The paintings of Apollinary Mikhailovich Vasnetsov absorbed his endless love for his native land, nature and history of the country.

Biography of Apollinary Mikhailovich Vasnetsov

The family lived in the village of Ryabovo near the city of Vyatka. Mother’s name was Apollinaria Ivanovna. The Vasnetsovs had many children, and two of them were to glorify Russia with their paintings. The elder brother of Apollinaria is the famous artist Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov, whose brushes belong to such famous paintings as “Bogatyrs”, “Alyonushka”, “Flying Carpet”. But if Victor was attracted by magical, fairy-tale plots, then Apollinaris was destined to enter the history of art with realistic-mood landscapes, as well as with paintings-reconstructions of the historical life of Russia.

Apollinaris grew up as a gifted child. The talent of the artist woke up in him early, but fate was not too favorable to the boy. At the age of ten he lost his mother, and four years later he lost his father. This was a heavy blow for the young painter, because it was his father who brought up in him a love of nature and gave rise to the gift of a landscape painter.

Once, having arrived in Vyatka, Viktor Vasnetsov, who was already studying in the capital, drew attention to the creative debuts of a teenager and realized that the gift of his younger brother was not being properly developed. On the recommendation of Victor, the young artist began to study once a week with the Polish painter Michal Elviro Andriolli, who ended up in Vyatka as an exile. The main emphasis in training was on landscape painting. He also painted from life views of the native Russian North, which opened directly from the window.

The young man realized that his path and calling is still art.

In 1875, Apollinaris moved to Moscow, which became one of the main themes of his painting. Victor also settled there at that time, who introduced his brother to the creative community. And although Vasnetsov Jr. never entered the Academy of Arts, he persistently raised his professional level.

The atmosphere of the so-called Abramtsevo circle, which united the creative forces of the progressive intelligentsia, had a significant influence on him. The young man took lessons from Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov, Ilya Efimovich Repin, Vasily Maksimovich Maksimov, Mark Matveevich Antokolsky. He also studied with his older brother.

In 1885-1886, Vasnetsov undertook a great journey through the Russian Empire. The result was works on which the Dnieper, Kama and Siberian rivers overflowed in mighty streams, the Ural mountains rose, the impenetrable taiga rustled …

In 1901-1918, Apollinary Mikhailovich was engaged in teaching activities.

Reverently referring to the spiritual traditions of the people, the artist perceived with pain the campaign to destroy churches that began after the revolution. He was the only painter who in 1931 dared to oppose the destruction of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior by sending an open appeal to Izvestia.

It is not known what this courage would have backfired in the era of repression, but the artist left this world before the repressive policy of the state reached its climax. 76-year-old Apollinary Vasnetsov passed away on January 23, 1933.