“Russia – country of landscapes… I hope the time will come, when all Russian nature, alive and penetrated by spirit, will look from canvases of Russian artists…” Ivan Shishkin
Few have captured nature’s delicate beauty like Ivan Shishkin. A Russian master who tasted the rare fruits of an artist’s success but also bitter tragedy. I cover:
- Key Facts and Ideas
- Drawing, Brushwork, and Technique
- Color and Light
- Composition
- Other Works
- Key Takeaways
- Additional Readings and Sources
- Want to Learn More?
- Thanks for Reading!
(Before diving into this post, make sure to pick up a copy of my free Landscape Painting Starter Kit.)
Key Facts and Ideas
Here are some key facts and ideas I found interesting. Refer to the resources linked at the end of this post if you want to dive deeper:
- He was a man of many nicknames: “Czar of the Forest”, “The Bear”, “Titan of the Russian Forest”, “Old Pine Tree”, and “Lonely Oak”.
- Shishkin’s art journey began at an early age with a pencil in hand. Below is one of his early self-portraits.
- He attended the First Kazan gymnasium-a prestigious school for academics. I assume his parents planned for him to graduate and join his father’s grain trade business. But Shishkin had his sight set on becoming an artist.
- At first, his parents dismissed his artistic aspirations, so he drew alone at night, under candlelight (Russian Art Gallery). Eventually, his parents relaxed their grasp.
- His formal art training began in 1852, enrolling in the Moscow School of Painting and subsequently the Imperial Academy of Arts. He graduated from the Imperial Academy with a gold medal for View of Valaam Island (below) and a scholarship to paint in Europe.
- He was a member of Peredvizhniki, a group of Russian realist artists who rejected the Imperial Academy’s rigid approach and sought to make art more accessible to the public. The group included Isaac Levitan, Ilya Repin, Alexei Savrasov, Valentin Serov, and Emily Shanks. The group is pictured below, with Shishkin circled.
- He married Evgenia Vassilyev in 1868 (featured in the painting below). Her brother Fyodor was also a remarkable landscape painter and trained under Shishkin.
- 1874 marked the start of a long string of tragic events. His father, his wife, his student Fyodor, and his two sons all died over a short period (I was unable to find specifics). Shishkin later remarried one of his students, Olga Lagoda, who died after the birth of their daughter. Life can be cruel…
- Despite the tragedies, he continued to paint and improve. His Morning in a Pine Forest made Shishkin a household name in Russia. But credit where credit’s due: it was Konstantin Savitsky who came up with the idea and added the four bears to the painting. Without such an addition, this would have been just another-albeit stunning-Shishkin landscape.
Below is Shishkin’s study for the painting. A charming work of art in its own right.
- His success was not without criticism. His contemporaries deemed him to be more of a craftsman than a “real” artist.
- His final painting was Mast-Tree Grove (below). It exhibited at the Imperial Russian Museum’s grand opening in March 1898. Shishkin could not attend due to illness. He died the morning after at his easel, in the hands of a student (Russian Art Gallery). A fitting way for an artist to go. He was 66.
Drawing, Brushwork, and Technique
Much of Shishkin’s success can be attributed to his formal training and rigorous drawing practice. As Joaquín Sorolla put it:
“The older I become, the more I realize that drawing is the most important of all the problems of picture-making.”
Below are some of his drawings:
Shishkin also mastered the art of etching. Below are two examples: a detailed forest and an album cover.
For the most part, he avoided the “plastic” appearance that often comes with such refined realism. You can see what I am referring to in his early work, like View of Valaam Island. It looks realistic, but not natural.
His later work is more sophisticated. Refer to Off the Coast of the Gulf of Finland. Much more controlled with his use of color and detail. It reminds me of Sir Author Streeton’s work, though Streeton was more of an Impressionist.
Color and Light
Shishkin’s use of color was naturalistic (he painted what he saw). Unlike, say, Claude Monet who painted in a high-key, or Vincent van Gogh who painted how he felt.
A typical theme of his work is sunlight bursting through a dense tree canopy, scattering over the forest floor. Refer to A Coniferous Forest. Sunny Day below. Some key observations:
- The strong light in the distance helps pull you through the painting.
- The shadowed foreground reiterates the dense nature (light struggles to get through).
- Warm lights contrast against cool shadows.
Below is another example. Notice how the lights are a touch warmer than the darks. The greens, in particular, are much closer to yellow; whilst the greens in shadow are closer to blue.
As you would expect from the “Czar of the Forest”, Shishkin mastered the use of green. Refer to Deadwood and Goutweed Grass below. Few artists can get away with using such intense greens without it appearing jarring and gnash.
Here is one of Shishkin’s lighter paintings and a great demonstration of dappled light.
Composition
Shishkin’s work features many of the classic “rules” of composition-S-shapes, simplified masses, quiet and active areas, etc.
In Misty Morning, the river creates an S-shape that leads you into and around the painting. Also, notice the use of simplification to depict the misty background.
Here is another S-shape used to depict the path. The tops of the trees on the left form an implied line. There is a sense of balance between the small trees on the left and the dominant tree on the right.
Shishkin was a master of painting vast numbers, like the snow-capped forest in Winter. Whilst he did not simplify in terms of detail, he did simplify the composition. Notice how the painting can be broken into four distinct areas (refer to my draw-over below the painting).
Shishkin did mix it up from time to time, painting unusual compositions like The Tops of the Pines or Felled Birch.
Other Works
Here are some other personal favorites, starting with Pine Trees Illuminated by the Sun. A beautiful demonstration of color variance. Look at the way he painted the ground: greens, yellows, reds with varied brushwork. Effortless realism.
A View of the Beach is a relaxed painting, perhaps one of his studies. Simple, charming, and a strong composition. It is also interesting to see him venture outside of “detail” mode.
The unfinished work below provides insight into his painting process. If I had to guess, I would say he was methodical in his approach; painting one area to near completion then moving onto the next.
Rain in an Oak Forest-a moody painting. You can see Shishkin’s propensity for detail in the background. No amount of mist and rain could stop him from rendering each tree.
The reason I selected this painting is the way he painted the grass, of all things. Subtle changes in color saturation, varied brushwork, and small patches of detail.
Here is a close-up to give you a better look:
The Rocky Landscape demonstrates how to capture depth and atmosphere. Notice the reduction in color and detail as things recede into the distance.
Teutoburg Forest-perhaps my favorite. Vivid orange and yellow highlights, a glaring background, and deep shadows. Beautiful.
Here is one of Shishkin’s early works and a rare step outside of landscape painting.
Pine on the Sand-a simple but strong composition with interesting colors, particularly the turquoise sky.
The grayscale below reveals a powerful 2-value design.
Finally, a stunning example of realistic clouds. Notice the subtle color changes and edge variance.
Key Takeaways
- Find something you enjoy doing and pursue it with vigor, as Shishkin did with landscape painting.
- Listen to the opinions of others, but do not let them dictate you. Shishkin’s parents were initially dismissive of his artistic dreams and his teachers urged him to paint something other than the landscape. What a loss it would have been had he listened.
- Great drawing is the foundation of great painting.
- There is no substitute for rigorous practice.
- Shishkin had a deep appreciation for nature, and it shows through his work.
- There is more to art than creating pretty drawings and paintings. I have no doubt art helped Shishkin endure the many tragedies he faced.
Additional Readings and Sources
Isaac Levitan – Artist Spotlight (another great Russian landscape painter)
Want to Learn More?
You might be interested in my Painting Academy course. I’ll walk you through the time-tested fundamentals of painting. It’s perfect for absolute beginner to intermediate painters.
Thanks for Reading!
I appreciate you taking the time to read this post and I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with friends.
Happy painting!
Dan Scott
Draw Paint Academy
What a great article, thanks so much for doing the research and sharing. I had no idea that Russia had so many talented artists and this one in particular. So interesting!
Wonderful Post! I didn’t know this great artist and I have learned more about how to create a good painting through color and composition. Furthermore, I also believe on your words: “Listen to the opinions of others but don’t let them dictate you”, and practice will make our painting better. Thanks Dan!
Really like the articles, very inspiring.
I noticed the differences between the two paintings; Ivan Shishkin, View of Valaam Island, 1858 and Ivan Shishkin, View of Valaam Island, 1860. Both have the same subject matter from the same perspective and yet are so different. The latter one is, in my opinion, much better. He changed that much in two years. Did he do duplicates of other scenes, do you know?
Thanks for sharing Dan. I am lost for words. It’s hard to believe that someone painted those. What a gift he had. I wish one day I can paint like that! All of his work is beautiful!
Nivedita a beginner artist 🎨.
How beautiful. I ‘d never heard of him, but his paintings took my breath away.
Thank you for sending me this exciting touch of history. I have a new insight to how I can approach my own art.
Fantastic article thankyou i so loved it and feel learned so much too
Thank you so much.. It was so inspiring. I loved it.
Da n Excellent article. THank you for sharing it with us. A question,…are all these paintings in oil or acrilic= did he also paint in watercolor? lm
He painted in oils. Acrylics were not invented until the mid 20th century.
Never heard of that absolute Master until now. Brilliant, thanks.
Unbelievably beautiful!! What I find. I appreciate your posts, thank you!
Thank you so much and the story was so touching especially as the works were enriching .
Just beginning to do art painting. Thoroughly enjoyed this masters work.
WOW, what magnificent work. Looks like a photo, only better. Reminded me of Bierstadt.
Thank you!
Very interesting article of a painter I have always admired.
For real guys Russians had a mindas touch of their art techniques
aka realism vs naturalism.
I so love when you do these particular posts….getting to know the life of the artist and talking about their methods of painting. Thank you.
Breathtaking beauty captured by a genius of shape, color and composition. Thank you for sharing the work of this man. Mildred Zinser
Thank you so much for such an interesting and informative post. Your explanations on each work is so helpful in understanding what went into it. It makes it easier to plan my own work in terms of colour tone and temperature as well as composition.
I ve not heard about him.Thank you.
Thank you for introducing me to Shiskin. What an amazing artist
Insightful write up of one of my favorite artists. Well done & helpful piece. Thank you.
Shishkin is one of my favorite woodland draftsman. I have to admit I was ignorant of his work until about ten years ago when a stumbled across an older extensive volume with beautifully photographed drawings and paintings in the basement of the library in Lenox, Massachusetts. I poured over that book for weeks. Gorgeous line. Thank you for this article. I really enjoy the examples you have selected to talk about.
I absolutely loved your article about Ivan Shishkin. I had never heard of this artist before and am so pleased that you have introduced me to such talent and beauty. Thank you so much.
Seeing these pictures and reading about the artist was inspiring .Thank you .
I greatly appreciate your taking the time to discuss in detail the work of yet another wonderful artist. Your explanation about the approach to painting is always very helpful in thinking about changes I might make to my paintings and thinking outside the box!!
Dan, this is wonderful. I appreciate the depth of study you applied to celebrating this master, unknown to many of us. I love your whole series of tips and comments on the masters. Inspiring.
Dear Dan,
Thank you so much for such stunning work.
Do you ever use him or others for your own inspiration ? By that I mean do you ever look at something he has done and do your own version so to speak?
You are so generous to share with others these kinds of examples of great artist that most of us would never hear of.
Thank you again,
Dee
Thanks Dan – as ever its great to see such art I have not seen before
Yes, I’ve always felt that the Russian artists are underrated by the establishment. Very nice inclusive article, thanks.
Yes, same with their literature, music… everything, basically.
Thank you. I enjoyed learning about this incredible artist and your inspiring words..
Thank you so much! Another favorite artist on my list. This was so interesting.
Thank you for your article on Ivan Shiskin, and the wonderful reproductions. They are very inspiring, but so detailed that you can only wonder how long they took to complete. Nevertheless his work is so inspiring. I also looked up Isaac Levitan, another great artist.
Thank you for the trouble that you go to. Each of your articles are so valuable to one who started very late and has no formal training. You go into detail to explain what the artists did. I do appreciate your time and effort.
My great love is painting trees, so it was truly exciting to find this in depth treatment of a tree artist. Through Your research on him I’ve learned a great deal about painting landscape, and trees in particular. Thank you so much for your work in presenting this information to us.
Another excellent article Dan.
Here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we are fortunate to have our very own Museum of Russian Art – http://www.tmora.org.
I have also been amazed at the high quality and quantity of paintings the Russians have produced, particularly the thickness of the paint some artists in the museum here applied on canvas . I am not a student of Russian art or history, but I seem to recall that many of the artists were government supported, hence the unbridled use of paint. Although Shishkin seemed to be more into glazing, I’m guessing.
Thanks for the great profiles in art I really enjoy reading them!
Jane
Today started out as a miserable adventure into all of the rules and problems with the virus. Then I read your email. What a wonderful teacher and researcher you are. These paintings rival Andrew Wyeth who lived a few miles from me.
Thank you for this in-depth and thought provoking article. I studied this artist, taking a portion of a forest painting, but painting it in pastel. I learned a lot from the exercise. I really appreciate this master class.
What an interesting article. Thank you for sharing. I will be sharing this with my students.
Incredible article, incredible artist!
Thank you Dan for such an expressive piece of writing; not only do you make us see the beauty in each painting, your emotive description enhances the experience you lead us through the Master’s work, making each journey rich with colours, details and treasures hidden behind the brushstrokes of a genius. Every article of yours reveals the artist in yourself and the detailed analyses of those Masters you admire uncovers the excellent work you do to showcase art in its entirety for the enlightenment of young, inexperienced artists, working tirelessly to one-day succeed in your footstep and those of other Masters you featured so brilliantly. Thank you for the experience and the Journey.
It helps so much to read your articles. I am fairly new to painting and at a later age. You put a lot of effort into introducing us to great artists and focusing our eyes on their techniques. Thank you for keeping us inspired.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Really great descriptions & info without falling into art world jargon. Thank you.
Thank You so this wonderful and informative article! I learned much about an artist I was not aware of. I so enjoy your posts!
Very grateful for showing other artists’ paintings and yours too of course.
Thank you so much! This was wonderful!
I was in awe of Shishkin’s work. I will study it, and practice drawing, my weakness. I have always had little patience with studying the Masters, but I see great value in looking deeply into his work.
Thank you!
Inspiring, beautiful, thank you for sharing tHis today.
Inspiring, beautiful, thank you for sharing this today.
Thank you so much. This is inspiring.
Thanks for sharing Ivan Shishkin’s paintings, a wonderful artist, and your article was so informative about him and his work. It’s good to be introduced to another artist that I was unaware of. Love his work and all your comments.
i was advised when at an art exhibition to find 2 or 3 paintings that captivate me and spend time just absorbing them, but with Ivan Shishkin i think i would find that very difficult as there is so much to please. For me the pine trees would take much of my time plus those wonderful self portraits. Thank you so much for sharing the work and story of this talented artist
You , your article and the subject presented create and advances the desire to do hard work and never stop whatever comes in your way
Thank you
Gafoor
I have no source of good art reviews. Yours are straight forward, useful and in depth. Thank you and please continue these reviews.
Your art history lessons, instead of being presented as snooze material, are alive with material that draws you in just like a good painting. You are an artist of color but you also paint with your lessons and with the artists you research and bring to us. They are presented like picture books for adults. Each new painting a wonder to see, and each lesson a wonder to read. I know what you mean about there being something in the Russian water that produces such artists. Every time I research another aspect of art, inevitably I end up with Russian artists producing incredibly detailed works of art. I appreciate your emails. I appreciate all forms of your art and I love the subtle encouragement you provide. Thank you.
interesting, thank you for all information and inspiration I’m off to paint
Inspiring!
Thanks, Dan, for the generosity of your knowledge and insightful guidance helping us to become better painters .
Thanks Dan. A wonderful and inspiring article.
Just a fraction of that skill would have me ‘over the moon’
I shall endeavor to use the take aways
Shishkin is one of my favorite artist. Thank you for this gift. Iloved your article.
What a wonderful artist. Thoroughly enjoyed your posting. Looking at his work makes me want to give up my mediocre efforts at painting.
Thank you so much for this informative and excellent post on Ivan Shiskin. He is a new artist to me and I love his beautiful work. You have greatly enriched my very modest history in the arts and have encouraged me to paint more. I have always loved doing trees!
Thanks for the insights and for spotlighting a wonderful artist. The two self portraits communicated across the centuries. Thanks for the master class.
Dan,
Thank you for introducing me to this amazing artist, heretofore unknown to me. Your article was informative and illustrative.
Susan
Thank you so much for taking the time to introduce us to the work of Ivan Shishkin. It was an introduction to me — I have not seen his work before. It is stunning!!! This article will definitely go to my art info file. I look forward to more of your emails. I am now off to my studio to paint – you have given me inspiration :-)!!!
Hi Dan,
A great painter indeed, a brave and dedicated one to.
Imagine the dedication and courage it took for him to go on through all of that tragedy.
I don’t think a lot of us mere mortals would have been able to stay centred enough to go on creating as he did.Kudos to a true master.
Dave M.
What an interesting, informative article, Dan! Thank you for sharing your research with us. Much appreciated.
Absolutely one of the most enjoyable posts…I am so fascinated by the ability to see nature so closely reproduced.
Loved this….
Thank you Mr Scott! I am so pleased and fortunate to have found your website. I have BFA with a concentration in Studio Art and an emphasis in photography. I had only a few classes in painting and now am trying to improve my skills in this discipline of art. I am so happy to hear you put such an emphasis on drawing; I do feel it is the main building block on which any artist should build his/her skill set. Several of my best professors, no matter their medium of choice, even one of my art history professors, told me that drawing is the most important skill an artist can possess.
Thank you for sharing your considerable knowledge and tying what you are teaching to art history. This is how I teach my students as well and I believe whatever principles or elements I am teaching them become so much clearer to them when based on an art history lesson.
Thank you again for your commitment to furthering our knowledge of art!
Most Sincerely,
Susan Thorn
Awesome! Really enjoying all the information you send
Thankyou
A fantastic resource thanks for sharing it I will refer toit often.
Once again thanks heaps
regards
Warren Petherbridge
Absolutely marvelous post…thank you so much for sharing.
Thankyou Dan for another excellent insight into historical artists. i enjoy learning about artists I have never heard of. Your breakdown of their methods is very helpful in understanding how they worked.
Absolutely love Ivan’s works.
A View of the Beach looks remarkably like Monet’s “Path Through the Corn at Pourville.”. Would they have seen each other’s work?
Thank you for this article. I have learnt so much, I just need to remember it all!
One important take away for me is to do more sketching.
Great article. I’ve never heard of him. What superb etchings.
Oh my goodness, what a fabulous Post ! Thank you so very much Dan !. I had never heard of this artist .
What a glorious legacy he left behind ! Absolutely beautiful paintings !
You are so kind and generous in what you do for us Dan . It is deeply appreciated .
Articolo interessantissimo. Che pittura mozzafiato!
Wonderful Reading!!!!
I didn’t knew these were painted by shishkin. I remember seeing them in a Russian animated cartoon called “masha and the bear” The exact paintings have been shown in an episode where bear goes to forest for painting and tries to recreate them. Its so good to know thanks for the post.
Hi Dan, I enjoyed this feature and thank you for helping to pull me up during this frightening time. Your columns are a godsend and always lead me down a path of further exploration. It’s been an enjoyable adventure–even if I’m not a painter. It’s all about pleasure!
Your explanation of each of his paintings is remarkable. I know I will enjoy your Masters Class in Landscapes.
Fantastic review. I got to see some of his works in a museum in Moscow. Also the morning in a pine forest painting is the signature wrapper of the most famous russian chocolate candy. The candy is called “clubfoot bears”. 🙂
Thank you for drawing attention to Shishkin, such a fantastic painter. There is a popular chocolate in Russia called “Mishka Kosolapy” which uses Shishkin’s four bears from Morning in a Pine Forest as its wrapper. (Translates to the pigeon-toed bear – Mishka being a popular colloquialism in Russian for a bear.) The Russian chocolate company Red October used many Russian paintings and also had artists to design their wrappers as part of their marketing. I always have a hard time throwing away the wrappers!
He was a master of light and color. I envy his talent.
Dan interesting, informative article, Thank you for sharing it with us.
This was so interesting, thanks Dan. I picked up some reinforcements, and clues to depth. Shishkins paintings show a love of the forests of Russia, such gorgeous work.
Fascinating read about an amazing artist that I was unaware of until now.
Thank you for the introduction – greatly appreciated.
Thank you Dan for sharing these paintings with us. So much to learn and work on our own drawing / painting.. Missed out on the information on grid that you shared. When can I expect it?
Thanks for your comment! I will be resending an email over the coming days about the image tool. Thanks, Dan.
Thanks, Dan. Just the right moment in my ‘en plein air’ study.
I’m sharing this post with my Russian painter friend. We have painted together many times over the years.
I love Russian artists. There is both depth and richness without overplay or compromise; simply stunning. I discovered on ‘russianartgallery.org’ that his student Fyodor and his wife Eugenia died of Tuberculosis. Thank you for sharing this Master!
Thank you so much for introducing me to this brilliant artist!!!
Kind Regards Dianne.
Thank you for your introduction into the life of yet another great artist. It’s very inspiring and keeps your mind focused on art and the things you can accomplish when you take a look at how others work.
Love it. His paintings remind me of the Allagash region in northern Maine. Another superb piece of writing Dan.
Rom ,
Hello Dan,
First, thank You for such brilliant introducing a remarkable Painter like I. Shishkin was.
One of most famous Nature Painters I ever seen. His Compositions and color choosing,
are simply his unique and matchless way of painting, like a signature off him self.
Love Shishkin’s work. Thank you for your exploration of his landscapes. He certainly was a master at landscapes and other genre. I learn so much from your posts.
I enjoy your descriptions of the process. I feel like it is a refresher course to read. You are gifted in your ability to educate.
Welcome everyone! I need help and I do not know how to do it, maybe you can help me or give it to me, in short I have one picture very old, probably IVAN SHISHKIN performance, which does not have a signature, I want to establish its reality, I have a few questions!
1: Can an artist paint two identical pictures?
2: If the picture can be original and not signed?
My picture is done with oil on canvas. Where and how can it be determined?
ON TODAY’S PALETTE KNIEF NOTES..I LOVED THE COLOR..STANDS OUT SO WELL.
THANK YOU, CHARLOTTE
I’ve enjoyed this article so much! Thank you. The Itinerants had interesting partners too in the fields of literature and revolution.
simply. W O W. and thank you
Thank you for this comprehensive article on Shiskin. His work is somewhat new to me and I enjoy seeing more of it. Your comments are well taken and I will give some thought to it. I do not agree with his contemporary critics. I think his work is far from being a “craft”. He puts his heart and soul into his work. You can see the meticulous, almost maniacal interest in form in his drawings which I also love.
Thanks Dan – what a fantastic artist that was unknown to me and a style that I strive to achieve. His use of light is wonderful. Great inspiration in these photos.