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| Ivan Constantinovich Aivazovsky |
| 1817-1900 |
| European Artsit |
| Aivazovsky, Ivan (b Theodosia [now Feodosiya, Ukraine], 17 [29] July 1817; d Theodosia, 19 Apr. [2 May] 1900). Russian painter. He spent most of his life in the Crimean seaport of Theodosia and the bulk of his huge output (he is said to have painted more than 6,000 pictures) was devoted to marine subjects. They are often treated in a highly charged Romantic style, notably in his storm scenes and mysterious moonlit views; his repertoire also included naval battles, ports, rocky shores, icebergs, paddle steamers, and indeed virtually every conceivable kind of subject concerned with the sea or waterways. His work was highly popular at home and abroad (he organized dozens of one-man exhibitions), and he was honoured by several foreign academies (he travelled extensively in western Europe and also visited the USA). The best collection of his paintings is in the museum named after him in Feodosiya. In accordance with his wishes, Aivazovsky was buried in the courtyard of the St. Sarkis Armenian Church in Theodosia. The inscription on his tombstone, in Armenian and Russian reads: "He was born a mortal, left an immortal legacy". |
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