VRUBEL Mikhail Alexandrovich

March 5, 1856 (Omsk) — April 1, 1910 (St. Petersburg)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, master of decorative and applied arts, sculptor

Mikhail Vrubel was born to well-to-do family of military lawyer and daughter of Astrakhan governor, Vice-admiral G. G. Basargin. Vrubel was interested in art since early childhood. In 1864, 1866–1869 he studied at the Drawing School under the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (OPKh). In 1865–1867 he took drawing lessons of teacher of Saratov gymnasium A. Godin. In 1870 and in 1872 Vrubel studied at Odessa Drawing School. In 1874 he entered the faculty of law of Saint Petersburg University, which he graduated in 1880 from. At the same time Vrubel continued his art education; in 1877–1879 he attended the evening life class at the Imperial Academy of Arts (IAKh), under the guidance of P. P. Chistyakov. In 1880 Vrubel became a student of IAKh. He studied drawing at the private workshop of Chistyakov, watercolor at the studio of I. E. Repin. In 1884 Vrubel was awarded small silver medal for a drawing and figurative sketch.

In 1884–1889 Vrubel lived in Kiev. He was engaged in wall painting and restoration of the St. Cyril’s Church. He also took part in restoration of dome of the Saint Sophia Cathedral. In 1884–1885 Vrubel lived for some months in Venice and studied mosaic technique. From July till December 1885 he lived in Odessa; he worked on the Demon’s character in painting and sculpture. He also taught at Kiev Drawing School. In 1887–1889 Vrubel created sketches for wall painting of the St. Vladimir’s Cathedral (only ornaments were realized).

In 1889 Vrubel moved to Moscow; he met S. I. Mamontov, became a member of the Abramtsevo circle. Since 1890 Vrubel often visited Abramtsevo, worked in pottery; since 1892 he was a head of the workshop. In 1890–1891 Vrubel created dishes, vases, and fireplace in traditional Russian style. In 1891 he drew illustrations to the jubilee edition of M. Y. Lermontov collected works.

In 1891–1892 Vrubel together with the Mamontov’s family made a trip to Italy. In Naples he studied ceramics in the studio of Molelli. In 1862 Vrubel together with S. I. Mamontov traveled through Italy, France and Germany; in 1894 they visited Constantinople.

In 1892 Vrubel designed Mamontov’s house in Moscow; in 1893 he designed estate of E. D. Dunker, in 1894–1899 — estate of S. T. Morozov, in 1896 — estate of A. V. Morozov in Moscow.

Mikhail Vrubel took part in performances of the Mamontov’s home theatre; in particular in 1890 he together with V. A. Serov created scene design for the performance King Saul after the play of S. I. and S. S. Mamontovs. Vrubel also collaborated with S. Mamontov’s Russian private opera in Moscow. In 1891 he created curtain scene design Italy. In 1895 he designed the opera Hansel and Gretel by E. Humperdinck. Vrubel created scene and costume designs for the operas Rigoletto by G. Verdi, Mignon by A. Thomas, Rogneda by A. N. Serov (all — in 1896), Sadko (1897), Mozart and Salieri (1898), The Tsar’s Bride (1899) by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Prisoner of the Caucasus by C. A. Cui (1899), Mazepa by P. I. Tchaikovsky, Asya by M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, The Tale of Tsar Saltan by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (all — in 1900), Tahnhäuser by R. Wagner, The Merchant Kalashnikov by A. G. Rubinstein, The Queen of Spades by P. I. Tchaikovsky (all — in 1901) and many others. In 1898 Vrubel worked on plafond for the opera The Snow Maiden by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov at the Solodovnikov Theatre (was lost). In late 1890s, in Mamontov’s ceramic workshop in Abramtsevo, Vrubel created a series of decorative sculptures, characters of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov’s operas: Sadko, Volkhova, the Sea Princess, Kupava, Spring Fairy, Mizgir, Berendey, Lel.

Since 1895 Vrubel exposed his works at the exhibitions of Moscow Association of Artists. In 1896 he created decorative panels for the All-Russia industrial and agricultural exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod.

In the same year Vrubel married the singer N. I. Zabela in Geneva; in August 1896 the family lived in Lucerna, in the spring of 1897 — in Italy. Summer months in 1897–1898 and in 1900–1901 Vrubel spent in the estate of N. N. Ge in Chernigov province, in 1899 — in the estate of the Princess M. K. Tenisheva in Talashkino in Smolensk province.

In 1898 Vrubel was invited to teach in the Stroganov School of Industrial Art, but he gave only several lectures. In 1899–1903 Vrubel worked on the mosaic panel Princess of Dreams for the façade of the Hotel Metropol. In 1900 Mikhail Vrubel was awarded gold medal for the ceramic fireplace Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga at the World exhibition in Paris. In the same year Vrubel joined the group Mir Iskusstva (“World of Art”). He participated in exhibitions of the group in 1900–1903 and in 1906. In 1901 works of Vrubel were exposed at Vienna Secession, in 1904 — at exhibition Scarlet rose in Saratov, in 1905 — at portrait exhibition in Tauride Palace. In 1903 Vrubel became one of the founders and permanent participant of exhibitions of the Union of Russian Artists. In 1906 works of the artist were exposed at the exhibition of Russian art in Paris, organized S. P. Dyagilev.

In 1905 Vrubel was elected academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts (IAKh). Since 1906 he lived in St. Petersburg; he received treatment at the clinic of Doctor A. Bari for his mental disease, first symptoms of which appeared in 1902.

Memorial exhibitions of Vrubel were held in 1910 in Kiev, in 1912–1913 — in St. Petersburg. Retrospective exhibitions were often organized in Russia and abroad, in particular in Kiev State Museum of Russian Art (1940, 1956, 1976–1977), in the State Russian Museum in Leningrad (1956), in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow (1957, 1981–1982, 1997–1998), Omsk Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after M. A. Vrubel (1996). In 1997 the exhibition Mikhail Vrubel and Russian symbolism was held in Düsseldorf and in Munich. In 2006 the joint exhibition of Vrubel and V. E. Borisov-Musatov was organized in the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Mikhail Vrubel was a significant artist of the end of the 19th century — the beginning of the 20th century, outstanding representative of Russian art nouveau and symbolism, master of drawing. He was innovator in art. Vrubel developed his own recognizable style; he had a lot of followers and imitators. Vrubel’s manner was characterized by faceted forms, decorative lines and colors.

Works of Mikhail Vrubel are in many museum collections of Russia, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum and others.