Russian Visual Arts Project

Journalist, art critic, writer. Aleksandrov published reviews of the Itinerants' exhibitions in the periodical press. In 1881-87 Aleksandrov was the editor and publisher of The Art Journal (Khudozhestvennyi zhurnal). During the 1890s he published several articles in which he criticised the Academy.

Pseudonyms: N.A., Storonnii zritel', etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Avdeev, Aleksei Alekseevich (1819-85)

Architect and art critic, academician. He published articles on art in St Petersburg Gazette (Sanktpeterburgskie vedomosti) and The Russian Herald (Russkii vestnik).

[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Averkiev, Dmitrii Vasil'evich (1836-1905)

Writer and dramatist. His writings expressed ideas which ranged from moderately liberal to conservative. In 1885-86 he published the journal The Diary of a Writer (Dnevnik pisatelia). One of his articles entitled Something about the Head of Our Painters (Nechto o golove nashikh zhivopistsev) was harshly criticised by Kramskoi in his Letter to the Editor of the New Time (Pis'mo v redaktsiiu "Novogo vremeni") published in 1885, 20 March, no. 3254.

Pseudonyms: D.A., Av.D., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Avseenko, Vasilii Grigor'evich (1842-1913)

Writer and critic, moderately liberal at the beginning of his career, and subsequently the author of conservative 'anti-nihilist' novels. Avseenko contributed to The Russian Messenger (Russkii vestnik) and The Citizen (Grazhdanin).

Pseudonyms: A., Homo, W., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Boborykin, Petr Dmitrievich (1836-1921)

Fiction writer, dramatist, critic. Boborykin studied in the Faculty of Law of Kazan' University and in the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in Derpt University. He began his literary career during the 1860s. During the 1870s and 1880s Boborykin's art and theatre criticism reflected the ideas behind the aesthetics of naturalism. In the article entitled 'Beauty, Life and Creativity' ('Krasota, zhizn' i tvorchestvo'), published in 1893, Boborykin criticised the aesthetics of Nikolai Chernyshevskii. From the 1880s Boborykin lived abroad. From the 1860s until the 1880s he published in the journals Notes of the Fatherland (Otechestvennye zapiski), The Herald of Europe (Vestnik Evropy), The Messenger of the North (Severnyi vestnik), Pictorial Review (Zhivopisnoe obozrenie), Art (Iskusstvo), Music and Theatre (Muzyka i teatr), the newspapers St Petersburg Gazette (Sanktpeterburgskie vedomosti), News and Stock-Exchange Newspaper (Novosti i birzhevaia gazeta), New Time (Novoe vremia), etc.

Pseudonyms: Petr Neskazhus', Belletrist, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Bozherianov, Ivan Nikolaevich (1852-1919)

Art historian and art critic. Bozherianov began his career as a writer on art in 1872 when he published an article entitled 'On the Development of Art in Russia during the Reign of Peter the Great' ('O razvitii iskusstva v Rossii v tsarstvovanie Petra Velikogo'). In the 1880s he contributed to the newspapers News and Stock-Exchange Newspaper (Novosti i birzhevaia gazeta), Art News (Khudozhestvennye novosti), the journals Russian Antiquity (Russkaia starina) and Kiev Antiquity (Kievskaia starina) in which he published several monographic articles on artists. These titles included Samoilo Ivanovich Gal'berg, Khudozhnik Ivan Ivanovich Terebenev, etc. Bozherianov was the main author on art in the journal The Chronicler of the Arts (Khudozhestvennyi khroniker).

Pseudonyms: I.B., I. B-ov, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Breshko-Breshkovskii, Nikolai Nikolaevich (1874-?)

Writer and art critic. Author of a monograph on V.E. Makovskii published in 1902 and Russian Artists in Portraits and Biographies (Russkie khudozhniki v portretakh i biografiiakh).

Bulgakov, Fedor Il'ich (1852-1908)

Writer and journalist. During the 1870s and 1880s Bulgakov contributed to The Voice (Golos), The Word (Slovo), The Russian Courier (Russkii kur'er), etc. His articles on art were published primarily in Virgin Soil (Nov'). Bulgakov's main writings include: a monograph Vasilii Vasil'evich Vereshchagin and his Works published in 1896; Illustrated Review of the Academy Exhibition for 1885 and 1886; Illustrated History of Art; Encyclopaedia.

Pseudonyms: F.B., F.Z., Fita, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Burenin, Viktor Petrovich (1841-1926)

Publicist and poet. At the beginning of his career Burenin contributed to The Bell (Kolokol), The Spark (Iskra), The Contemporary (Sovremennik) and Notes of the Fatherland (Otechestvennye zapiski). In the middle of the 1870s Burenin joined the reactionary newspaper The New Time (Novoe vremia) in which he published feuilletons and critical articles, frequently attacking Stasov and the art of critical realism, particularly works by Vasilii Vereshchagin.

Pseudonyms: Graf Aleksis Zhasminov, Nin. V. B-n, V.B., V.P., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Buslaev, Fedor Ivanovich (1818-97)

Philologist, historian of Russian literature, folklore and Medieval Russian art. His rare publications of art criticism included articles on the illustrations to the writings of Derzhavin and Krylov, and, most importantly, The Tasks of Contemporary Aesthetic Criticism (Zadachi sovremennoi esteticheskoi kritiki) published in The Russian Messenger (Russkii vestnik) in September 1868.

Pseudonym: B.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Chernyshevskii, Nikolai Gavrilovich (1829-1889)

Radical literary critic, journalist and novelist. Two of his most famous works were his master's dissertation Aesthetic Relations of Art to Reality (1855) and the novel Chto delat'. Co-editor of the leading journal Sovremennik from 1859 to 1862, when the journal was closed and Chernyshevskii was arrested. In 1864 he was exiled to Siberia. Leading influence in the radical movement of the 1860s.

Chuiko, Vladimir Viktorovich (1839-99)

Literary and art critic. Chuiko promoted the theory of 'pure art' in the journals The World Illustration (Vsemirnaia illustratsiia), The Pictorial Review (Zhivopisnoe obozrenie), Labour (Trud), etc.

Pseudonyms: Ch., V.Ch., X.Y.Z., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

D'iakov, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1845-95)

Fiction writer and publicist. In his youth D'iakov associated himself with revolutionary democrats, but became conservative later in his career. In 1875 he published in The Russian Messenger (Russkii vestnik) a novel entitled The Circle (Kruzhok) which was critical of revolutionary youths. In 1880 he became a contributor to The New Times (Novoe vremia) in which he published Sunday feuilletons and art criticism.

Pseudonyms: Zhitel', Khudozhnik, Nezlobin, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Dosekin, Nikolai Vasil'evich (1863-1935)

Landscape painter. From 1887 until 1894 Dosekin attended classes at the Academy of Arts. From 1888 he exhibited his pictures at the Itinerants' exhibitions and was elected a member of the Association in 1900. Dosekin published art criticism in the journal Artist in 1893 and 1894.

[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Fedorov, Mikhail Pavlovich (1839-1900)

Dramatist, art critic and theatre critic, journalist.

Pseudonyms: M.P.F., M.F., M.F-v., Chistiakov, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Flerov, Sergei Vasil'evich (1841-1901)

Journalist, art critic and theatre critic. Graduated from Moscow University in 1864. From 1876 he contributed to the reactionary newspaper Moscow Gazette (Moskovskie vedomosti). He worked for The Russian Review (Russkoe obozrenie) from 1890 until 1896 and the newspaper The Russian Word (Russkoe slovo) from 1895 until 1896. Reviews published in the latter periodical were republished in book form under the title A Theatre Chronicle (Teatral'naia khronika).

Pseudonyms: S. Vasil'ev, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Garshin, Vsevolod Mikhailovich (1855-1888)

Author of over twenty short stories, many of which anticipate symbolism. Was closely associated with the artists of the Itinerant movement, and wrote many articles about art.

Glagol' [Goloushev], Sergei Sergeevich (1855-1920)

Artist and art critic. Glagol''s articles published in the journal Artist, the newspapers The Truth (Pravda), Courier and other periodicals characterise him as one of the most perceptive Russian art critics of the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. For example, his belief in the value of realist art and support of the Peredvizhniki did not prevent him from appreciating the art of Mikhail Vrubel'. Glagol' may have been the first Russian art critic to have used the term 'Salon' in relation to Russian art: in 1890 in an article published in Artist (no. 7) he criticised the works by Genrikh Semiradskii which catered to the tastes of the unsophisticated bourgeois public and called him 'a Salon artist'.

Pseudonyms: Glagol'; Sergei Glagol'; Sergei Sergeevich; S.Sergeevich; De Sergy.

Gnedich, Petr Petrovich (1855-1927)

Writer, translator, dramatist, art historian, expert in theatre. Gnedich graduated from the Academy of Arts in 1879. He began his literary career during the 1870s and contributed to The Week (Nedelia), The Russian Messenger (Russkii vestnik), The Messenger of the North (Severnyi vestnik), etc. From 1888 until 1889 Gnedich together with Vladimir Solov'ev published and edited the journal The North (Sever), in 1890 he began publishing The Illustrated Year-Book of Imperial Theatres (Illiustrirovannyi ezhegodnik imperatorskikh teatrov). Prolific writer on art. In 1885 he published A History of Art from Ancient Times (Istoriia iskusstva s drevneishikh vremen) in three volumes which was subsequently republished. In 1898 he was elected a member of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. His memoirs are entitled A Book of a Life. Memoirs. 1855-1918. (Kniga zhizni. Vospominaniia. 1855-1918).

Pseudonym: Rectus, etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Grabar', Igor' Emmanuilovich (1871-1960)

Artist, art historian, art critic, restorer and museum curator. Graduated from both the Law and the Historical-Philological Faculties of St Petersburg University. Studied at the Academy of Arts from 1894 until 1896 and continued his education together with Alexei Jawlensky, Dmitry Kardovsky and Marianne Werefkin in the studio of Anton Azbe in Munich from 1896 until 1898. Grabar' began his career as an art critic in the 1880s. His article entitled 'Decline or Renaissance. An Overview of the Modern Trends in Art' published in The Cornfield (Niva) in 1897 acquainted the Russian public with major developments in nineteenth century European art. During his long career Grabar' published monographs on Russian artists, such as Isaac Levitan and Il'ia Repin, as well as numerous articles in the periodical press, for instance, in the journals The World of Art (Mir Iskusstva) and The Scales (Vesy). From 1909 until 1916 Grabar' was in charge of the production of the first comprehensive History of Russian Art published in six volumes. After the revolution of 1917 Grabar' became one of the central figures in the Soviet art world and academia.

Grigorovich, Dmitrii Vasil'evich (1822-99)

Writer and art critic. Grigorovich was appointed the Secretary of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists in 1864. During his tenure the exhibitions of the Society became more frequent and were accompanied by printed catalogues. Major artists, such as Ivan Kramskoi, joined the teaching staff of the School of Drawing of the Society, and the Museum of the Society was organised. His art criticism focused on the promotion of the Russian national school, widening the appeal of the visual arts in society and the development of arts and crafts in Russia. Grigorovich also published articles devoted to Western European art and reports from foreign exhibitions, such as the World Fair in London in 1862.

Pseudonyms: Gromilov Stepan, G, etc.

Grigorovich, Vasilii Ivanovich (1786- 1865)

Editor of The Journal of Fine Arts (Zhurnal iziashchnykh iskusstv) published in St Petersburg 1823-25. Conference secretary at the Academy from 1829 until 1859. Lecturer on the theory of fine arts at the Academy from 1829. During the 1820s Grigorovich was probably the most influential of all Russian writers on art. His opinions were highly appreciated by authors as diverse as the future Decembrist Aleksandr Bestuzhev and the monarchist Faddei Bulgarin. Bestuzhev highly praised 'excellent critical, theoretical and descriptive articles' published by Grigorovich in Zhurnal iziashchnykh iskusstv. See: 'Vzgliad na russkuiu slovesnost' v techenii 1823 goda', Poliarnaia zvezda, izdannaia A. Bestuzhevym i K. Ryleevym (Moscow and Leningrad, 1960, p. 269). Bulgarin considered Grigorovich a major expert who in contrast to ignorant journalists was capable of properly assessing the Academy exhibition of 1824. See: 'Raznye izvestiia i zamechaniia', Literaturnye listki, 3, 1824, 17, p. 167.

Iasinskii, Ieronim Ieronimovich (1850-1931)

Writer and journalist. Iasinskii began his literary career in the 1870s and contributed to democratic and liberal periodicals, but subsequently moved to The New Time (Novoe vremia). During the 1890s he criticised the 'tendentiousness' of the artists of the 1870s, supported the 'pure art' and symbolism in art. After the Bolshevik Revolution he joined the Communist Party and worked in Petrograd Proletkult. His memoirs published in 1926 are entitled A Novel of My Life (Roman Moei Zhizni).

Pseudonyms: Maksim Belinskii, Nezavisimyi, I.Ia., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Kiselev, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich (1838-1911)

Artist, art critic, active member of the Association of Travelling Art Exhibitions. Having studied at a military school, he continued his education at the Faculty of Philosophy of St Petersburg University and at the Academy of Arts. In 1893 Kiselev received the title of a full member of the Academy of Arts and in 1897 he became a professor and supervisor of the studio of landscape painting at the Academy. His career as an art critic began in The Gazette of the Khar'kov Region (Khar'kovskie gubernskie vedomosti) in which he reviewed the Itinerants' exhibitions during the 1870s. He edited the art section of the journal The Artist during the 1890s.

Pseudonyms: A.K., A. Ki-lev., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Korolenko, Vladimir Galaktionovich (1853-1921)

Author, critic, activist in the populist movement.

Kramskoi, Ivan Nikolaevich (1837-87)

Portraitist and history painter, art critic. Kramskoi studied at the Academy of Arts from 1857 until 1863. He was one of the authors of the petition of the fourteen students of the Academy who appealed to the members of the Council of the Academy with a request to allow them a free choice of subject in the competition for the Major Gold Medal. During the ensuing confrontation at the meeting of the Council which failed to grant the request, Kramskoi made a speech in which, on behalf of the students, he refused to take part in the competition. Kramskoi continued to play a central role in the artistic life in Russia from the 1860s through to the 1880s: he was a founding member of both the Artel' and the Association of Travelling Art Exhibitions. His articles and letters on art combine a thorough knowledge of the technique of painting with insightful analysis of subject matter and formal qualities in works of art.

Kruglov, Aleksandr Vasil'evich (1853-1915)

Writer, poet. Kruglov began his literary career in 1871. He published art criticism in News and Stock-Exchange Newspaper (Novosti i birzhevaia gazeta), the journal The Weekly Review (Ezhenedel'noe obozrenie) and others.

Pseudonyms: A.V., A.V.K., A.K-v., etc.
[Source: Bespalova N.I., Vereshchagina, A.G., Russkaia progressivnaia khudozhestvennaia kritika vtoroi poloviny xix veka. Moscow: Izobrazitel'noe iskusstvo, 1979.]

Kukol'nik, Nestor Vasil'evich (1809-68)

Writer and art critic. A son of a professor at St Petersburg University, Kukol'nik studied in the college in Nezhin together with Nikolai Gogol'. Although he was wary of criticising official art, Kukol'nik nevertheless was instrumental in developing Russian art criticism as a distinct genre of writing: in 1836 he founded The Gazette of Fine Arts (Khudozhestvennaia gazeta) which was published in St Petersburg until 1842 and wrote more than two hundred articles on art.

More critics - Ledakov to Zhemchuzhnikov