"Demon" Vrubel - a brilliant creation of the era. The theme of the demon in the work of Mikhail Vrubel

It is sad to say about this, but many brilliant people during their lifetime were not appreciated. From the history books one can conclude that the past was rather cruel and to some extent wild. So, many architects, artists, philosophers or writers were an example of shame for citizens. Some of them were executed, others tortured, and still others disappeared altogether. Nevertheless, after their death, everything changed radically. And that "dirt", as people called the work of talented individuals, today is called a real masterpiece, which, it seems, can not be repeated to anyone. Works admired, inspired, and sometimes simply can not take their eyes off such perfection.

Mikhail Vrubel - artist of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

On March 5 (17), 1856, a small Mikhail Vrubel was born in the family of a combat officer. After several decades, he became famous throughout the Russian Empire, and in different genres of art. A talented man showed excellent results in graphics, painting, decorative sculpture and theater. He was a multi-faceted man, never stopping at what had been achieved. He gave the world unsurpassed frescoes, decorative panels, wonderful canvases and book illustrations. Vrubel was considered a very difficult person and an artist. At that time, not everyone could unravel the essence of his paintings or understand what the curves of his sculptures mean.

From the very childhood Mikhail liked to draw and enjoy the charming scenery around. When he was eighteen years old, his father decided that a young man should attend the law faculty at the University of St. Petersburg. At the time, Mikhail was completely indifferent to this science and went to study only because of the will of Vrubel the elder. He was fond of Kant's philosophy, attended performances, falling in love with theatrical actresses, arguing about art and constantly drawing. Everything that came to his mind soon appeared on the canvas.

Life of the great artist

Creativity Vrubel often associated with it in 1880. During this period, Mikhail studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts and created his first masterpieces. All the teachers saw the youth's leadership and superiority over other students. The first watercolors that conquered the whole Academy were "The Feasting Romans" and "Introduction to the Temple." It was in the higher educational establishment that the changes in the young man were visible. From an irresponsible, windy boy, he became a talented and strong man. Pictures MA. Vrubel was so subdued by the teachers and guests of the Academy that after a while Professor Prakhov invited Mikhail to Kiev. He invited him to work on the restoration of the church of St. Cyril. Vrubel, in turn, agreed and began writing icons. He created unsurpassed mural paintings, depicting Our Lady with the baby, Cyril, Christ and Athanasius.

In addition, the great artist made sketches designed for the restoration of the Cathedral of Vladimir. In the end, Mikhail worked in Kiev for about five years and became much wiser, more zealous and developed his talent to the next stage of creativity. After 1889, the artist changed his work, which is only worth a picture, which is often called the Demon Vrubel.

Further work in the field of art

About three years the great artist was engaged in applied art. This period is called Abramtsevsky. Briefly describe the work of Mikhail Vrubel can be on the following achievements: he created a project of the facade of the house of Mamontov and sculpture "The Mask of a Lion".

One way or another, for many, painting is the main sphere in which Mikhail Vrubel worked. His paintings were with a deep meaning, which each person treated them in his own way. A talented artist never paid attention to the framework and rules, he created and achieved truly magnificent results. Mikhail in his youth was already boldly entrusted with huge projects, as customers were confident in their luxurious and fast execution.

Vrubel worked with the best masters of his craft and architects, among which Fedor Shekhtel brightly stood out. Together they decorated the legendary mansion of Savva Morozova. It should be noted that Mikhail also participated in exhibitions, participated in the design of performances and even once went on tour with the troupe of the Russian private opera Mamontov.

Mikhail Vrubel loved the work of Lermontov, as well as the spiritual world and the life of his idol. He tried to imitate him and sometimes expressed the emotions that lurked in his soul, on the canvases of his unsurpassed paintings. Mikhail Aleksandrovich was a strong personality and tried to impart tragedy and perseverance to each of his work. It is the painting "Demon" Vrubel successfully combined the features of romanticism, sadness and polysemy. Many connoisseurs of art tried to explain what this image is, what it means and what the author wanted to convey by these strokes.

Picture «Demon»

The "demon" of Vrubel is an image of a real tragedy, which still denies evil. The essence of it is that a noble person stands for the side of good, but nothing can do with the forces of darkness. Evil still wins, it delays the powerless and controls it for selfish, vile purposes. Here many writers draw a parallel between Lermontov and Vrubel. The first demon is not the creator of evil, but only his generation, and Mikhail Alexandrovich understands this perfectly. He tries to depict the contrast of the colors on the canvas, so that everyone who sees the picture immediately and unconditionally understand where the evil is, and where the good is. Summing up, we note that the "Demon" of Vrubel is nothing more than a struggle between two forces: light and darkness. Of course, each person decides that he is more powerful, and some argue that the author gives preference to the forces of darkness.

Note that the hero is also not a frightened, lost man. He is strong, powerful, confident, and by the will of events he has no choice. The hero must contemplate what is happening. From this, he becomes impotent (the pose in which he sits testifies to this, - clasping his knees with his hands). A man does not want to be in this place, but he has no choice, and he watches as a demon arises. Vrubel, they say, specially painted a picture on a narrow canvas. So he subconsciously did not give much room to evil, that is, the demon is cramped, and from this it seems even more frightening. Of course, his power is tamed, compressed. This is seen in the figure on the muscles, posture and expression of the hero's face. He is tired, exhausted, depressed ... But still Vrubel makes him his ideal of a beautiful person.

The essence of the "Demon" in the work of Vrubel

The plot, which Vrubel drew ("The Demon Seated"), tells of his fatigue and impotence. But nevertheless, the author enlivens the picture with crystals that sparkle on the hero's apparel in blue and blue tones. You can also see a stunning landscape, which some may seem bizarre, but this is its charm. In general, the picture "Demon" Vrubel is filled with golden, red, purple-blue tones, which give it completely different appearance under different lighting conditions. The work of Mikhail Alexandrovich clearly emphasizes the importance and charm of the main character. The demon though also terrible, powerful, but all the same looks beautifully.

The most important, so to speak, essence of the picture lies in its meaning. And he is this: a demon is a symbol of a complex, unjust, real world that collapses and again gathers as a mosaic. It is a fear for people of modern and future who can not find an outlet in a life where evil and hatred reign. Description of the painting Vrubel "Demon" can be found in various sources, and the meaning of the image will be treated differently. But most researchers believe that the author wanted to convey sadness, an alarm that is intertwined with sorrow and depression, anxiety for mankind and its continued existence. This was the theme of the artist's painting, it was in this direction that he worked his last years of creativity. Perhaps that is why Vrubel's painting is considered one of the most complex, to some extent cruel, but just and touching. His paintings amaze with their depth and uniqueness; Skillful combination of colors and background.

History of the creation of the pictures "Demon"

The painting, written by Vrubel ("The Demon Seated"), was created in 1891. The work appeared after Mikhail Alexandrovich studied the work of Lermontov in detail. To some of his works, he painted wonderful pictures, one of them depicted a demon. The sketch was created in 1890, and exactly 12 months later the work was completed. Only in 1917 the painting entered the museum. After a while, it began to attract attention, and today it is considered a true masterpiece. So, under the inspiration of Lermontov's poem, the picture "Demon" was born. In addition, Vrubel wrote many more wonderful works related to this block. Surprisingly, the difference in their writing is nine years. Nobody knows what caused the resumption of work, but the picture "The Demon Seated" was not the last. A new work followed. In 1899, exactly after 9 years, another masterpiece was presented, which Vrubel created - "The Demon Flying."

This work caused a wide variety of emotions in people. The painting was completed by a real master who perfected his drawing system. It also depicted the main character, but already with wings. Thus, the author wanted to convey that gradually a pure soul is captured by evil and evil spirits. The demon is depicted on the canvas quite clearly, but at the same time it is blurry. He is trying to absorb the hero, who has already gone on about him. The author for a long time improved his work, constantly remaking some of the features of the picture. It is important that Vrubel knew exactly who the demon was. It is believed that the devil is a horned, insidious creature, capable of entice a man to his side. As for the demon, it is an energy capable of capturing the soul. It is a mob that condemns a person to an eternal struggle that will not end in heaven or on earth. This is exactly what Vrubel wanted to convey to the public. "Demon flying" is a negative character that prevents people from showing willpower and staying on the side of good, that is, to be fair, honest, pure mind and heart.

Demon defeated

From the series of popular works devoted to Lermontov's poem, the picture "Demon defeated" also stands out. Vrubel finished it by 1902, and it was the last in this subject. The work is done with oil on canvas. As a background, the author took a mountainous terrain, which is depicted in the scarlet sunset. On it you can see the cramped figure of the demon, as if squeezed between the rails of the frame. Never before has an artist worked on his paintings so passionately and with such obsession. Demon deposed is the embodiment of evil and beauty at the same time. Working on the picture, Mikhail Alexandrovich devastated himself. He tried to portray the impossible, he tried to show dramatism and conflictuality of being. Vrubel's face at work constantly changed, as if he saw new fragments of one film, lost and messed up in his memory. Sometimes the artist could even cry over the canvas, he felt it so much. Surprisingly, Lermontov wrote six versions of his poem and believed that none of them can not be considered complete. He was looking for something that did not exist, he tried to convey to the reader what he himself did not fully know. Approximately the same thing happened with Vrubel. He tried to draw what he had no idea, and every time he finished painting, the artist found inaccuracies and tried to correct them.

In fact, the image of evil is often found in works that Vrubel presented to the world. The description of the picture "Demon defeated" boils down to the fact that in the end the protagonist defeated the evil spirit. In other words, each person can fight for themselves and constantly work on themselves, improving their skills, developing and enriching their inner world. Thus, Mikhail Alexandrovich expressed his opinion about the demon and the whole evil on the planet: it can be defeated, and even it is necessary to fight it!

The picture "Demon defeated" Vrubel depicted in a unique style: with the use of crystalline faces, flat smears, which were made palette knife.

Disease of the great artist

Unfortunately, the "Demon" Vrubel did not bring the artist any good. He was so deeply imbued with his image, with sympathy for all people on earth, with reflections on life and other philosophical things that gradually began to get lost in reality. The last picture of Vrubel - "Demon defeated" (the last of a series written for the poem Lermontov) - was in the Moscow gallery and was ready for the exhibition. Every morning the artist came there and corrected the details of his work. Some believe that this was a feature thanks to which Mikhail Vrubel became famous: his paintings were thought through to the smallest detail, so they were perfect.

During the author's writing, the people around him became more and more convinced that he had a mental disorder. A little later the diagnosis was confirmed. Vrubel was taken to a psychiatric clinic and assured his relatives that he was in a state of maniacal arousal. Data on the deterioration of his health was confirmed. Mikhail Alexandrovich once declared that he was Christ, then claimed that he was Pushkin; Sometimes I heard voices. As a result of the survey, it was discovered that the artist's nervous system was broken.

Vrubel was ill in 1902. As a consequence, he was diagnosed with tertiary syphilis. The author behaved very strange in these years. First, after discovering the disease, he was sent to the Svavey-Mogilevich clinic, then transported to the Serbsky hospital, a little later he was sent to Usoltsev. Why did this happen? This is due to the fact that the treatment did not help Vrubel, on the contrary, the condition worsened, and he became so violent that he was barely kept by the four orderlies. After three years, there was no change in the positive side, the illness worsened. At that time, the artist's vision deteriorated sharply, and he practically could not write, which was equated with amputation of the arm or leg. Nevertheless, Mikhail Alexandrovich managed to finish the portrait of Bryusov, and then completely blind. In the clinic of Dr. Bari, the artist spent the last years of his life. A talented painter, an incredibly clever, honest and just man in 1910 died.

Themes of Vrubel's creativity

In fact, the artist wrote a real picture for his time. Vrubel portrayed movement, intrigue, silence and mystery. In addition to works related to Lermontov's poem The Demon, the artist presented other masterpieces of art to the world. Among them there are the pictures "Hamlet and Ophelia", "The Girl Against the Persian Carpet", "The Fortune Teller", "The Bogatyr", "Mikula Selyaninovich", "Prince Gvidon and the Swan Princess", and many others. In these works, you can see luxury, love, death, sadness and decadence. The artist made a lot of paintings in Russian subjects, among which the most popular is the "Swan Princess", written in 1900. Also amazing works are considered such works as "The Angel with a Censer and a Candle", "To the Night", "Pan" and many portraits of outstanding personalities.

One way or another, all people will remember the masterpiece created by Mikhail Vrubel - "Demon", as well as a block of paintings associated with the poem of the Russian writer, depicting the feelings, emotions and experiences of an ordinary person, who is swallowed up by evil and betrayal, hatred and envy. And, of course, in a series of these works are presented other images.

Vrubel and his demon

A well-known and talented Vrubel was visited by the muse, which prompted him to write the picture "Demon" when he was in Moscow. Not only Lermontov's poem became the basis for creating masterpieces, but also the environment: meanness, envy, dishonor of people. A good friend of Mikhail Alexandrovich - Savva Mamontov - allowed the artist to borrow his studio for the time being. Note that it was in honor of this bright and faithful person that Vrubel called his son.

At the initial stage, Mikhail Alexandrovich did not understand how to depict the demon, with what precision and in the guise of whom. The picture in his head was vague and required refinement, so one day he just sat down and began to experiment, constantly changing or adjusting his creation. According to the artist, the demon was the embodiment of a suffering and sorrowful man. But still he considered him to be majestic and authoritative. As mentioned above, for Vrubel, the demon was not a devil or a devil, he was a creature abducting the human soul.

After analyzing the work of Lermontov and Blok, Vrubel only became convinced of the truthfulness of his thoughts. It is interesting that Mikhail Alexandrovich remodeled the image of the demon daily. On some days he portrayed him as majestic, imperious and invincible. At other times he made him terrible, terrifying, cruel. That is, sometimes the author admired him, and sometimes he hated it. But in every picture in the image of the demon, there was a kind of sadness, a completely unique beauty. Many believe that it is because of their fictional characters that Vrubel and soon went crazy. He so clearly represented them and imbued with their essence, that he slowly lost himself. And indeed, before the artist started on his second job - "The Demon Flying" - he felt great and improved his drawing skills. His paintings were inspirational, sensual, unique.

During the completion of the third picture - "Demon defeated" - Mikhail Aleksandrovich were filled with different feelings. It is worth noting that he was the first who violated the ban on the image of evil forces on canvas. All because all the artists who painted demons, soon died. That's why these heroes were banned. All people believe that "playing with fire", in this case with the devil, is impossible. This is evidenced by dozens of unconnected events. Many claim that it was because of the violation of this prohibition that the forces of darkness were punished by Vrubel, depriving him of his reason. But as it was in fact, it remains a mystery. And each person can make his own vision of the genius painter and his heroes, develop their own attitude towards them. One thing is clear: the subject chosen by Vrubel is always topical. After all, there has always been and will be a confrontation of evil and good, light and darkness, beautiful and monstrous, sublime and earthly.