GINE (Gin) Alexander Vasilievich

1830 (place of birth is unknown) — June 3, 1880 (St. Petersburg)

Painter, graphic artist

Alexander Gine was born to a noble family. He studied at the First male gymnasium in Kazan, together with I. I. Shishkin. In 1854–1856 Gine studied at Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture under the guidance of A. N. Mokritsky. In 1856 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he attended as a noncredit student the class of landscape painting by S. M. Vorobiev at the Imperial Academy of Arts (IAKh). In 1857 and in1858 Gine was awarded small silver medals, in 1859 — big silver medal. In 1857 Gine together with Shishkin, P. P. Dzhogin and E. G. Oznobishin worked in Dubki near Sestroretsk.

In 1858–1861 Gine made trips to the Valaam every year.

In 1860 Gine was awarded small gold medal for the painting View of Valaam. In the same year he was rewarded for works in lithography (together with Shishkin) by the Imperial Academy of Arts. In 1862 he together with Dzhogin and V. V. Vereshchagin created illustrations to the book by A. V. Vysheslavtsev Feather and pencil sketches from world cruise.

In 1863 Gine was sent on a mission to Kharkov and Tavria provinces in order to paint views from nature. In 1864 he made a trip to Kharkov province again, visited Svyatogorsk Monastery. He traveled through the Crimea. In 1865 Gine graduated from the Academy with the title of class artist of the 1st degree. In the same year he was awarded prize of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (OPKh) for the painting Summer day. Till 1879 he took part in exhibitions of the Society. In 1868 he illustrated the book by I. Pashino Turkestan travels.

In 1878 Gine was conferred the title of academician of landscape painting for his pictures Storm at Valaam Island (1878), Rain, view of Gatchina outskirts and Night, spring flood of Volga River. In the same year works of the painter were exposed at the World exhibition in Paris.

Gine was a representative of talented painters of the second half of the 19th century, who created the Russian landscape school (together with significant painters I. I. Shishkin, A. K. Savrasov, F. A. Vasiliev). Works by Gine were characterized by high quality, great skill and detailed drawing. The artist continued traditions of 1860s–1880s in painting.

Works by Alexander Gine are in many museum and private collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and others.