Great Masters

Weretschagin was born in Luibez, near Novgorod and first was a Navy cadet between the age of 16 and 18. However much attracted by art he was admitted at the School of Fine Arts of St Petersburgh and studied under A. Markov and A. Beidermann.

Working as a painter of historical subjects he was awarded a medal in 1862 for his painting entitled Ulysses killing pretenders. His success reconciled him with his parents who had shown some reluctance to seeing him embark on an artistic career.

In 1863, he left for the Caucasian region and stayed during a certain time in Tiflis where he produced numerous drawings. He then went to Paris and studied with Gerome. He however was not a docile pupil as he refused to copy old masters at the Louvre museum and left Paris to return to Russia.

Back in the French capital he went to see Gerome who introduced him to Bida with whom he collaborated in the production of illustrations. he exhibited his works at the Paris Salon in 1866 and accompanied general Kaufmann in his expedition in Turkestan between 1867 and 1869.

After exhibiting works produced there in St Petersburgh he worked as decorator and went back to Turkestan. In 1871, he became rich after inheriting from his parents and decided to settle in Munich.

Working 12 hours a day he produced many paintings in Germany and exhibited them in London in 1873 and in St Petersburgh the following year. He then left for India and stayed there during two years.

Back again in Paris in 1876, he settled in two large studios in Maisons Laffitte in order to obtain maximum light while producing his works. Weretschagin covered the 1878 war between Russia and Turkey but the death in combat of one of his brothers led him to militate for peace. His works were the objects of criticisms in London but met success in Vienna and in Berlin where they were shown in an oriental decor among special accessories. This roving exhibition attracted over 200,000 visitors within two months in St Petersburgh while the Russian Administration of Museums acquired many of his works in auction sales held afterwards.

The artist travelled again to Turkestan and India and then visited Syria and Palestine in 1884. Works produced there, which related to the Bible, did not meet success during an exhibition in Vienna in 1885 especially as the archbishop of that city described his Holy Family as blasphematory. The following year he destroyed one of his paintings entitled The Resurrection after an exhibition in Berlin.

Enjoying the patronage of the Prince of Wales he exhibited his paintings executed in India in London in 1887 and then produced works denouncing Napoleonic wars showing the French Emperor as an invader while exhaling pro-Russian feelings. His works served to illustrate the Count de Segurs book Napolon and were exhibited at the Crofton Galleries in London in January 1899.