Historical battle painting

The scale and epic battle genre in painting occupies a special niche. It is entirely devoted to war and everything that is associated with it: sea and land battles, hikes, etc. The genre is distinguished primarily by high dynamics, a large number of human figures and close attention to details that give historical authenticity to everything that happens on the canvas .

The emergence of the genre and its development in the Middle Ages

The official branch of battle painting in an independent genre took place in the 16th century, but painters of the whole world created much earlier in this direction. So, already on amphoras, bas-reliefs, walls of the temples of Ancient Greece, you can see scenes of historically important battles. In the Roman Empire and in the East, often depicted emperors and great generals, rulers in battle. In this case, battle painting also served as a historical chronicle.

In the Middle Ages, the genre was reflected on carpets, books, engravings, tapestries and even icons. Or, for example, created on the fabric "Carpet from Bayeux" with stories from the history of the conquest of the Norman feudal lords of England (1073-1083 gg.), Presented in the photo.

But truly impressive and large-scale can be called the works of painters of the Renaissance period in Italy. The battle genre gained its characteristic features, realism and dynamics. From this time begins his official chronological countdown. At this time images of the battles were created by Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and others.

18-20th centuries

A new milestone in development can be called the 18th century. At this time, against the backdrop of the War of Independence, canvases of American artists appear, as well as Russian battle painting (engravings by A. Zubkov , paintings by I. Nikitin, M. Lomonosov's mosaic, etc.). Under the influence of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, a romantic trend emerged in the genre, most vividly expressed in the works of E. Delacroix, O. Vernet. In Russia, at this time, the maritime theme and the battle-everyday life "blossom". The brightest representatives of the first are Aivazovsky IK and Bogolyubov AP, the second - Polenov VD, Kovalevsky PO The merciless and realistic creates his paintings Vereshchagin VV, who participated in many wars and campaigns as a volunteer .

In the 20th century, historical battle painting was formed against the backdrop of liberation and social revolutions, destructive wars. There have been dramatic changes in the genre that have expanded its artistic meaning and boundaries. In many works, social and historical-philosophical questions, problems of war and peace, fascism, and human society are traced. The unity is noticeable, indeed, both in the art of the countries of the socialist camp and in capitalist countries, the painting of the battle genre is devoted to anti-fascist and revolutionary battles, the largest historical events not only of an individual people, but of the whole world.

Battle Painting: features

Painting on the theme of war and related issues has certain characteristics, it can not be confused with works from any other genre of art. Its uniqueness lies in the following:

• A clear demonstration of the importance of the battle or a certain historical moment, the life of soldiers, the war as a whole.
• Reflection on the canvases of the most significant and important moments of the battle.
• Demonstration of soldier's heroism.
• The inculcation and nurturing of a sense of duty, patriotism.

It should be noted that historical and battle genres in painting are extremely close. This is due to the fact that the canvases not only reflect military actions, they are tied to a certain historically important event. Often you can find pictures where the life of soldiers is demonstrated, ordinary life outside the battlefield, but closely related to the war.

Without clarity and a story about outstanding artists, the battle-artists, information about this genre of painting is not fully perceived. No wonder one of the proverbs says that it is better to see once than to hear about it a hundred times.

Vereshchagin Vasily Vasilyevich

The name of this Russian painter-painter, painter of the 19th century and traveler is known throughout the world. He devoted almost all his life to various trips, military campaigns, including Turkestan, Semirechiy, India, the Caucasus, Europe and Russia. Vereshchagin graduated from the naval cadet corps, took part in hostilities, including sustained the siege of Samarkand in the small Russian garrison, for which he received the Order of St. George of the fourth degree, which he was extremely proud of. He knew about the war not by hearsay, so it is quite logical that at some point his mission was battle painting.

The artist had his own vision of military operations, the attitude toward the death of ordinary soldiers. In his paintings he reflected what the real price of the Emperor's ambitions is in the Middle Eastern companies. The paintings, filled with a special philosophy and critical attitude towards the war, were often the reason for the condemnation of the emperor and his entourage. The most famous works are "The Apotheosis of War" (in the third photo), "Napoleon in Russia" (photo above), Turkestan and Balkan series, "Before the attack. Under Plevna. "

Rubo Franz Alekseevich

The name of FA Rubo is familiar to everyone: from professionals in the field to amateurs. He is the founder of the Russian school of panoramic painting and the author of more than two hundred canvases, including the three most monumental: the Borodino Battle, The Defense of Sevastopol (photo above) and The Storm of the Akhulgo Village. He comes from the family of a French merchant, who settled in Odessa. Since 1903, the artist works as a leader in the studio at the Petersburg Academy of Arts, with the title of professor. Among his students was Grekov MB. On the eve of the revolution in Russia, Rubo in 1912 finally moved to Germany. However, in the last years of his life he did not have large orders, living almost completely oblivious.

Grekov Mitrofan Borisovich

The battle artist, who had Russian-Cossack origins, was born in the Rostov region, became the founder of the genre in the Soviet Union. He received invaluable experience during the First World War, and later the Civil War. During this period, they made a large number of thematic sketches. His battle painting is represented by such pictures as "Tachanka" (photo below), "Frozen Cossacks of General Pavlov", "Fight at Egorlykskaya", "Trumpeters of the First Horse", also he headed work on the panorama "Storm of Perekop" in 1934.

Sauerweid Alexander Ivanovich

Professor of battle painting, a famous Russian and German artist created his paintings in the first half of the 19 th century, was originally from Courland. Received an excellent education in the Academy of Dresden. Even in his youth, he painted paintings commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte, and in 1814 he was invited to St. Petersburg by Alexander I to write military cloths, as well as drawings of uniforms for soldiers of Russian troops. Under Nicholas I he taught drawing to the great princes. The paintings of Sauerweid are characterized by a dry letter, not quite an ideal composition, but at the same time an excellent picture. The most famous works are "Leipzig battle" (photo below), "Storm of the fortress Varna", "Battle of Leipzig".

Willewalde Bogdan Pavlovich

The son of a wealthy foreigner from Bavaria was born in Pavlovsk in 1818, and twenty years later became one of the students of Karl Bryullov. Having received the title of artist, he worked not only in Russia, but also throughout Europe, engaged in teaching activities, was awarded orders. Villevalde's paintings were exhibited in Paris and Vienna, Berlin and Antwerp, they reflected the events of the war of 1812, the Polish uprising of 1831, the Hungarian campaign, the military actions of the 1870s, etc. The most famous works in the genre of battle painting: "Battle At Grochow "," The feat of the mounted regiment in the Battle of Austerlitz "," General Blucher and the Cossacks in Bautzen "," They were captured in 1814 "

Peter von Hess

The Bavarian court painter and battle-master and master of historical painting Peter von Hess was born in 1792 in Dusseldorf. Like many other masters of the genre, he knew war firsthand. Hess participated in campaigns against Napoleon I in 1813-1814. He began his work with small sketches of scenes from the life of soldiers and common people. After a trip to Greece in the retinue of King Otto in 1831, he created a series of paintings on the struggle of the Greeks for independence. In 1839, he went to Russia to collect material for the creation of paintings ordered by Nicholas I. Twelve large-scale paintings were devoted to the battles of 1812, including the battle of Borodino, Smolensk and Vyazma.

Few painters of battle painting can boast such a lively composition as Hess. Individual figures or complex groups on the canvases are thought out and elaborated to trifles, filled with drama. His best works are "Battle of Austerlitz", "Robber Barbone, fighting off the Carabinieri", "Horse-riding in Wallachia", "Battle of Worgl", "Bivouac of the Austrians". In the photo there is a picture about the battle near Smolensk.

Alfonso de Neuville

A striking representative of the French battle painting is Alfonso de Neuville, whose debut was in 1859, the painting "Battalion of Riflemen on the Battery of Gervais." Participated in the war of 1870 by the lieutenant in the Paris mobile battalion, and then at the headquarters of General Kaye. He thoroughly studied the nature of military operations, and then embodied them in his paintings.

The canvases of the French master of battle painting are distinguished by sincere patriotic enthusiasm, healthy realism. He rarely wrote large-scale pictures of battles, mass campaigns, etc., giving preference to individual episodes. His work is full of movement, penetration with complete absence of sweetness. Occasionally one can observe cheerful notes, which are a manifestation of a national trait, and they not only do not spoil the impression, but, on the contrary, they add pictures of life. The most famous canvases are: "The Last Cartridges" (pictured), "Spy", "The Battle of Rorkx-Drift", "The Battle of Champigny".

The battle painting of Russian artists and European, American masters is a fairly young genre that has manifested itself over the last 3-4 centuries. He is incredibly dynamic, bright, sometimes cruelly realistic. One thing is clear that he does not leave indifferent. Someone admires a competently constructed composition of hundreds of human figures, horses and tools, others - the skill of drawing the smallest details, and still others - the energy message that the pictures carry.