noted the artist’s work and ordered him to move to St. Petersburg.

In 1788, Borovikovsky settled in St. Petersburg. In the capital, for the first time he lived in the house of N.A. Lvov and met his friends - G.R. Derzhavin, I.I. Khemnitser, E.I. Fomin, as well as D.G. Levitsky, who became his teacher. For several years he studied painting with I.B. Lampi.

In 1795, V. L. Borovikovsky was awarded the title of academician of painting for his portrait of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. In 1803 he became an adviser to the Academy of Arts. From 1798 to 1820 lived in an apartment building at 12 Millionnaya Street.

Borovikovsky died on April 6 (18), 1825 in St. Petersburg, and was buried at the St. Petersburg Smolensk Orthodox Cemetery. In 1931, the ashes were reburied in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The monument remained the same - a granite sarcophagus on lion legs.

He bequeathed his property to be distributed to those in need.

Genus. in the city of Mirgorod, present-day Poltava province, July 24, 1757, d. April 6, 1825 His father, an old resident of Mirgorod, icon comrade Luka Borovik (equally spelled Borovik and Borovikovsky, as well as Luka and Lukyan, died in 1775) ... ... Large biographical encyclopedia

Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky Portrait by Bugaevsky Blagodatny Date of birth: 1757 Date of death: 1825 Nationality: Ukrainian ... Wikipedia

- (1757 1825) Russian painter. Borovikovsky's portraits are characterized by features of sentimentalism, a combination of decorative subtlety and grace of rhythms with a faithful transmission of character (M. I. Lopukhina, 1797). Since the 1800s was influenced by classicism (A.B.... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Borovikovsky (Vladimir Lukich), an artist of historical, church and portrait painting, was born in 1758 in Mirgorod, died in 1826. The son of a nobleman, in his young years he served in military service, which he left with the rank of lieutenant and then settled in... ... Biographical Dictionary

Russian and Ukrainian portrait artist. Until 1788 he lived in Mirgorod, studied with his father and uncle, icon painters, and painted icons and portraits, which in many ways were still close to the traditions of Ukrainian art... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (1757 1825), Russian and Ukrainian artist. Portraitist. Until 1788 he lived in Mirgorod, studied with his father and uncle, icon painters; from the end of 1788 in St. Petersburg, where he initially used the advice of D. G. Levitsky, and from 1792 he studied with the Austrian artist I... Art encyclopedia

Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich- (17571825), artist. From 1788 he lived in St. Petersburg. He studied painting with D. G. Levitsky and the Austrian artist I. B. Lampi the Elder (from 1792). Academician of painting since 1795, advisor to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts since 1802. Author of numerous portraits... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"

- (1757 1825), artist. From 1788 he lived in St. Petersburg. He studied painting with D. G. Levitsky and the Austrian artist I. B. Lampi the Elder (from 1792). academician of painting since 1795, advisor to the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts since 1802. Author of numerous portraits... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

- (1757 1825), painter. Borovikovsky’s portraits are characterized by features of sentimentalism, a combination of decorative subtlety and grace of rhythms with a faithful conveyance of character (“M. I. Lopukhina”, 1797). Borovikovsky’s rather restrained works of the 1800s... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

Borovikovsky, Vladimir Lukich- V.A. Borovikovsky. Portrait of M.I. Lopukhina. 1797. Tretyakov Gallery. BOROVIKOVSKY Vladimir Lukich (1757 1825), Russian painter. Borovikovsky’s portraits have features of sentimentalism, a combination of decorative subtlety and graceful rhythm with... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Bugaevsky-Grateful I.V. Portrait of the artist V.L. Borovikovsky. 1824.

The artist lived and worked at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As a master, he developed during the educational era of the reign of Catherine the Great. The heyday of his work came during the short and controversial reign of Paul I, who was called both the “mad despot” and the “Russian Hamlet.” Borovikovsky survived the “beautiful beginning of Alexander’s days,” as well as the invasion of Napoleon and the Patriotic War of 1812. The artist died in April 1825, a few months before the Decembrist uprising.
Borovikovsky's art corresponds to the philosophical, aesthetic and religious ideas of his time. The painter paid tribute to various stylistic trends. To this day, Borovikovsky remains an unsurpassed master of sentimentalism in Russian painting. At the same time, the artist clearly showed himself as a representative of late classicism (Empire style).
Throughout his life, Borovikovsky worked hard and fruitfully. Compared to F. Rokotov and D. Levitsky, he left a huge artistic heritage, numbering over three hundred works. First of all, the painter was fully realized in the various typological structures of the portrait genre. These include large-sized representative paintings, small-format chamber images, and miniatures. The artist also paid tribute to allegorical paintings. Borovikovsky is the author of numerous icons for huge cathedrals and small churches, home icon cases. In old literature, the artist's religious painting came to the fore and was valued very highly. The artist’s first biographer, V. Gorlenko, wrote about Borovikovsky as an “inspired religious painter” whose works “breathe with deep and naive faith, turning into mystical delight towards the end of his life.”
Vladimir Borovikovsky was born on July 24 (August 4), 1757 in Mirgorod in Little Russia. The artist’s childhood and youth passed in an environment that was conducive to the development of the talented boy’s abilities. His father Luka Borovik, uncle, cousins ​​and siblings formed a related clan of icon painters. Borovikovsky received his first lessons in this craft from his father. However, according to the custom of his time, he had to serve in the military field. In 1774, Borovikovsky joined the Mirgorod regiment, in which he was considered “above the ranks.” In the first half of the 1780s, the artist retired with the rank of lieutenant, settled in Mirgorod and now completely devoted himself to religious painting. He painted images for local churches (Trinity and Resurrection churches in Mirgorod), most of which have not survived. In rare examples (“The Virgin and Child”, 1787, Museum of Ukrainian Art, Kyiv; “King David”, Museum of V.A. Tropinin and Moscow artists of his time, Moscow) of Borovikovsky’s iconography, one can trace the reverent attitude of a deeply religious person to the creation of a religious image.

Virgin and Child

At the same time, the master’s iconographic creations revealed the ornamental complexity and splendor of Ukrainian art.
Chance helped develop the painter's talent. In 1787, Catherine the Great decided to travel to Taurida. V.V. Kapnist, a famous poet and leader of the Kyiv nobility, commissioned Borovikovsky to paint the interiors of a house in Kremenchug, intended to receive the Empress. Apparently, he also composed the intricate plots of two allegorical paintings. One showed the seven Greek sages in front of the book “Nakaza”. Before them is Catherine in the form of the goddess Minerva, who explained to them the meaning of this code of laws. Another painting depicted Peter the Great, the Tiller, followed by Catherine II, sowing seeds, and two young geniuses, Grand Dukes Alexander and Constantine, harrowing the plowed and sown land.
According to legend, the empress liked the content of the paintings, and she ordered the talented painter to move to St. Petersburg. Among the retinue of subjects who accompanied the empress on her journey to Taurida was N.A. Lvov, a famous architect and poet. Nikolai Alexandrovich was also a close friend of V.V. Kapnist. He immediately invited the talented painter to live in St. Petersburg in his house, “which is on the Postal Station” (the modern address is Soyuz Svyazi Street, no. 9). Such hospitality towards many talented people was his custom. “The slightest difference in any ability tied Lvov to a person and forced him to love him, serve him and give all the ways to improve his art,” wrote F.P. Lvov, “I remember his care for Borovikovsky, his acquaintance with Egorov, his studies with bandmaster Fomin and other people who came to fame for their skill and found shelter in his house.”
N.A. Lvov, who traveled to many countries, was well acquainted with various schools and movements in European art. Judging by his travel notes, the Bolognese masters aroused his admiration; he liked the “saccharine sentimentality of Carlo Dolci.” All these artistic passions were reflected in his own drawings and engravings. Being a good draftsman, Lvov, in turn, influenced the development of Borovikovsky’s skill. Nikolai Alexandrovich introduced Borovikovsky to his fellow countryman Dmitry Levitsky, who by that time had firmly established himself in St. Petersburg. Although Borovikovsky’s apprenticeship with Levitsky is not documented, the similarity of techniques in Vladimir Lukich’s early works indicates his familiarity with the work of the brilliant portrait painter.
At first, upon his arrival in the northern capital, Borovikovsky continued to paint icons. However, the figurative structure and style of these works differ significantly from the works made in Little Russia. These are rare examples of religious painting "Joseph with the Christ Child"(on the left on the stone is the year of execution and the place of writing - 1791, St. Petersburg) and "Tobius with the Angel"(both in the Tretyakov Gallery). Probably, these small icons were intended for home icon cases in the house of Lvov and his surroundings. They no longer contain the traditional features of Ukrainian art. On the contrary, here one can feel Borovikovsky’s familiarity with examples of secular painting. The influence of Western European masters is noticeable in the choice of subjects and composition. So image of Saint Joseph with Child is not found in Orthodox iconography, while it is present in Catholic painting.

In 1621, the Vatican approved the official celebration of St. Joseph's Day. The popularity of this saint was reflected in his numerous depictions by Italian and Spanish Baroque masters. The Hermitage contains the painting “The Holy Family” by B.E. Murillo, in which the pose of Joseph with the baby in his arms is similar to the pose of the figure in Borovikovsky. It looks like writing folds of clothing. It is known that Borovikovsky copied works from the Hermitage collection. The painting “The Virgin with the Child Christ and an Angel” has been preserved, a copy of it from a work considered in the eighteenth century to be the work of A. Correggio (Tretyakov Gallery). The medallion “Joseph with the Child Christ” is distinguished by strong feelings, harmony of perception of nature and the finest miniature painting.
Plot "Tobius with the Angel"- a favorite in Western European painting of the Renaissance and the 17th century.

In Russian art there is a famous painting of the same subject “from a German original” by the young Anton Losenko. Borovikovsky took as a basis the compositional solutions in the paintings of Titian (Accademia Museum, Venice) and B. Murillo (Cathedral in Seville), apparently known to him from engravings. There is nothing mysterious or miraculous in the scene presented to the viewer. The Russian master interprets the plot quite realistically, using genuine everyday details. A little boy, accompanied by an adult mentor, carries a caught fish, the entrails of which are supposed to heal his blind father. The catch hangs on a willow branch (kukan), as was done in their native Little Russia. Tobiy happily hurries home. The motive of the movement is also emphasized by the dog running next to him. The painter skillfully arranged the group, fitting it into an oval, and selected harmonious yellowish-pistachio and olive-lilac shades of color that correlate with the pink and blue tones given in the landscape.
In the early 1790s, Borovikovsky received an order to create images for the main cathedral of the Boris and Gleb Monastery in Torzhok. N.A. Lvov, who was responsible for the interior decoration of the temple, recommended the artist to the archimandrite of the monastery and the city rulers. As is clear from archival documents, high-ranking customers initially intended to choose a traditional icon-painting style, but then agreed with Lvov, who proposed a secular pictorial manner of executing the images. Over two years of hard work, Borovikovsky painted thirty-seven icons, the whereabouts of which are currently unknown.
Perhaps Borovikovsky would have remained a master of religious painting, but one significant circumstance fundamentally influenced the expansion of the master’s range of creative interests. In 1792, the Viennese portrait painter I.B. Lampi came to St. Petersburg and gained European fame. Drawn into the orbit of admiration by the St. Petersburg public, Vladimir Lukich began working under the guidance of the recognized maestro. By copying his works, the Russian artist mastered the achievements of advanced European painting techniques and modern writing techniques. From then on, his passion for the portrait genre came to the fore.
A new understanding of portrait tasks, which distinguishes Borovikovsky from his predecessors, marks “Portrait of Empress Catherine II on a walk in Tsarskoye Selo Park”(1794, Tretyakov Gallery).

This is the first example of a chamber interpretation of the image of the empress, who appears before the viewer in an unconventional way. In the coronation portrait painted by F. Rokotov, the great monarch sits on a throne with royal regalia; in the works of S. Torelli she is in the image of the goddess Minerva, patroness of the muses; in the canvas by D. Levitsky - the priestess of the goddess Themis. V. Borovikovsky showed Catherine II “at home”, in a cloak and cap. An elderly lady leisurely walks along the alleys of an ancient park, leaning on a staff. Next to her is her favorite dog, an English greyhound. Contemporaries testify to the empress’s extraordinary affection for these creatures.
The idea of ​​such an image probably arose in the literary and artistic circle of N.A. Lvov and is closely connected with a new movement in art called sentimentalism. It is significant that the portrait of Catherine II was not executed from life. There is evidence that M. S. Perekusikhin, her beloved kammer-jungfer (room servant), dressed in the empress’s dress, posed for the artist.
For this work, V.L. Borovikovsky, about whom I.B. Lampi worked, was awarded the title of “appointed” to academician. However, despite the recognition of the Academy of Arts, the portrait apparently did not please the empress and was not acquired by the palace department. Nevertheless, rejected by Catherine II, it is this image that appears in the cultural memory of Russian people thanks to A.S. Pushkin. Growing up in Tsarskoye Selo, where everything was filled with memories of the times of “Mother Catherine,” the poet almost “quoted” the portrait in “The Captain’s Daughter.” The image of the queen, earthly, accessible, capable of sympathy and therefore merciful, was more appealing to the people of Alexander’s time, and this is exactly how Pushkin created it.
In I.B. Lampi, Borovikovsky found not only a wonderful teacher, but also a true friend. The Austrian painter was distinguished by the talent of the Russian student. Being an “honorary free associate” of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, Lampi helped Borovikovsky receive (September 1795) the title of academician of painting for portrait of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich.

Lampi's friendly disposition towards Borovikovsky is also evidenced by the fact that after leaving Russia (in May 1797), he left his workshop to the Russian painter. In November 1798, Borovikovskoy wrote to his relatives in Mirgorod that he now lives “on Bolshaya Millionnaya in the house of the court mundkoch Mr. Werth at No. 36” (now Millionnaya St., no. 12).
It is known that some works by Lampi remained in the studio, which, after Borovikovsky’s death, were mistakenly included in his heritage. There are also copies of Borovikovsky's work. “Clearing” the list of this corpus of works, separating the works of Austrian and Russian artists is one of the important tasks of studying Borovikovsky’s work at the present stage.
V.L. Borovikovsky painted portraits of all representatives of the circle of poets, close friends of the artist - N.A. Lvov, V.V. Kapnist and G.R. Derzhavin. People of very different characters and temperaments, they were bound by a commonality of artistic tastes and aesthetic views. In their midst, they not only held conversations about the sublime ideals of poetry, philosophy, and history. Their letters are characterized by a special “affectionate trust” towards each other. “Sincere friends” were no strangers to all kinds of fun. Evidence has been preserved of a humorous competition between three poets who sang the praises of “prison,” of which G.R. Derzhavin was declared the winner.
In the early 1790s, Borovikovsky painted a miniature representing V.V. Kapnist (Russian Russian Museum). Although Vasily Vasilyevich lived on his family estate Obukhovka in Little Russia, he maintained constant correspondence with friends and often came to St. Petersburg. Borovikovsky chose the classic tondo form and perfectly integrated the figure of Kapnist into it. The poet is presented against the backdrop of a landscape, near a marble bust of a young lady. The dreamy image of the young writer is matched by both the nature of the landscape and the subtle painterly palette.
In 1795 Borovikovsky posed by G.R. Derzhavin.

Unlike his literary friends, the portrait painter presented him in his office, in a senatorial uniform, with orders. Based on a number of details, one can get an idea of ​​the variety of state duties of Derzhavin, who was the president of the Commerce Collegium, the governor of the Olonets and Tambov provinces, and the prosecutor general. The poet is depicted against the backdrop of bookshelves, at a table littered with manuscripts. Among them is the ode “God,” a work that won the poet fame among his contemporaries and was translated into all European languages. It is no coincidence that on the back of the cardboard on which the portrait is written, an old inscription has been preserved:

The brush depicts the singer Felitsa for us here,
My zeal adds this verse to him...
As long as Felitsa's affairs will be known,
But to know his burning imagination
Floridity, Reason, syllable
And along with that, souls and hearts are enlightened
We honor Oda (God).

The author of the dedication, signed with the initials D.M., most likely was the first owner of the portrait, Dmitry Vladimirovich Mertvago, a good friend of Derzhavin.
In the mid-1790s, portrait painters became fashionable and were literally overwhelmed with work. A painter has to value his time. “To lose an hour of great importance in my duties produces frustration,” Borovikovsky wrote to his brother in Little Russia. I liked the portraits by Vladimir Lukich not only for their ability to convey the resemblance to the model and the subtlety of color, but also because they reflected new trends in art.
The artist’s work was in many ways similar to the works of Nikolai Karamzin and the writers of his circle. The St. Petersburg public read “Letters of a Russian Traveler,” and Karamzin’s “Poor Liza” became something of a bestseller. The sensitive poems of I.I. Dmitriev and the lyrics of V.V. Kapnist were popular (especially in ladies’ society). All these works clearly reflected the features of Russian sentimentalism.
In the early 1790s, Borovikovsky painted a number of pastoral portrait paintings - “Portrait of E.A. Naryshkina” (Russian Museum), “Portrait of Unknown Girls” (Ryazan Art Museum). As a rule, the artist chose a decorative oval shape, depicted figures in full height, and the presence of a landscape (rural nature or a park ensemble) was obligatory. Dreamily crafty young creatures were depicted against the backdrop of blooming rose bushes and bright water meadows. Their constant companions were their favorite dogs, sheep, and goats. With this “set” one could easily fall into sweetness, but Borovikovsky did not cross this line. The figurative structure of his works is marked by that “tender sensitivity” that came from the entire emotional mood of Russian society.
Of particular importance in feudal Russia were works that expressed sympathy for ordinary people. The author of “Russian Pamela” (1789) P.Yu. Lvov wrote that “we also have such tender hearts in a low state.” N. Karamzin wrote the words: “And peasant women know how to love.” The fate of a man from the people aroused special sympathy in the circle of G. Derzhavin and N. Lvov; in their estates, sometimes idyllic relations developed between landowner writers and serfs. Reflection of these relations are such works by V. Borovikovsky as “Lizynka and Dashinka” (1794, Tretyakov Gallery) and “Portrait of the Torzhkovsk peasant woman Christinya” (1795, Tretyakov Gallery).
The portrait painter captured the young maids of the Lvov family: “Lizynka is 17, Dasha is 16”- this is the inscription engraved on the back of the zinc plate (this material was often used as a base by the artist).

Both girls were distinguished by their special ability to dance. Their abilities were sung by G.R. Derzhavin in the poem “To a Friend.” Lizynka and Dasha embody the type of sensitive girls of that era. Their gentle faces are pressed cheek to cheek, their movements are full of youthful grace. The brunette is serious and dreamy, the blonde is lively and funny. Complementing each other, they merge in harmonious unity. The character of the images corresponds to the delicate tones of cold bluish-lilac and warm golden-pink flowers.
In character Christinya, nurse of the Lvovs' daughter, Borovikovsky conveyed the modesty and shyness of a peasant woman, quiet, friendly and affectionate.

The painter admires her outfit: a white shirt through which her pink body is visible, a green sundress trimmed with gold braid, a crimson kokoshnik. This portrait is a prototype of peasant genre images of Borovikovsky’s student A.G. Venetsianov.
Borovikovsky was especially good at depicting “young maidens” from noble families. With an abundance of orders, the painter was limited to the number of sessions from nature. He completed the main part of the work in the workshop. Therefore, the artist developed a certain canon: portraits are almost the same size, have a waist-length cut of the figures, a similar smooth curve of the body, and the presence of landscape backgrounds is mandatory. When depicting M.A. Orlova-Davydova, V.A. Shidlovskaya, E.G. Gagarina, the portrait painter varies such details as a slightly noticeable tilt of the head, a different position of the hand, direction of gaze, and changes the color tone. However, in his best works Borovikovsky achieves a high degree of expressiveness. That's how “Portrait of Ekaterina Nikolaevna Arsenyeva”(mid-1790s, State Russian Museum), who was a student of the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens, maid of honor to Empress Maria Feodorovna.

The young Smolensk woman is depicted in a “peasanka” costume: she is wearing a spacious dress, a straw hat with ears of corn, and holding a juicy apple in her hands. Chubby Katenka is not distinguished by the classical regularity of her features. However, an upturned nose, sparkling eyes with slyness and a slight smile of thin lips add perkiness and coquetry to the image. Borovikovsky perfectly captured the spontaneity of the model, her lively charm and cheerfulness.
A completely different character is conveyed in “Portrait of Elena Alexandrovna Naryshkina”(1799, Tretyakov Gallery).

On her mother's side, she was the granddaughter of the famous Russian admiral Senyavin. Her parents were close to the royal court and enjoyed the same favor from Emperors Paul I and Alexander I. The thin, educated girl was distinguished by her special beauty. In the portrait she is only fourteen years old. Borovikovsky lovingly and reverently conveys the noble whiteness of Naryshkina’s face, her thin profile, and lush curls of hair. The pictorial surface is less transparent; fused strokes create an enamel surface. The sad expression of the gentle face is emphasized by the portrait painter. It’s as if Naryshkina has a presentiment of the hardships fate has in store for her.
As a maid of honor, at the age of fifteen, Elena Naryshkina was married to Prince Arkady Aleksandrovich Suvorov, adjutant general, son of Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov-Rymniksky. This marriage was not very happy and did not last long. Gifted by nature with great abilities and distinguished by personal courage in battle, the son of the great Suvorov, like his father, had many oddities and was not created for family and home life. A.A. Suvorov drowned in 1811 while crossing the Rymnik River, which gave his father his second surname. Princess Suvorova was left a widow at the age of twenty-six with four young children. After the death of her husband, she went abroad, where she spent a long time. In 1814, Elena Alekseevna was in Vienna, where her father was in the retinue of Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna. At the brilliant balls and celebrations that accompanied the Congress of Vienna, Princess Suvorova, thanks to her beauty, attracted everyone's attention and took a prominent place among the beauties of the Viennese court and the highest European aristocracy. Both in European capitals and on the waters in Germany, where she spent the summer months, Princess Suvorova led a social life and had many friends and admirers. She had good musical abilities and a pleasant voice. The poets V.A. Zhukovsky and I.I. Kozlov were in friendly correspondence with her. G. Rossini wrote a cantata in her honor, heard in the opera “The Barber of Seville”. Princess Suvorova spent the summer of 1823 in Baden-Baden, and soon after that she remarried Prince V.S. Golitsyn. The rest of her life was spent in the south of Russia, in Odessa and Simferopol, on the Crimean estate of her husband Vasil-Saray. Elena Alexandrovna died and was buried in Odessa.
The ideal of the painter, his ideas about the beauty of the Russian noble lady are embodied in the famous “Portrait of M.I. Lopukhina”(1797, Tretyakov Gallery).

This picture became a kind of calling card of the painter. Maria Ivanovna Lopukhina came from the ancient Tolstoy count family: her brother was the famous Fyodor Tolstoy the American. At the age of 22, Maria Tolstaya married the elderly huntsman of the court, S.A. Lopukhin. According to legend, Maria Ivanovna “was very unhappy” in her marriage to him and died of consumption two years later.
In the portrait, eighteen-year-old Maria is shown before her marriage. She is dressed in the fashion of those years: she is wearing a spacious white dress with straight folds, reminiscent of an antique tunic. An expensive cashmere shawl is draped over her shoulders. The main theme of the portrait is the harmonious fusion of man with nature. Compositional, rhythmic and coloristic relationships are given by the artist in the depiction of the model and the landscape. Lopukhina is depicted against the backdrop of an ancient park, she is leaning on a marble parapet. The smooth curve of her figure echoes the curve of the tree in the background, the bent ears of rye and the drooping rosebud on the right. The white trunks of birch trees echo the color of the chiton, blue cornflowers with a silk belt, and a soft lilac shawl with rose flowers.
The image of M.I. Lopukhina is not only filled with amazing poetry, but is also marked by life-like authenticity, such a depth of feeling that predecessors in Russian portraiture did not know. It is no coincidence that this portrait was admired by the artist’s contemporaries. Over the years, the attractiveness of the image did not fade; on the contrary, Lopukhina continued to captivate the hearts of viewers of subsequent generations.
Among the poetic images of young ladies of the era of sentimentalism, “Portrait of E.G. Temkina”(1798, Tretyakov Gallery), which amazes with its sculptural plasticity of forms and elegant colorful range.

The very fact of birth and the names of the parents of the depicted woman are shrouded in mystery. However, contemporaries (F.A. Buhler) testified that Elizaveta Grigorievna Temkina “was the true daughter of Prince Potemkin<…>looked like portraits of a prince.” She was born in Moscow, in the Prechistensky Palace, on July 12 or 13, 1775. The Empress, who visited the “mother throne” on the occasion of the celebration of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace, did not appear in public for a whole week due to illness. Lisa Temkina (according to some documents of Temlitsyn) was brought up in the house of Grigory Alexandrovich’s nephew, A.N. Samoilov. In 1794, she was married to a wealthy Greek, Ivan Khristoforovich Kalageorgi (Karageorgi), who was invited to the retinue of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich to teach him the Greek language. As a dowry, Temkina was allocated the village of Balatskoye, Kherson province. Subsequently, her husband I.H. Kalageorgi became the governor of Kherson and Ekaterinoslav. Judging by Elizaveta Grigorievna's letters, she was a modest woman and a caring mother (she had four sons and five daughters).
Shortly after her wedding, Alexander Nikolaevich Samoilov expressed his desire to “have a portrait of Elizaveta Grigorievna Kalageorgieva.” “I want,” he wrote in a letter to one of his confidants, “for the painter Borovikovsky to copy it. I would like her<была>copied the way Countess Skavronskaya was painted by Lampiy... so that the neck is open and the hair is disheveled in curls, lying on it in no order.” This is important evidence that contemporaries saw Borovikovsky as the only follower of Lampi.
The history of the painting’s arrival at the Tretyakov Gallery is interesting. The Department of Manuscripts preserves letters from E.G. Temkina’s son and grandson to P.M. Tretyakov. This correspondence clearly demonstrates the attitude towards the artist’s heritage on the part of people of the second half of the nineteenth century. At the end of December 1883, Lieutenant General Konstantin Kalageorgi sent a letter from Kherson to Moscow with a proposal: “Having a magnificent portrait of my mother by the famous Borovikovsky and not wanting this elegant work to remain in the wilderness of the Kherson steppes, I, together with my son, decided to sell this family monument and make it accessible, both to the public in general, and especially to young artists and art lovers. Your gallery of paintings is known to everyone, and therefore I am turning to you with a proposal whether you would like to purchase this precious thing.”
In the spring of 1884, the work, valued at six thousand rubles, was sent to Moscow. In the accompanying letter, K. Kalageorgi said: “The portrait has historical value, since my mother is the natural daughter of His Serene Highness Prince Potemkin-Tauride, and on my mother’s side she is also of highly distinguished origin. She was brought up in St. Petersburg, in the then best boarding house of Becker, and straight from the boarding house she was given in marriage to my father, who was then a childhood friend of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, and received from Potemkin vast estates in the Novorossiysk region.”
The painting arrived safely at the Mother See and was placed at the exhibition of the Society of Art Lovers. P.M. Tretyakov sent a letter to the owners and notified them that the price “set by them is too high.” In response, Temkina’s grandson, justice of the peace Nikolai Konstantinovich Kalageorgi, to whom the rights to the portrait were transferred, wrote: “The portrait of my grandmother has triple historical significance - in terms of the personality of the artist, the personality of my grandmother and as a type of beauty of the eighteenth century, which makes up its value completely independently.” from the fashionable trends of contemporary art." Unfortunately, the art of V.L. Borovikovsky was not appreciated at that time. As P.M. Tretyakov wrote, the portrait “did not arouse anyone’s special attention and was even quickly ostracized, that is, it had to give way to the works of modern art luminaries and leave the exhibition.” Unable to agree on a price with the great collector, in 1885 the owner demanded that the painting be returned to the city of Nikolaev. Soon she found herself in the wrong hands. Two years later, a certain N.M. Rodionov from Kherson again approached Pavel Mikhailovich with an offer to buy this portrait, but at a price of 2,000 rubles. And again, for some reason, Tretyakov did not buy the portrait. But nevertheless, fate decreed that the painting entered the gallery. In 1907, the Moscow collector I.E. Tsvetkov acquired the work from the widow N.K. Kalageorga. In 1925, his collection joined the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery. Since then, “Portrait of Temkina,” not appreciated at its time, has been on permanent display and is rightfully the pearl of the museum.
One of the most expressive portraits by V.L. Borovikovsky, decorating the exhibition of the Tretyakov Gallery, should rightfully be called “Portrait of Prince A.B. Kurakin” (1801-1802).

Alexander Borisovich Kurakin was the son of a famous nobleman from the time of Catherine the Great. On his grandmother’s side, his relative was the brilliant diplomat and statesman N.I. Panin. Young Alexander was brought up in his childhood together with Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich and retained a friendly attachment to him throughout his life. Alexander Borisovich received an excellent home education, continued his education abroad, and studied at Leiden University. Returning to St. Petersburg, Kurakin received the title of Chief Prosecutor of the Senate. The Empress did not like the friendly relations between the new government official and the heir to the throne. Taking advantage of Kurakin's carelessness in correspondence, he was removed from the court. The disgraced nobleman was supposed to live on his estate Nadezhdin, Saratov province. There he started a household; small local nobles entered Alexander Borisovich’s service as simple courtyard servants, which flattered his exorbitant ambitions. Kurakin loved truly royal pomp in local life. His vanity was reflected in the numerous images that he commissioned from foreign and Russian masters.
As soon as Emperor Paul I ascended the throne, he summoned his childhood friend to St. Petersburg. A.B. Kurakin was showered with all kinds of favors, awards (the orders of St. Vladimir and St. Andrew the First-Called), received a high appointment, and became vice-chancellor. The unbalanced emperor dismissed the prince in 1798, and Kurakin settled in Moscow, a haven for disgraced figures. Shortly before his death, Paul I returned his favor and the post of vice-chancellor. The beginning of V.L. Borovikovsky’s work on the portrait of A.B. Kurakin dates back to this time. However, its execution was completed after two years. After the palace coup in 1801, Alexander Borisovich did not lose his importance at court. Under the new Emperor Alexander I, he carried out individual diplomatic assignments. The Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna forever retained her affection for her husband's friend. After Kurakin’s death, a monument was erected at his grave in Pavlovsk with the inscription: “To the friend of my husband.”
In “Portrait of A.B. Kurakin” Borovikovsky’s creative capabilities reached full bloom. With amazing skill, the artist conveys the majestic appearance of a noble nobleman, his pampered, lordly face, and his condescending, mocking gaze. Alexander Borisovich is depicted among the palace furnishings: on the right is a marble bust of the emperor, on the left, in the background, is his residence Mikhailovsky Castle. Kurakin appears before the viewer in the dazzling splendor of ceremonial vestments, his entire chest is covered with order ribbons and stars. It is no coincidence that Kurakin was nicknamed “the diamond prince” for his special love for decoration. Borovikovsky perfectly conveys the texture of the material: the velvet of the purple tablecloth, the green cloth of the drapery, the iridescent shine of the camisole. The splendor of the setting and the sonority of the huge spots of color perfectly complement the characteristics of the image.
This image, solemnly laudatory in design, carries within it the features of objectivity, forcing one to recall Derzhavin’s poems, which denounced the nobles for their sybaritism and arrogance. The portrait of Kurakin is the highest achievement in the field of Russian ceremonial portraiture; here Borovikovsky remains an unsurpassed master.
In an effort to convey the inner world of a person, Borovikovsky turned to the area of ​​​​feelings that was associated with the family idyll. In the work of the painter, who remained lonely until the end of his days, works that glorified family joys acquired great importance. Among the early images, one should name a sketch of a “Family Portrait” (Tretyakov Gallery), “Family Portrait of V.A. and A.S. Nebolsinykh" (GRM), representing spouses with young children. Borovikovsky creates a special type of small-format portrait, close to miniature, but with its own differences, both in technique and in figurative sound. As a rule, these images are a quarter of life or slightly larger; they are executed with oil paints on cardboard, galvanized plates, and less often on wood. Such works are not applied, but easel in nature and indicate a growing interest in the genre of intimate portraiture. In a certain sense, Borovikovsky stood at the origins of the chamber form of portraiture, which was developed in the drawings and watercolors of O.A. Kiprensky, in the watercolors of the young K.P. Bryullov and P.F. Sokolov.
Borovikovsky introduces a new element into the figurative content of a family portrait "Portrait of the Gagarin Sisters"(1802, Tretyakov Gallery).

Anna and Varvara were the daughters of the actual Privy Councilor Gavriil Gagarin. The idea of ​​the painting—to show the idyll of domestic life and the tender feelings generated by music—is fully consistent with the spirit of sentimentalism, but a genre motif of action is introduced into the composition. The portrait is perceived as a scene characterizing one of the aspects of landowner life. A world of estate entertainment is revealed to the viewer, which included playing the harpsichord or guitar and singing sensitive romances. The characteristics of the characters are more specific than in the paintings of the 1790s. The eldest Anna, holding notes in her hand, is serious and full of inner dignity. She's in the lead here. The younger eighteen-year-old Varvara, more timid and smiling, is accustomed to being in the background. The beauty and sonority of the color is achieved by comparing neighboring local colors: the singer’s gray dress and her pink scarf, the guitarist’s pearly white dress and the red-brown guitar.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the preaching of man's high self-awareness, his civic duty and public virtues regained its right to exist and supplanted the vague dreams of sentimentalism. It is significant that the ideologist of this trend, Nikolai Karamzin, wrote in 1802: “Courage is a great quality of the soul; a people who are excellent to them should be proud of themselves.” Under these conditions, Borovikovsky could not help but turn to the search for new images and forms. So on “Portrait of A.E. Labzina with her pupil”(1803, Tretyakov Gallery) the heroine is presented in the role of a mentor, religiously fulfilling her duty.

Anna Evdokimovna Labzina was a woman with principles and a faithful friend to her husband A.F. Labzin, vice-president of the Academy of Arts. Although women were not allowed into Masonic lodges, an exception was made for her; Labzina attended lodge meetings. In 1822, she courageously shared her husband’s fate and followed him into exile. A poetic illustration of this work by Borovikovsky can serve as the lines of G. Derzhavin:

Showing noble feelings,
You do not judge human passions:
Announcement of science and art,
You raise your children.

Triple portrait of A.I. Bezborodko with his daughters(1803, Russian Museum) is one of the highest achievements in the creation of family portraits.

Anna Ivanovna Bezborodko was the wife of Ilya Andreevich, the brother of Chancellor A.A. Bezborodko, the greatest statesman and diplomat of the Catherine era. Anna Ivanovna was a cavalry lady of the Order of St. Catherine, but in the portrait she appears as a virtuous matron. Borovikovsky depicted her in a homely setting, in the interior of a palace, against the backdrop of a landscape in a heavy carved frame. The mother tightly hugged her daughters, who had inherited the oriental beauty of her Armenian ancestors. The image of his early deceased son is present in the form of a miniature portrait held in the hands of Cleopatra, the youngest of the sisters. Borovikovsky skillfully connects three figures into a coherent group, closing them with a single silhouette line.
The painting stands apart in the master’s oeuvre “Allegory of winter in the form of an old man warming his hands by the fire”(TG).

Borovikovsky follows a common image in iconology. At the same time, the artist does not take as a basis an abstract image close to the ancient ideal, but turns to a specific, folk type of the Russian peasant. Borovikovsky does not paint a mythological picture, but chooses his favorite form of portrait. A shaggy, half-blind old man in a sheepskin coat stretches his rough, gnarled hands over the fire. The artist deliberately enlarges the figure of the old man, bringing his wrinkled face closer to the viewer. The sparse landscape (an icy grotto and a snow-covered valley) and the brownish-gray color scheme correspond to the image of a commoner.
Literary and artistic sources could have had a certain influence on Borovikovsky’s development of this plot. In 1805, a cycle of poems by G.R. Derzhavin appeared, dedicated to the seasons (among which there is “Winter”). The image of winter, associated with old age, was also embodied by A.Kh. Vostokov in one of his poems. In the visual arts, this theme was widespread in sculpture (works by Girardon, Prokofiev, Bouchardon). As a special exhibition in Braunschweig (Germany) clearly showed, Borovikovsky was familiar with works of Dutch and German painting on the same subject14. He saw and possibly copied paintings that were kept in the Hermitage and private collections in St. Petersburg (Stroganov Gallery, Razumovsky Collection). Borovikovsky also used engravings from originals by Western European masters. Despite the direct analogy of the composition with the work of Joachim Sandrart “January” (Bavarian State Assembly, Schleissheim Castle), Borovikovsky created an original image, marked by real and national features. The painting of a peasant warming his hands undoubtedly reflected the master’s life observations. Apparently, the creator’s personal experiences and his thoughts about impending old age also had an impact. It is not without reason that in Borovikovsky’s correspondence with his relatives during this period there are notes of fatigue (“my strength is beginning to change,” he complains). In 1808, the fifty-year-old painter wrote with bitterness: “I am already, although, by the way, young, but an old man.”
In the 1810s, Borovikovsky's fame as the largest portrait painter of the era gradually began to fade. A new generation of young romantic artists began to actively declare themselves. In 1812, the works of Orest Kiprensky were demonstrated at the Academy of Arts, which immediately gained enormous success among the public. The star of the fashionable portrait painter shone brightly on the horizon of art. The masters of the eighteenth century, among whom was Borovikovsky, gradually faded into the shadows.
A significant place in Borovikovsky’s artistic heritage is occupied by portraits of figures of the Russian church. The tradition of portraits of servants of the Orthodox cult was laid down in the “parsuns” made by unknown masters of Peter the Great’s time. This type of portrait received particular development in the work of A.P. Antropov, who led the icon painters of the Synod. Following him, Borovikovsky continued this line of portraiture in secular painting. Among the best and most expressive are "Portrait of Mikhail Desnitsky"(circa 1803, Tretyakov Gallery).

Mikhail Desnitsky (1761-1821) in the world bore the name of Matvey Mikhailovich. He came from a priest's family and was born in the village of Toporkovo, Moscow diocese. In 1773, the young seminarian of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra was awarded by the Metropolitan of Moscow Platon Levshin himself. In 1782, Mikhail Desnitsky studied at the Philological Seminary at the Friendly Scientific Society, closely associated with N.I. Novikov. At this time he became close to the Freemasons. The inquisitive young man attended lectures at Moscow University and took a course at the Moscow Theological Academy. A well-educated priest in 1785 was appointed to serve in the Church of St. John the Warrior, “on Yakimanka.” According to the memoirs of contemporaries, all of Moscow gathered for M. Desnitsky’s sermons, which were distinguished by their clear, light style and simplicity of presentation of moral and philosophical maxims. M. Desnitsky was an active member of the Moscow Society of Literature Lovers.
In 1790, Desnitsky delivered a “Sermon on the Occasion of the Conclusion of Peace between Russia and Sweden” at the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. This sermon was highly praised by Catherine the Great. In 1796, the priest was transferred from Moscow to the northern capital. At first he served as a presbyter in the court church in Gatchina. In 1799, an important event occurred in Desnitsky’s life. He became a monk and received the rank of Archimandrite of the Yuriev Monastery in Novgorod. Father Mikhail (this is Desnitsky's name in monasticism) became a member of the Synod, and from 1800 - Bishop of Starorussky and Vicar of Novgorod.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Desnitsky received a new assignment to Little Russia. In 1803 he was supposed to move to the Chernigov diocese. Apparently, shortly before leaving, Desnitsky posed for Borovikovsky. Perhaps this portrait was commissioned by friends of the bishop. The painter creates a very unusual image of a clergyman. He is depicted in the interior, against the background of drapery. On the left in the background is an image of the crucified Christ. The artist presented M. Desnitsky in bishop's vestments. Combinations of red, gold and silver colors give the work a certain decorative quality. The portrait is full-length, all attention is focused on the face. He captured the priest during prayer, his right hand resting on his chest. The enlightened gaze is directed upward. Desnitsky is completely immersed in an intimate conversation with the Almighty. Borovikovsky painted Desnitsky twice more: in 1816, already in the rank of archbishop (in a black hood), and shortly before his death - in the white hood of a metropolitan.
The “Portrait of Catholicos of Georgia Anthony” (1811, Tretyakov Gallery) is representative and elegant.
Anthony (1760-1827) came from a royal Georgian family. He was the fourth son of King Irakli II from his marriage to Princess Daria Dadian-Mengrelskaya. In 1783, when his father recognized the Russian protectorate, Anthony left for Russia. In 1788 he returned to Georgia and the following year he was elevated to the rank of Catholicos. Since 1811 he lived in Russia, was awarded the highest awards - the Orders of St. Andrew the First-Called and Alexander Nevsky.
Borovikovsky presented the bishop in ceremonial vestments with orders, in one hand - a staff, with the other he blesses the viewer. The artist paints a beautiful face with delicate white skin, a soft thick beard, and brown eyes. If we compare the Georgian Catholicos with Mikhail Desnitsky, we can talk about different approaches to the model. There is a portrait of a friend, a highly spiritual person. Here is a ceremonial and more traditional image, following certain established canons.
Another portrait of an outstanding figure of the Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Ambrose (in the world Andrei Podobedov), is associated with the name of Borovikovsky. He was born into the family of a priest of the Vladimir diocese; his early life was closely connected with Moscow. A. Podobedov completed a course at the Theological Seminary of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In 1768 he took monastic orders and was appointed preacher of the Moscow Theological Academy. In 1771, during the funeral service for Archbishop Ambrose Zevtis-Kamensky, who was killed during the plague riot in Moscow, Podobedov delivered a funeral oration that made his contemporaries start talking about him. In 1774, he became rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and was introduced to Empress Catherine II. Since then, Ambrose constantly addressed the great empress in his sermons with gratitude and parting words. In turn, the flattering priest received special royal attention and was showered with gifts and favors. Thus, in July 1778, during the celebration of the Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace in Moscow, in the presence of Catherine, Ambrose was consecrated Bishop of Sheba, Vicar of Moscow. In 1785 he was awarded the rank of archbishop. After the death of Catherine the Great, Ambrose was among the few who managed to remain in favor under the new ruler. Paul brought Ambrose closer and caressed him. In 1799, he was awarded the orders of St. Andrew the First-Called, St. John of Jerusalem, and Alexander Nevsky. Ambrose was appointed Archbishop of St. Petersburg and Novgorod. In 1801, shortly before the coup, he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. However, the end of his career was very disastrous. Under Alexander in 1818, Ambrose was deprived of the St. Petersburg diocese and exiled to Novgorod, where he died.
The portrait of Metropolitan Ambrose was created, in our opinion, during the reign of Paul. This is evidenced by awards, in particular the Maltese cross. The work has a clearly representative character. The artist chose a large canvas and presented the figure almost full-length. In the background, details of a secular ceremonial image are introduced - marble columns, heavy velvet draperies.
In terms of the depth of spiritual penetration and decorative richness of color, the images of Orthodox priests are in close contact with the religious painting of Borovikovsky’s late period of creativity.
In the fall of 1808, V.L. Borovikovsky wrote to his nephew Anton Gorkovsky: “I am continuously busy with my labors. Now my main responsibility is for the Kazan Cathedral, which is magnificently under construction.” Built according to the design of the architect A.N. Voronikhin, the Kazan Cathedral attracted the best artistic forces of St. Petersburg. Together with Borovikovsky, professors from the Academy of Arts worked on the interior decoration of this grandiose architectural ensemble: Grigory Ugryumov, Alexey Egorov, Vasily Shebuev, Andrey Ivanov. By that time, Vladimir Lukich, on the recommendation of Count A.S. Stroganov, received the title of adviser (the award took place in December 1802). Responsible work lasted for several years (from 1808 to 1811).
Borovikovsky executed six images for the Royal Doors of the main iconostasis, as well as four local images (for the second and third iconostases). The works of his brush most closely corresponded to the design of the building. Religious pathos, solemnity of compositions with rich colors were the distinctive features of the artist’s paintings. Borovikovsky's painting brought brightness and special expressiveness to the ensemble; in terms of plastic expressiveness, the faces of the evangelists were close to the sculpture of Martos, which also decorated the interior.
Borovikovsky also painted four icons for the local rank. Of these works, the best is Great Martyr Catherine, striking with majesty and monumentality, purity and nobility of the image.

A smaller version, a repetition of this image, was donated by P.M. Nortsov in 1996 to the Tretyakov Gallery. According to legend, Saint Catherine lived in Alexandria in the 4th century. She came from a royal family, was distinguished by her intelligence and beauty, and was knowledgeable in the sciences. As a Christian, she was brutally tortured and beheaded. Borovikovsky follows the established iconography of the great martyr. It depicts Catherine in a crown and ermine robe, which indicates her royal origin, with a palm branch of the martyr in her hands. At Catherine's feet is the sword with which she was executed. However, the painter introduces the features of Baroque style: cupids hover like a halo above the saint’s head, in the background there is an image of a stormy sky with lightning, lush folds of clothes, and rich color.
In 1819, Borovikovsky became a member of the “Brotherhood Union” - that’s what its founder E.F. Tatarinova, née Buxhoeveden, called her circle. The artist was introduced to the “Union...” by his fellow countryman M.S. Urbanovich-Piletsky, who headed the Institute of the Deaf and Mutes18. We learn the details from the artist’s “Notebook”: “On the 26th (May - L.M.). Monday. Yesterday they laid it down to commune... At 6 o'clock in the morning there are ordinary prayers, hours and to St. communion prayer. He came to the military orphan church and confessed to Father Alexei. Martyn Stepanovich gave 25 rubles, in memory of the fact that today I joined the brotherhood.” In the first years of the existence of Tatarinova’s circle, the government treated him with great tolerance. Perhaps this was due to the fact that Tatarinova’s mother, Baroness Maltitz, was the teacher of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the daughter of the emperor. The “Union of Brotherhood” was visited by the Minister of Public Education and Confessions A.N. Golitsyn, Alexander I also knew about the existence of the circle. There was a legend that the emperor invited E. Tatarinova to the palace for an audience. His letter to Miloradovich dated August 20, 1818, which refers to Tatarinova’s “Union,” has been preserved. “I tried to penetrate... and according to reliable information, I found that there is nothing here that would lead away from religion.”
From the “Notebook of V.L. Borovikovsky” for 1819 we learn about the meetings that took place in Ekaterina Filippovna’s apartment in the Mikhailovsky Castle. The main role belonged to the founder: it was believed that she was endowed with the gift of “prophecy.” The members of the circle spent time in edifying conversations, sang cants of spiritual content, set to music by Nikita Ivanovich Fedorov, read sacred books (“The Sacrament of the Cross”, the work of Mrs. Gion, “An Appeal to People”, “A Guide to the True World”). Then the “zeal” began (movement in a circle), at first slow, gradually intensifying. It sometimes lasted for an hour - until one of those circling, feeling the inspiration of the “spirit,” began to “prophesy.” At first, Borovikovsky was happy that he had “joined the brotherhood.” He, who had spent his whole life seeking reconciliation with a reality in which injustice, “persecution and misfortune” flourished, seemed to have found peace. In his “Notebooks” of that time there are entries: “I felt the world,” “I felt the warmth of my heart, I said goodbye to everyone lovingly.” The artist naively believed that in Tatarinova’s circle he would find an atmosphere, albeit somewhat exalted, but in tune with his spiritual world.
However, already a month after the “initiation” he began to experience “sorrows”, which he “filled up” with tea with rum and vodka at home. “August 9th. Saturday. In the evening I got drunk, to relieve my conscience that tomorrow I had to be in Mikhailovsky.” In fact, the “Union of Brotherhood” was not fraternal. Borovikovsky soon felt disdain for himself; he was made to understand where his place was. “Kozma reprimanded me not to come to that place. This greatly disturbed my spirit, and I became extremely despondent, I couldn’t help but go out.” “September 14th. Sunday. Everyone seems alien to me, especially Martyn Stepanovich: nothing but arrogance, pride and contempt. Not a single one is sincere towards me, and I don’t see a single one that I would like to imitate. So, with extreme grief, despondency and hopelessness, I went home to expect my rejection, and how would it end?”
Borovikovsky repeatedly painted religious paintings for E.F. Tatarinova free of charge. Just like the Freemasons, the Brotherhood Union had a tradition of painting images of its members. In the large icon “Cathedral” the artist had to depict members of the sect. When Borovikovsky depicted himself among the participants in the action, he was harshly asked to remove the image, assuring him that there were more worthy people. Despite the fact that “all this” was not to the artist’s heart or head, Borovikovsky firmly fell into bondage.
Religious compositions date back to this period of Borovikovsky’s life: “The Appearance of Jesus Christ with the Cross of Calvary to the Praying E.F. Tatarinova” (1821, State Russian Museum, sketch in the State Tretyakov Gallery) and “Christ Blessing a Kneeling Man” (1822, Museum of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra) . They still showed the talent of a great master, as evidenced by the iconostasis for the Church of the Smolensk Cemetery in St. Petersburg (GRM). The death of the master in April 1825 interrupted the work in its midst. Following the last will of V.L. Borovikovsky, he was buried “without unnecessary ceremony” in the same Smolensk cemetery.
The master, who had no family, bequeathed all his movable property, “consisting of several paintings, a small number of books, money, as much as will be left after death (only four thousand rubles), and other household items” to be distributed to help the poor.

Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky

The artist Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky was born in July 1757 in the city of Mirgorod, in the family of the icon painter Luka Ivanovich Borovikovsky. Vladimir Borovikovsky’s uncle was an icon painter; later, the artist’s brothers also became icon painters.

The future artist’s first painting teacher was his father, but Vladimir Lukich chose a different path - he entered the Mirgorod Cossack regiment and devoted almost ten years to military service, rose to the rank of lieutenant and resigned.

After retiring, Vladimir Borovikovsky enthusiastically paints local churches and icons. During this period, the artist met the poet and playwright V.V. Kapnist, for whom he paints a house in Kremenchug. Empress Catherine II visited this house and was amazed by the decoration of the house. The artist was introduced to Catherine and the Empress ordered Borovikovsky to be in St. Petersburg.

In 1788, Vladimir Lukich moved to the capital and lived for some time in N.A.’s house. Lvov, who introduces the painter to G.R. Derzhavin, E.I. Fomin, I.I. Khemnitser and D.G. Levitsky, who becomes the first real painting teacher of the future portraitist.

The artist’s work is mainly a chamber portrait. In the female images there is a chamber, sentimental portrait, in which the artist strives not only for resemblance to the original, but also to search for the ideal of female beauty. Not external beauty, but spiritual beauty.

In 1795, Borovikovsky was awarded the title of academician, and in 1803, advisor to the Academy of Arts.

In recent years, Vladimir Lukich returned to religious painting, painted several icons for the Kazan Cathedral, which was still under construction, painted an iconostasis for the church of the Smolensk cemetery, gave painting lessons to aspiring artists, and became a teacher for Alexei Venetsianov.

The artist died in April 1825, his ashes were buried at the St. Petersburg Smolensk cemetery. Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky bequeathed all his property to those in need.

Paintings by artist Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky

Portrait of Empress Catherine II in the park Portrait of E.N. Arsenyeva Portrait of Adjutant General Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Tolstoy Anna Sergeevna Bezobrazova Portrait of E.V. Rodzianko Portrait of Pavel Semenovich Masyukov Portrait of Paul I Portrait of Prince A. B. Kurakin Portrait of Empress Maria Feodorovna Portrait of Elena Alexandrovna Naryshkina Portrait of Princess Margarita Ivanovna Dolgorukaya Portrait of Paul I in the costume of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta Portrait of Count Grigory Grigorievich Kushelev with children Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna Portrait of Countess Anna Ivanovna Bezborodko with her daughters Lyubov and Cleopatra Portrait of Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna Portrait of Princess K.I. Lobanova-Rostovskaya Portrait of Varvara Alekseevna Shidlovskaya Portrait of Tiomkina Liza Portrait of Maria Ivanovna Lopukhina

Biography of Vladimir Borovikovsky

Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich, Russian artist of historical, church and portrait painting. Coming from a Cossack family.

Born in Mirgorod on July 24, 1757, in the family of Cossack Luka Borovik. His father and two brothers, Vasily and Ivan, were icon painters who worked in the surrounding churches. Under the guidance of his father he studied icon painting. After completing military service, he was engaged in church painting in the spirit of Ukrainian Baroque.

In 1787, he executed two allegorical paintings to decorate one of the “travel palaces” of Catherine II, which were erected on her route to the Crimea.

These paintings attracted the empress's special attention. One of the paintings depicted Catherine II explaining her Order to the Greek sages, the other depicted Peter I as a plowman and Catherine II as a sower. The Empress wished to see the author of the paintings, spoke with him and advised him to go to St. Petersburg, to the Academy of Arts.

In 1788, Borovikovsky moved to St. Petersburg, but his path to the Academy of Arts was closed due to his age. He lives for some time in the house of N.A. Lvov, meets his friends - G.R. Derzhavin, I.I. Khemnitser, E.I. Fomin and other intellectuals of his time. From 1792 he took lessons from the Austrian painter I.B. Lampi, who worked at the court of Catherine II.

It is assumed that he used the advice of the famous portrait painter D. G. Levitsky, who later became his teacher. From his teacher, Borovikovsky adopted brilliant technique, ease of writing, compositional skill and the ability to flatter the person being portrayed.

In 1795, Borovikovsky was awarded the title of academician, and in 1802 - advisor to the Academy of Arts.

In the early St. Petersburg period, Borovikovsky painted miniature portraits, painted in oil, but imitating miniatures on enamel. He also excelled in ceremonial portraiture; many of his works in this genre were revered as models.

Among his works are a magnificent portrait of Catherine II walking in the Tsarskoye Selo garden, portraits of Derzhavin, Metropolitan Mikhail, Prince Lopukhin - Troshchinsky and a huge portrait of Fet - Ali Murza Quli Khan, brother of the Persian Shah, painted by order of the Empress when the prince was envoy in St. Petersburg . Two copies of this portrait are in the Hermitage art gallery, and the other in the Academy of Arts.

From the 2nd half of the 1790s. Borovikovsky finds a vivid expression of the trait of sentimentalism in his portraits. In contrast to the official class portrait, he develops a type of depiction of a “private” person with his simple, natural feelings, which manifest themselves most fully in the lap of nature. Delicate, faded colors, light, transparent writing, smooth, melodic rhythms create a lyrical atmosphere of dreamy elegance.

For example, a portrait of O.K. Filippova, the wife of Borovikovsky’s friend, an architect who participated in the construction of the Kazan Cathedral. She is depicted in a white morning dress against the backdrop of a garden, holding a pale rose in her hand. The image of a young woman is devoid of any shade of affectation or flirtatiousness. The almond-shaped shape of the eyes, the pattern of the nostrils, the mole above the upper lip - everything gives an inexplicable charm to the face, in the expression of which there is almost childish tenderness and dreamy thoughtfulness.

The artist’s talent was most clearly revealed in a series of female portraits: O. K. Filippova, E. N. Arsenyeva, E. A. Naryshkina, V. A. Shidlovskaya and others. They are not as impressive as men’s, small in size, sometimes similar in compositional solution, but they are distinguished by exceptional subtlety in conveying characters, elusive movements of mental life and are united by a tender poetic feeling.

The portrait of M.I. painted by Borovikovsky in 1797 Lopukhina is one of the landmark works in the development of Russian portraiture. The portrait of Lopukhina is marked by features of deep and genuine vitality. The main idea is the merging of man with nature.

Borovikovsky reproduces in the portrait the typical features of the national Russian landscape - white birch trunks, cornflowers and daisies, golden ears of rye. The national spirit is also emphasized in the image of Lopukhina, who is given an expression of tender sensitivity.

Borovikovsky was also engaged in religious painting, in the period from 1804 to 1811, he participated in the painting of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg (“The Annunciation”, “Constantine and Helen”, “The Great Martyr Catherine”, “Antony and Theodosius”).

Borovikovsky retained his brilliant skill and keen eye for a long time, but in the 1810s. his activity weakened. Old tastes were replaced by new ones, and the name of Borovikovsky moved aside, giving way to young talents.

He was lonely in his old age, avoided all communication, and refused to answer letters. He became interested in mysticism, but even here he did not find what he was looking for.

At the end of his life, Borovikovsky no longer painted portraits, but was engaged only in religious painting. His last work was an iconostasis for the church at the Smolensk cemetery in St. Petersburg.

In the last years of his life, Borovikovsky actively worked as a teacher, setting up a private school at his home. He raised two students, one of whom was Alexey Venetsianov, who adopted a poetic perception of the world from his mentor.