Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (1817
– 1900) was a Russian Romantic painter
who is considered one of the greatest masters of marine art. Baptized as
Hovhannes Aivazian, he was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port
of Feodosia in Crimea and was mostly based there.
Following his education at the
Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg, Aivazovsky traveled to Europe and
lived briefly in Italy in the early 1840s. He then returned to Russia and was
appointed the main painter of the Russian Navy. Aivazovsky had close ties with
the military and political elite of the Russian Empire and often attended
military maneuvers.
He was sponsored by the state and was
well-regarded during his lifetime. The saying "worthy of Aivazovsky's
brush", popularized by Anton Chekhov, was used in Russia for describing
something lovely. He remains highly popular in Russia.
One of the most prominent Russian
artists of his time, Aivazovsky was also popular outside Russia. He held
numerous solo exhibitions in Europe and the United States. During his almost
60-year career, he created around 6,000 paintings, making him one of the most
prolific artists of his time.
The vast majority of his works
are seascapes, but he often depicted battle scenes, Armenian themes, and
portraiture. Most of Aivazovsky's works are kept in Russian, Ukrainian and
Armenian museums as well as private collections.