Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel, born in Omsk in 1856, was an artist who sought escape in his works. While his father was looking for a way out of financial problems, Vrubel spent much time looking at pictures in children's books. His artistic interest was aroused by the exhibition Michelangelo's "The Last Judgement". The work had impressed him so much that he later created an exact copy of the painting from memory. The school education was easy for him, as long as he was interested in the subject. Apart from art, the natural sciences impressed him and he toyed with the idea of devoting himself to a career as an actor. But his father sent him to a law school where his artistic activities became more and more in the background. In Petersburg Vrubel decided to attend the Academy of Arts and there he met the Russian painter Pavel Chistjakov. He became his mentor and good friend.
Although Vrubel oriented himself to the traditional motifs of the time, the works of the creative student had their own unique style. This initially caused scepticism. However, acquaintances helped him to get several orders. In 1884 he was given the task of participating in the restoration of the frescoes in the Vladimir Cathedral. After this project, which took years, he travelled to Italy to fill his creative knowledge. Venice inspired the artist so much that he locked himself up for several weeks and painted one painting after another. Coming out of the flow of inspiration, the artist longed for human closeness. Back in Kiev, he proposed to an acquaintance who mockingly rejected him. Vrubel fell into a deep depression and hardly drew at all. He moved to Moscow, where he did not feel better. The feeling of hopelessness was reflected in the cycle of the work "Demon". Well-known artists like Repin or Pasternak took part in this project. The illustrations to Michail Lermontov's poem "The Demon" illustrate his pessimism. Furthermore, tragic actions and dark colors could be seen in his works.
Even after a marriage and the birth of his son, his depressive episodes did not get any better. His family left him and a compulsory hospitalization was inevitable. Despite mental confusion and strong hallucinations Vrubel continued to paint. © Meisterdrucke
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Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel, born in Omsk in 1856, was an artist who sought escape in his works. While his father was looking for a way out of financial problems, Vrubel spent much time looking at pictures in children's books. His artistic interest was aroused by the exhibition Michelangelo's "The Last Judgement". The work had impressed him so much that he later created an exact copy of the painting from memory. The school education was easy for him, as long as he was interested in the subject. Apart from art, the natural sciences impressed him and he toyed with the idea of devoting himself to a career as an actor. But his father sent him to a law school where his artistic activities became more and more in the background. In Petersburg Vrubel decided to attend the Academy of Arts and there he met the Russian painter Pavel Chistjakov. He became his mentor and good friend.
Although Vrubel oriented himself to the traditional motifs of the time, the works of the creative student had their own unique style. This initially caused scepticism. However, acquaintances helped him to get several orders. In 1884 he was given the task of participating in the restoration of the frescoes in the Vladimir Cathedral. After this project, which took years, he travelled to Italy to fill his creative knowledge. Venice inspired the artist so much that he locked himself up for several weeks and painted one painting after another. Coming out of the flow of inspiration, the artist longed for human closeness. Back in Kiev, he proposed to an acquaintance who mockingly rejected him. Vrubel fell into a deep depression and hardly drew at all. He moved to Moscow, where he did not feel better. The feeling of hopelessness was reflected in the cycle of the work "Demon". Well-known artists like Repin or Pasternak took part in this project. The illustrations to Michail Lermontov's poem "The Demon" illustrate his pessimism. Furthermore, tragic actions and dark colors could be seen in his works.
Even after a marriage and the birth of his son, his depressive episodes did not get any better. His family left him and a compulsory hospitalization was inevitable. Despite mental confusion and strong hallucinations Vrubel continued to paint. © Meisterdrucke
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