Ivan Aivazovsky

Infobox Artist
name = Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky
Иван Константинович Айвазовский
Հովհաննես Կոստանդինի Այվազովսկի


imagesize = 280px
caption = The portrait of Ivan Aivazovsky, by Aleksey Tyranov, 1847
birthname =
birthdate = birth date|1817|7|29|mf=y
location = Feodosiya, Crimea
deathdate = death date and age|1900|5|5|1817|7|29|mf=y
deathplace = Feodosiya, Crimea
field = Painting, Drawing,
training =
movement = Romanticism
works =
patrons =
awards =

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky ( _ru. Иван Константинович Айвазовский, _hy. Հովհաննես Այվազովսկի - Hovhannes Aivazovsky July 29, 1817 – May 5, 1900) was a Russian painter of Armenian descent, most famous for his seascapes, which constitute more than half of his paintings.

Life

Aivazovsky was born in the town of Feodosiya, Crimea, to a poor Armenian family. His parents family name was Aivazian. Some of artist's paintings bear a signature, in Armenian letters, "Hovhannes Aivazian" (Յովհաննէս Այվազեան). His talent as an artist earned him sponsorship and entry to the Simferopol gymnasium №1 and later the St.Petersburg Academy of Arts, from which he graduated with the gold medal. Earning awards for his early landscapes and seascapes, he went on to paint a series of portraits of Crimean coastal towns before traveling throughout Europe. In later life, his paintings of naval scenes earned him a longstanding commission from the Russian Navy.

In 1845, Aivazovsky went to Istanbul upon the invitation of Sultan Abdülmecid, a city he was to travel to eight times between 1845-1890. During his long sojourn in Istanbul, Aivazovsky was commissioned for a number of paintings as a court painter by the Ottoman Sultans Abdülmecid, Abdulaziz and Abdulhamid, 30 of which are currently on display in the Ottoman Imperial Palace, the Dolmabahce Museum and many others at various other museums in Turkey.

Success

Due to his long life in art, Aivazovsky became the most prolific Russian painter of his time. He left over 6,000 works at his death in 1900. With funds earned during his successful career as an artist he opened an art school and gallery in his home town of Feodosiya.

As of 2006, Aivazovsky's works have been auctioned for as much as $3,200,000, and his international reputation continues to grow. On June 14 2007 his painting "American Shipping off the Rock of Gibraltar" sold for 2,710,000 pounds, "the highest price paid at auction for Aivazovsky". [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aM2sa1q3U_XY&refer=home] He is also said to be the most forged of all Russian painters.

Legacy

A minor planet 3787 Aivazovskij, discovered by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh in 1977 is named after him. [cite book | last = Schmadel | first = Lutz D. | coauthors = | title = Dictionary of Minor Planet Names | pages = p. 320 | edition = 5th | year = 2003 | publisher = Springer Verlag | location = New York | url = http://books.google.com/books?q=3787+Aivazovskij | id = ISBN 3540002383]

Aivazovsky is referenced in Anton Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya".

See also

*Armenians in Ukraine
*Brig "Mercury" Attacked by Two Turkish Ships

References

External links

* [http://russianpaintings.net/doc.vphp?id=445 Ivan Aivazovsky biography and paintings] by Russian Paintings Gallery
* [http://www.artsstudio.com/reproductions/aivazovsky.htm Ivan Aivazovsky biography] by Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg
* [http://www.abcgallery.com/A/aivazovsky/aivazovsky.html Ivan Aivazovsky at Olga's Gallery]
* [http://www.topofart.com/artists/Ivan_Konstantinovich_Aivazovsky/ Aivazovsky Gallery]