Lagorio Lev Feliksovich
Lev Felixovich Lagorio is a Russian painter and watercolorist, one of the most famous marinists of the "Cimmerian school", the first pupil of Ivan Aivazovsky. Professor (since 1860) and honorary member (since 1900) of the Imperial Academy of Arts, one of the founding members of the St. Petersburg Society of Artists (since 1890).
Biography
He was born on November 17 (29), 1827 in Feodosia in the family of merchant, merchant and mason Felice Lagorio (1781-1857), vice-consul of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, who came from an aristocratic Genoese family. The artist's mother was German.
At the age of 13, Lagorio began studying at Aivazovsky's workshop. In 1843, with the assistance of the Governor of Tavria, A. I. Kaznacheyev, he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts, where he studied at the expense of Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg. His teachers were A. I. Sauerweid, M. N. Vorobyov, B. P. Villevalde.
In 1845, he sailed on the military frigate Threatening, in 1846 he sailed on his own boat along the shores of the Gulf of Finland. In 1847, he was awarded a small silver medal for the "Finnish view", in 1848 — a large silver medal for a sketch from nature. Three years after admission, he was awarded the 2nd degree gold medal for his work "View in the vicinity of Vyborg." In 1850, he received the title of artist of the XIV class and the gold medal of the 1st degree for "View of Lakhta, near St. Petersburg."
In 1851, he was sent to the Caucasus at government expense. In 1852, after graduating from the Academy, having accepted Russian citizenship, he went on a retirement trip to Europe, where he stayed for eight years. In 1853, he lived in Paris, where he studied painting by French masters at the Louvre and the Luxembourg Palace. In 1854 he moved to Rome.
In 1857, after graduating from retirement, he received permission to extend his stay abroad at his own expense for a period of two years. Upon his return to Russia in 1860, he received the title of professor for his paintings "Fountain of Annibal, in Rocca di Papa", "Capo di Monte, in Sorrento" and "Pontine Marshes".
In 1861, he traveled to the Caucasus, after which he presented to Emperor Alexander II three paintings of Caucasian views: "Daryal Gorge", "Elbrus" and "Gut Mountain", for which he was awarded the Order of St. Anna, 3rd degree. In 1863, he again went to the Caucasus, in the retinue of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, where he participated in "cases against the highlanders," for which he was awarded swords to the order he had. In 1864, he returned from the Caucasus and finally settled in St. Petersburg, spending the summer months in Sudak, where he had a workshop.
In 1885, he received an order for a series of paintings with a plot about the Russian-Turkish war, and visited the battlefields of the Asian and European theaters of operations.
In the last years of his life, Lev Felixovich Lagorio painted mainly the sea, as well as coastal views of Finland and Norway. He died in St. Petersburg, was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery, the grave was lost.
Creation
Lagorio worked in the genre of landscape (mainly marine), and also created battle paintings and portraits. He is known as a master of realistic depiction of nature, paying special attention to detail and light.
Lagorio is considered one of the founders of the Cimmerian school of painting, which was formed under the influence of his teacher Aivazovsky. The artists of this school worshiped the elements of pristine nature, were inspired by myths and legends related to Crimea.
In 1893, Lagorio's solo exhibition was held, which was entirely devoted to the Crimean nature and the Black Sea.
Lagorio is known as a master of detail: he meticulously prescribed blades of grass, leaves, twigs, pebbles, achieving the accuracy that the human eye can capture. At the beginning of his career, he preferred bright solar effects and paints, but later he switched to colder tones and depicted a raging sea, shipwrecks.
The artist also worked a lot in watercolor, especially in the last years of his life. His watercolors, sepia and pencil drawings are strict in composition, but full of life and movement.
In 1906, Lagorio's posthumous exhibition was held, which featured about 960 of his paintings.
Personal life
He was married to Elena Antonovna Lubny-Hertyk. Daughter Olga (born 1865) graduated from the Conservatory and sang at the Mariinsky Theatre.
Heritage
The legacy of Lev Felixovich Lagorio includes an extensive creative legacy, influence on the development of Russian painting and contribution to the formation of the Cimmerian school. His works are kept in museums in Russia and abroad, and the artist's personality has left a mark in the history of art.
The Feodosia Museum of Local Lore is located in the Lagorio house. The building is an object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia of regional importance.