#art, Mikhail Vrubel

This Russian painter and sculptor was most certainly a very odd gentleman indeed. According to his friend and colleague Konstantin Korovin, «Once he sold a wonderful drawing of Don Juan from ‘The Stoned Guest‘ for three rubles…and bought for himself white kid gloves. After putting them on once, he threw it with words: «How vulgar»…

Vrubel was born in the Russian Empire in 1856. He was a very prolific artist, specialising in theatrical design, illustration, painting and sculpture. He sort of led the way towards Modernism in Russia and was definitely considered a symbolist painter. But…

In the 1880’s he studied in the Imperial Academy of Art… Then he moved to Moscow and painted «The Demon Seated«, in my opinion, a phenomenal painting…

And «The Demon Downcast«…

Tragically, from 1903 to 1906 Vrubel was suffering severe mental illness. His health was greatly affected and he grew quite weak. His physical and intellectual activities were totally compromised. His illness was thoroughly debilitating, leaving him blind and for the last four years of his life he basically just existed because he was still breathing.

Yet, I find him an extraordinary painter, both in style and technical abilities. These are some of my favourite of his paintings:

Vrubel died in 1910 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

So, what do you think?

CHEERS