HELLO, MR. SHISHKIN*, OR
MORNING IN THE PINE FOREST
Morning in the Pine Forest ("Утро в сосновом лесу"), a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin (landscape) and Konstantin Sawicki (bears) (1889). The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
*Family name of Shishkin is an involuntary charactonym (self-speaking name) meaning `cone, strobile`. No wonder that the guy depicted pines in his pictures. If he hadn`t been a human being, he would have been a squirrel.
Hello, now it`s me, Olga Bars (lit. `snow panthera`), on the the web site `MoscowGirls.TV`. We continue our weekly cycle of programmes for those who are fond of fairy tales, as to those who dislike our fairy tales we recommend our weekly cycle of programmes `For those who love money!`. Many a man knows that bear cubs on the famous Russian sweets are the photographic reproduction of the not less famous Russian classical picture `Morning in the Pine Forest ` created by a Russian landscape painter Shishkin (see the top of the current post).
Ivan Shishkin. Mast-Tree Grove (1898). The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
The matter, however, is that the very bear cubs were not painted by Shishkin, they were added by the other artist. But his name almost vanished in the long labyrinth of history. There, in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, guides are used to tell visitors the formal version accepted by the Russian art history. It reads that great Russian landscape painter Shishkin always failed to depict animals. By that reason he pursuaded his friend to add bears. However, later he allegedly not only refused to share author's `emoluments` with him, but also stole his authorship. Of course, the story seems to be very lifelike, but is too prosy to be true to life.
Our friend from the Federal Agency of Culture of the Russian Federation once whispered in our ears that the bear cubs had been added much later, after the artist`s death, and it was certainly Bolsheviks we must blame for it! Then, in the 20s of the 20 c., young Soviet Republic did not decide completely on its attitude towards the Russian classical culture. But there was firm understanding of the fact that artists, musicians and actors were by some or other reason recallable by the working masses. Even the most politically educated people still needed them for some reasons.
Ivan Shishkin. Rye (1878). The Tretyakov Gallery,Moscow
Therefore the Tretyakov Gallery administration decided to arrange a landscape art exhibition. Fun of the fair was to become landscapes by Ivan Ivanovitch Shishkin, and his landscape ``Morning in the Pine Forest` was to become the focus of the exposition. Allegedly, there were no bears in the picture that time. The main attraction of this picture which made folks admire it was a mysterious atmosphere of the awakening morning forest. There were no bears, no matter what! The Tretyakovka (Tretyakov Gallery) that time was headed by Shchusev, the great Russian architect. He not only designed V.I. Lenin Mausoleum but also the Kazansky railway station. As all great people Shchusev was not only an experienced and mature professional, but also a strong individual who had a well-established system of the moral values which he followed all his life. And his views and values he used to stick to were good and humane.
In the Northern Wilderness (1891). The Museum of Russian Art, Kiev, Small Russia
Overnight, before the opening of the exhibition, Alexei Viktorovich Shchusev sat in his office and did paperwok moving his gold nib fountain pen across the chalk overlay paper. Suddenly his attention was attracted by the dreadful noise behind the door, and then the real procession reeled into his office. It was led by a Museum Attendant who was completely behind herself and screamed that the vandals had had spoiled the best picture! She was succeeded by a detail of the Red Army men who pulled a resisting teenager along. The last who rushed in the office was a dishevelled young beauty who failed to miss her charm even in a fit of anger. As the story by the Museum Attendant proceeded it had been a real drama. The Tretyakov Gallery used to be the permanent place for teaching students of the Moscow art schools. That very day one of such groups was a bit late while making replicas of Aivazovsky`s picture.
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (Ovannes Gaivazyan Հովհաննես Կոնստանդինեսի Այվազյան) (1817-1900) Russian Armenian Seascape Painter
While all the students worked hard the most gifted one had his discretionary time. He coped with his task briskly. Unfortunately, a girl whom he fell in love with was sitting beside. He helped her to finish her work too. After that despite the violation of all rules he invited her to join him and promenade across the premises of the Tretyakov Gallery. She agreed with pleasure, and round the first corner the lovers blew off their tops. They were moving though the halls like the wind-up toys never paying attention to the warnings `No entry!`, `Not for the unauthorized personnel`, etc. and, at last, they came into the hallway where the small number of the landscape exhibition's pictures was collected before being hung on the walls.
Ivan Shishkin. Rain in an oak wood (1891) The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia
There, in the dusk of an ill-lit corridor Shishkin`s picture also stood up to the wall. `Morning in the Pine Forest` was still frameless. The workers rested it against the wall and went to fetch its gilt frame. The student boy came to conclusion that the masterpieces could not stand frameless in the hallways and therefore it was just a replica! Love fogged up his mind entirely and he began to explain his girlfriend that Shishkin`s landscapes suffered from the permanent compositional incompletion. The girl was listening to him attentively but laughed up her sleeve. Having felt this the student who was agitated by hormones and best feelings grasped an unattended easel and in just ten minutes painted bear cubs above the pine forest. It was the Museum Attendant who saw him doing it.
Alexei Viktorovich Shchusev(1873-1949)
While hearing that story Shchusev felt quite confused. On the one hand, being an architect, he was very scrupulous concerning the composition and agreed with the student who stated that Shishkin`s pictures were always defective from a view-point of their composition. He would have added something to `emptiness` of the Shishkin`s landscapes himself. On the other hand, the exhibition was to be held in the morning. And that very picture was intended to be a focus of attention. The reckless behaviour of the student threatened not only the future of the art exhibition but also of the Tretyakov Gallery itself including its staff and the very director. The deliberate damage of the public property that time provided for the full-length portrayal in the background of the Kolyma river. The reporters would have been very glad to inform public about the exposure of another sabotage gang who pretended to have been artists. Besides, if every single pimply student had started adding something to the classical pictures, the very order under ether would have come to an end.
Book Cover reads A.I. Solzhenitsyn `The Gulag Archipelago`
This was in fact proved by the October Socialist Revolution as well. Shchusev wondered how much it would take to clean the bears. The Museum Attendant wailed that about a week or longer. Shchusev pondered over the situation. His first impulse was to forward the student to militia or even the K.G.B. But his inner system of the moral values interfered with that bossy initiative. The junior had every prospect of being a several years' guest of the GULAG. It would have been inhumane. Having thought over the situation a couple of minutes more Shchusev accepted a strategic solution. The Museum Attendant and all the witnesses were ordered to have the prolonged convalescent leave right from tonight, before the opening of the exhibition. The girlfriend was sent home too. Firstly she screamed something unintelligible, something like she was ready to share Antosha`s fate all the way! (Antosha is an affectionate diminutive form of `Anton`, `Antony`). But Shchusev quickly brought her to reason by telling that there are neither shower nor bedsheets in a preventive-detention cell.
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As to Antosha, he and Shchusev returned to the picture to paint the bear cubs properly. When they finished Shchusev showed him the door of the Tretyakov Gallery and ordered to never ever come back. He also recommended him to remain silent forever. Being highly imaginative Shshusev managed to paint for the junior colleague a convincing picture of the secret police premises in the Loubianka str. and ice and frost of a remote settlement on the banks of Kolyma in the Russian Far East. Being clever and having got no less rich imagination, Antosha immediately grasped that all that jazz could come true and it made his hair stand on end. So he never told anybody about that. On graduating from the art school he returned home, to Samara City, and became a designer of the Soviet iconography.
Sweet `Clubfooted Bear`
In the morning Shchusev was proud indeed to show the enthusiastic high-ranking officials around the landscape art exhibition. The Museum Attentand who couldn`t help attending despite her day-off was white as milk and shook in her boots. It was only Soviet Culture Minister Anatoly Lunacharsky who was astonished a great deal at looking at Shishkin`s famous picture. To prevent his exclamation, questions and following interrogation Shchusev cut in the discussion and inspiredly invented a story about Shishkin and his friend whom he impudently deceived. (You`ve already heard it in the beginning of this narrative).
Shchusev did not lose an opportunity to hold up to shame the savage customs of capitalism that are only responsible for the fact that such a gifted artist and kind person like Shishkin could be influenced by the unrestrained thirst for money. While listening to that staff Lunacharsky was nodding approvingly and was completely satisfied. He only attracted attention of all the present to that picture of such a high class importance.
Sweet `Clubfooted Bear`s Wrapper
By the way, directorate of the confectionary `Red October` hastened to response to the words of the Culture Minister, and had the new version of the picture reproduced on the sweet wrappers. In general, all were very pleased. Shchusev was right when he suggested that though everybody could hear about the `Morning in the Pine Forest`, there wouldn`t be much evidence that the picture couldn`t be transformed by Shishkin and his friend inter vivos. Due to the Revolution and Civil War few could see the picture if only they were not Lunacharsky or experts and so they was not aware of exactly what had been painted in the original picture. As to the experts, they were all on the staff of the Tretyakov Gallery, enjoyed high salaries and were not ready to lose them. Besides people were absorbed in their Revolution and creating the New Reality. So none called in question the Tretyakovka director`s version. Thus bear cubs stayed with us both in the picture and on the sweets. Good night, it was Olga Bars on the web site `MoscowGirls.TV`. See you later in the Tretyakovka!
COMMENTARY
Of course, what was told above wasn`t truthful. It was just a funny anecdote based on rumours and city legends. Ivan Shishkin`s co-author was Konstantin Sawicki, as to their authorship it was the owner of the gallery Tretyakov who bought the picture and appointed Shishkin to be its only author despite his hot protests.
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin (1832-1898)
Pavel Tretyakov reasoned his decision by his statement that `from idea to performance, everything discloses the painting manner and creative method peculiar just to Shishkin.`
Konstantin Appolonovich Sawicki (1844-1905)
The State Tretyakov Gallery is the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world. It was founded by the Moscow merchant Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov in 1856. In 1892, Tretyakov presented his already famous collection of approximately 2,000 works (1,362 paintings, 526 drawings, and 9 sculptures) to the Russian nation.
Pavel Tretyakov, a famous art collector, sponsor and patron of the Russian artists in the second part of the 19 c. Portrait by Ilya Yefimovitch Repin (1883)
The picture was being reproduced on various items, including the `Clubfooted Bear`(Мишка Косолапый) chocolates by confectionary factory `Red October` (Красный Октябрь), the former Moscow German company founded by Theodor Ferdinand von Einem and later owned by Julius Heuss.
 
Theodor Ferdinand von Einem and Julius Heuss
Alexei Shchusev born in Moldova, Kishinev, was an outstanding Russian architect and designer. Before the Russian revolution he designed the Russian Orthodox Church`s temples and cathedrals, after the October Revolution he designed V.I. Lenin Mausoleum (1930), he did it quite learnedly, showing the remarkable knowledge of the art of Old Babylon and contemporary Free Masonic esoterism and symbolism. He also designed the Kazansky Railway station (1914) in Moscow, Holel `Moscow` (1938), Komsomol`skaya-Kol`tsevaya Undeground Railway Station.
Ivan Aivazovsky`s best painting has been familiar with every Russian since their young years. It is The Ninth Wave (Девятый вал) painted in 1850.
The third iconic Russian picture well known by everyone in Russia is `The Bogatyrs` (`The Knights`) by Viktor Vasnetsov.
Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov (1848-1926), artist of the historic and the Russian flokloric and historical themes
According to one poll, the painting is the second most popular in Russia behind Shishkin`s three Bears in that very pine wood.
Victor Vasnetsov `Knights` (more often known as `Three knights` in the broad masses in Russia)(1898). The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The fourth iconic picture is `In the Northern Wilderness` by Ivan Shishkin (see in the above text) which he created from the poem The Pine Tree (1841) by Mikhail Lermontov.
Despite his true Russianness Ivan Shishkin was an ardent Germanophile nicknamed Erlkoenig. `In the northern wilderness` is just a free translation of the first lines of the Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam by Heinrich Heine. All four pictures have been familiar with the Russian, as their replicas used to be hung in the dining rooms of every single Russian kindergarten. So explanation was quite simple, and every single foreign spy working in Russia should know it lest he should flop dismally! Ha-ha-ha!
THE END
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