arts
American Shipping off the Rock of Gibraltar by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1873
Golden Skies, From Russia with Love words | Reg Reynolds
While browsing the internet I came across a beautiful painting of Gibraltar by an artist I had never heard of. Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky painted the bright, almost golden, picture titled American Shipping Off the Rock of Gibraltar in 1873 on what appears to have been brilliant sunny morning. Gibraltar is not shown in any detail but does shine like the “bright topaz” as described in a poem by John Keats. I have since learned that Aivazovsky is considered one of the greatest seascape artists of all time. Judging from this painting, which is somewhat reminiscent of Turner, I can see why. Aivazovsky was born in Feodosiya, Crimea into a poor Armenian family on 29th July, 1817. His parents’ family name was Aivazian and some of his works bear the signature Hovhannes Aivazian. Displaying supreme talent at an early age he won a scholarship to the Simferopol Gym-
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nasium (now St. Petersburg Academy of Arts). He graduated with a gold medal and went on to paint a series of landscapes of Crimean coastal towns. But he is more celebrated for his seascapes and because of the excellence of these he received a long-standing commission from the Russian Navy. Between 1845 and 1890, at the invitations of
Aivazovsky is celebrated for his seascapes and because of the excellence of these he received a long-standing commission from the Russian Navy
various sultans, Aivazovsky made eight trips to Istanbul. There he acted as court painter and produced portraits of a succession of Ottoman leaders. Thirty of these are currently on display at the Ottoman Imperial Palace and various museums around Turkey. Aivazovsky was the most prolific Russian painter of his time producing more than 6,000 works. With his earnings he opened an art school and gallery in his home town of Feodosiya. He also supplied with town with water from his estate and built a museum. Aivazovsky died on 5th May, 1900. As the reputation of this masterful ArmenianRussian continues to grow his paintings sell in the millions, with one having been auctioned for $3,200,000. But due to his fame he is also said to be the most forged of all Russian painters. n
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • MARCH 2013