„Elevate the soul by grandiose images beyond all everyday pettiness.“
Mikhail Vrubel (1856–1910) is one of the most adored Russian painters of the 19th century.
However, such awe came like sun after a storm: Consternation from his contemporaries – along with overuse of substances – led the artist to insanity before he could enjoy his fame.
Vrubel was always enchanted by aesthetics, preferring them over concepts and story-telling in art.
His works are full of emotional depth, the most famous series being illustrations of Mikhail Lermontov’s Russian classic poem Demon.
The story speaks of the Devil, who, incapable to see any joy in his existence anymore, suddenly falls in love with a young bride while he was flying over her wedding celebration.
After the cruel murder of her fiance, the demon woos her into pitying him, as she gets weaker for the sadness in his eyes and the zeal in his words.
Trying to escape, the woman, Tamara, leaves her home for a monastery to preserve her chastity, but the seducer finds her there – one kiss kills the naive girl.
Ascending to Heaven, her soul is led by an angel who does not let her to be taken down to hell, the lover losing the last thing he treasured – she was torn down with his own hands.
Mikhail Vrubel kept returning to the tale even after his illustrative commission was done – the fate of a troubled but truly passionate entity felt familiar to his own, in which he always followed his heart but would destroy all the gained with tragic irresponsibility: Alcohol, over-spending and squandering. In their view, he was psychotic and egoistic.
Parodoxically, as Vrubel moved to a hospital, the public saw a tragic hero of arts, after years of ridiculing him for his.
Now his works can be found in the biggest museums of Russia, exhibitions featuring his creations visited by thousands of admirers.
It’s a shame he was never well-known in other countries.
—purplesfinx
Flommist Veronika Vezirova, a.k.a. Purplesfinx, is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Barcelona. Inspired by culture of all kinds, she writes on topics that include art history, creativity and folklore. Her other works include manga and psychedelic poetry. Copyright © 2022, 23 Veronika Vezirova.
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