Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky (1757 - 1825) was one of the most talented artists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His portraits, tender, sentimental and magnificent, ceremonial, reveal to us the noble culture of this time, when they shed tears over N. Karamzin's "Poor Lisa", read G. Derzhavin's playful "Life of Zvanskaya", admired the new style that A. Pushkin began to write .

Childhood and youth

The future artist was born in Little Russia in the noisy Mirgorod, in the family of the Cossack Luka Borovik. The entire Borovikovsky clan served in the Mirgorod regiment. Didn't back down from family tradition and Vladimir Lukich. But, having risen to the rank of lieutenant, he retired. Since childhood, the young man who painted decided to paint. He saw how, having come from the service, his father, uncle and brothers, having prayed, began to paint icons. It was with icons that Vladimir himself began. But in 1787, when Vladimir Lukich was already thirty years old, Catherine II went to the Crimea. Kyiv province, poet of the XVIII century. V. Kapnist invited Borovikovsky to paint the room where the empress was to stay. The artist Borovikovsky made paintings on allegorical themes. They apparently liked it, since he was invited to St. Petersburg. Having finished dealing with the inheritance, the artist parted with Mirgorod forever.

northern capital

Vladimir Lukich will spend the first ten years in a hospitable and noisy architect's house on his recommendation. It gathers the cultural color of the capital. At Lvov he gets acquainted with a new trend in literature - sentimentalism. Here they read "letters of a traveler" and " Poor Lisa» Karamzin, new poems by Kapnist are heard here, the poet Dmitriev reads sensitive verses, G. Derzhavin visits here, as well as the artist D. Levitsky, who becomes the first teacher of a beginner in the capital. Everything eagerly absorbs Borovikovsky. The artist takes lessons in the workshop of I.B. Lumpy. Among the first works, one can single out a portrait

She was the wife of a friend, such a sociable and friendly person as Borovikovsky. The artist painted it in a white morning dress against the backdrop of a garden with a rose in his hand. She doesn't play around. She does not flirt, but simply calmly and affably looks at the viewer with her large eyes. The young woman is tender and dreamy.

First portraits

Borovikovsky writes at ease. The artist in the mid-90s tends to idyllic images. Takova

A young "Smolyanka", the maid of honor of the Empress, coquettishly looks at us, portraying herself as a shepherdess. In her hand she holds the symbol of the goddess of love - an apple. They shine, shine with mother-of-pearl colors, a young fresh face sparkles with fun, a snub-nosed nose is fervently upturned. The figure of a girl stands out in volume against the background of trees. Shining youth was painted by Borovikovsky. The artist showed the light and cheerful nature of youth.

Lyric work

Seven years of life have passed in the capital, and before us is the mature Borovikovsky. The artist creates lyric poem. No, perhaps, the elegy of Maria Ivanovna Lopukhina, where a young woman and nature merge into a single whole.

Her posture is completely relaxed, but at the same time refined and graceful. Harmony is created by the entire structure of the portrait - the lines are melodious and smooth, the position of the hand repeats the shape of a tree branch above a young woman. The coloring is striking in soft blue and pearlescent shades, light and shadow play. A little more - and the magical sounds of music will sound. A hundred years later, he will devote soulful lines to the portrait. Yes, following the poet, let's say that this beauty was saved by V.L. Borovikovsky. The artist showed not only her incomparable beauty, but also the personal side of her character.

male portrait

Catherine's nobleman attracted the painter with his extraordinary mind.

Dmitry Prokofievich Troshchinsky came from the simplest family of a clerk. He studied in and eventually became the secretary of state of Catherine the Great. With all orders and regalia, fanned by the glory of Suvorov campaigns, the artist depicted him as courageous. His stern and energetic face is written with great realism.

G. R. Derzhavin

The artist painted Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin twice. For the first time, when the poet held public office and was full of energy, which was enough to work as a governor in Karelia, and for poetic creativity. The second time - a wise, very middle-aged man who has already retired from state affairs. This portrait is more interesting. It has no office setting. Desk and everything that accompanies such work.

In the ceremonial scarlet uniform with the orders of St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir, St. Anna and St. John of Jerusalem (commander's cross), smiling gently and calmly, an outstanding Russian poet looks at us. He saw and learned a lot and told people about everything. The autumn of life has come. And the poet meets her with dignity, and soon he will see his young successor, who will turn all Russian literature upside down and be delighted to meet him. Calm wisdom looks at the viewer from the portrait. Decent old age.

In my workshop

Leaving Russia, I.B. Lampi, Borovikovsky's teacher, gives him his workshop. The artist will live and work in it, having left the Lvovs' house. He has already developed his technique, which he will hone until the end of his days, passing on his skills to his students. And his favorite was A.G. Venetsianov, who will be carried away by work on his own estate and will paint his peasants. But that's later, later.

Technique and techniques of the painter

Artist Borovikovsky Vladimir Lukich for 38 years of work will create countless portraits. He learned to write easily and transparently, to build a composition. But his main focus was on inner world person, on his personal unique features. Everything served only as a frame for the face - and the pose, and the position of the hands, and the landscape. The peculiarities of his writing include special overflows, mother-of-pearl colors, which he combined with the academic accuracy of the drawing.

At the sixty-eighth year of his life, the artist Borovikovsky died. His biography is filled with tireless work, meetings with friends, who were often his customers. Isn't that why love and warmth emanates from his portraits.