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Ivan Aivazovsky (Иван Константинович Айвазовский) (1817-1900)
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Storm, 1854
Ivan Aivazovsky was a Russian painter of Armenian descent, most famous for his seascapes, which constitute more than half of his paintings. Aivazovsky was born in the town of Feodosiya, Crimea, to a poor Armenian family. His parents family name was Aivazian. Some of the artist's paintings bear a signature, in Armenian letters, "Hovhannes Aivazian". His talent as an artist earned him sponsorship and entry to the Simferopol gymnasium and later the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, which he graduated with the gold medal. Earning awards for his early landscapes and seascapes, he went on to paint a series of portraits of Crimean coastal towns before traveling throughout Europe.
The Harbor at Odessa on the Black Sea
In later life, his paintings of naval scenes earned him a longstanding commission from the Russian Navy. In 1845, Aivazovsky went to Istanbul upon the invitation of Sultan Abdülmecid, a city he was to travel to eight times between 1845-1890. During his long sojourn in Istanbul, Aivazovsky was commissioned for a number of paintings as a court painter by the Ottoman Sultans Abdülmecid, Abdulaziz and Abdulhamid, 30 of which are currently on display in the Ottoman Imperial Palace, the Dolmabahce Museum and many others at various other museums in Turkey.
The Shipwreck
Due to his long life in art, Aivazovsky became the most prolific Russian painter of his days. He left over 6,000 works at his death in 1900. With funds earned during his successful career as an artist, he opened an art school and gallery in his home town of Feodosiya.
The Ninth Wave, *considered the best-known Russian seascape
Aivazovsky's works have been auctioned for as much as $3,200,000, and his international reputation continues to grow. He is also said to be the most forged of all Russian painters.
The Caucasus
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