Anton Pavlovich Losenko ( rus, Антон Павлович Лосенко; — ) was a
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
neoclassical painter and
academician
An academician is a full member of an artistic, literary, engineering, or scientific academy. In many countries, it is an honorific title used to denote a full member of an academy that has a strong influence on national scientific life. In syst ...
who lived in
Imperial Russia and who specialized in historical subjects and portraits. He was one of the founders of the Imperial Russian historical movement in painting.
Life and work
Anton Losenko was born to the family of a
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
negotiant Pavel Yakovlevich Losev in
Glukhov, in the region of ''Chernihovshchyna'' (now in
Sumy Oblast,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
). He became an orphan and at the age of seven was sent to a
Court Choir in
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. In 1753, as he had lost his voice but had shown talent for painting, he was sent for apprenticeship to the artist
Ivan Argunov
Ivan Petrovich Argunov (russian: Иван Петрович Аргунов) (1729–1802) was a Russian painter, one of the founders of the Russian school of portrait painting.
Biography
He was a serf belonging to Count Sheremetev and had grown ...
. After five and a half years of apprenticeship, he was admitted to the
Imperial Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was an art academy in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name ''Academy of the T ...
in 1759. Among the paintings he created there was the ''Portrait of
Ivan Shuvalov
Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov (russian: link=no, Ива́н Ива́нович Шува́лов; 1 November 172714 November 1797) was called the Maecenas of the Russian Enlightenment and the first Russian Minister of Education. Russia's first theat ...
'' (1760) and the ''Portrait of
Alexander Sumarokov
Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov (russian: Алекса́ндр Петро́вич Сумаро́ков; , Moscow – , Moscow) was a Russian poet and playwright who single-handedly created classical theatre in Russia, thus assisting Mikhail Lomonos ...
'' (1760).
In 1760, the Academy sent him to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
to study art under the French neoclassical painter
Jean II Restout
Jean II Restout (26 March 1692 – 1 January 1768) was a French painter, whose late baroque classicism rendered his altarpieces, such as the ''Death of Saint Scholastica'' an "isolated achievement" that ran counter to his rococo contemporaries.M ...
. There he painted a large painting based on the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chri ...
story of the
miraculous catch of fish
The miraculous catch of fish, or more traditionally the miraculous draught of fish(es), is either of two events commonly (but not universally) considered to be miracles in the canonical gospels. The miracles are reported as taking place years apa ...
. In 1766-1769 Losenko worked in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
,
["Лосенко", in ''Словник Художників України'' ("Dictionary of Ukrainian Artists"), published by ]Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia
The ''Ukrainian Soviet Encyclopedia'' ( uk, Українська радянська енциклопедія, ''Ukrayinska radyanska entsyklopediya'') was a multi-purpose encyclopedia of Ukraine, issued in the USSR.
First attempt
Following th ...
— Кyіv 1973 studying Italian art, especially the paintings of
Raphael
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
. There he created his two paintings of ''
Kain'' and ''
Abel
Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepherd ...
''.
In 1769, Losenko returned to Saint-Petersburg. He received an offer to present a historical painting as a way of receiving
Academician
An academician is a full member of an artistic, literary, engineering, or scientific academy. In many countries, it is an honorific title used to denote a full member of an academy that has a strong influence on national scientific life. In syst ...
status in the
Imperial Academy of Arts
The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was an art academy in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name ''Academy of the T ...
.
Антон Павлович Лосенко (1737-1773)
From an episode of Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
history, he painted his classical canvas of ''Vladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych ( orv, Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь, ''Volodiměrъ Svętoslavičь'';, ''Uladzimir'', russian: Владимир, ''Vladimir'', uk, Володимир, ''Volodymyr''. Se ...
and Rogneda of Polotsk
Rogneda of Polotsk (962–1002) is the Slavic name for Ragnheiðr, a Princess consort of Rus'. She was the daughter of Ragnvald (Slavic: Rogvolod) who came from Scandinavia and established himself at Polotsk in the mid-10th century.
Life
It ...
''. This painting not only brought him the title of Academician but also a professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
ship position at the Imperial Academy (initially, in 1770, an adjunct-professor, but from 1772 a full professor and director of the Academy). While in this position Losenko wrote a text book called "Short Explanation of the Human Proportions" that served a few generations of painters in the Russian Empire. He worked as the Director of the Academy until his death in 1773.
Recognition and impact
Anton Losenko is regarded as one of the founders of the Imperial Russian historical movement in painting and together with his textbook (which was used until the mid-19th century), he influenced the education of art in the Russian Empire. Painters Ivan Akimov
Ivan Akimovich Akimov (Russian: Иван Акимович Акимов; 22 May 1755 in Saint Petersburg – 15 May 1814 in Saint Petersburg) was a Russian painter in the Classicism, Classical style.
Biography
His father was a typographer and ...
and Grigory Ugrymov and sculptor Mikhail Kozlovsky
Mikhail Ivanovich Kozlovsky (6 November 1753 – 30 September 1802) was a Russian Neoclassical sculptor active during the Age of Enlightenment.
Biography
Beginning his training at the Imperial Academy of Arts with Anton Losenko in 1764, he we ...
studied under him.
Losenko was one of the painters honoured by having his work appear on Soviet postage stamps, with his ''Portrait of Fyodor Volkov
Fyodor Grigorievich Volkov () ( in Kostroma – in Moscow) was a Russian actor and founder of the first permanent Russian theater.
Life
The stepson of merchant Polushkin from Kostroma, Fyodor Volkov received a versatile education. He estab ...
'' appearing in 1972.
Portraits
File:Ivan Shuvalov by A.Losenko.jpg, ''Ivan Shuvalov'' (1760)
File:Sumarokov by A.Losenko.jpg, ''Alexander Sumarokov'' (1760)
File:F volkov.jpg, ''Fyodor Volkov'' (1763)
File:Paul I by A.Losenko.jpg, ''Paul I Paul I may refer to:
*Paul of Samosata (200–275), Bishop of Antioch
* Paul I of Constantinople (died c. 350), Archbishop of Constantinople
*Pope Paul I (700–767)
*Paul I Šubić of Bribir (c. 1245–1312), Ban of Croatia and Lord of Bosnia
*Pau ...
as a Child'' (1760s)
Neoclassical works
Image:Losenko ulov.jpg, ''Miraculous Catch'' (1762)
Image:Losenko Abel.jpg, ''Abel'' (1768)
Image:Anton Losenko - Vladimir and Rogneda - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Vladimir and Rogneda'' (1770)
File:Anton Losenko - Прощание Гектора с Андромахой - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Farewell of Hector
In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...
and Andromache
In Greek mythology, Andromache (; grc, Ἀνδρομάχη, ) was the wife of Hector, daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled. The name means 'man battler ...
'' (1773)
Notes and references
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Losenko, Anton
18th-century painters from the Russian Empire
Russian male painters
Ukrainian male painters
Painters from the Russian Empire
Russian people of Ukrainian descent
1737 births
1773 deaths
Painters from Saint Petersburg
Neoclassical painters