Portrait of the artist V. M. Vasnetsov
Viktor Vasnetsov ranks among the most gifted artists of Russian religious art. He created canvases and icons notable both for the skill of his brush and the scope of his vision. In him, pure and deep faith was matched by strong artistic gifts and wide learning, and together they allowed him to shape true masterpieces.
Born into a family with a long line of village priests — both his grandfather and great-grandfather having served in the Church — young Viktor followed family tradition and enrolled in the Vyatka Theological School. Yet from early on, he drew with rare ease, and a year before graduating, he left for Saint Petersburg to enter the Academy of Arts. He passed the exams without difficulty, but, troubled by shyness, did not seek out his name on the admission list. When he later came for the second round of exams, he learnt that he had already been a student there for a whole year.
Portrait of Alexandra Ryazantseva, wife of V. M. Vasnetsov
Alexandra Ryazantseva, his future wife, also studied in Saint Petersburg. Born to a merchant family, she had left Vyatka after the gymnasium and joined medical courses in Saint Petersburg. Viktor and Alexandra met in a reading room. Her gaze — firm, yet uncommonly kind — held him. The reserved artist, to his own surprise, poured out his life story; she proved a keen listener. By then, Vasnetsov’s name was already known in art circles, but his paintings found few buyers. Still, he kept his spirits up and planned a trip to Paris.
Before setting off, Vasnetsov proposed to Alexandra. She agreed, but at once made it clear that, while she came from merchants, she had no fortune of her own. “You are looking at a bride without a dowry,” she told him, which made Viktor smile. “God will help us. And we both know how to work,” he reassured her.
When Vasnetsov returned from Paris, he married his fiancée. Their first shared savings amounted to only forty-eight roubles. They made a plan: rent a simple room and live as frugally as possible. A few days later, their artist friends Repin and Polenov dropped by, bringing an envelope with what they called “a little help for starting out.” The money vanished quickly, and Vasnetsov still had no commissions. Tirelessly, he searched for work. He remembered clearly one of their first breakfasts together. Sasha buttered a roll and gave it to Viktor, taking none for herself and claiming she simply did not want any. Viktor felt a lump in his throat as he ate. At that moment, he realised: with a wife like her, nothing could frighten him. With fresh resolve, he threw himself into seeking work.
Convinced that Saint Petersburg held no opportunities for him, Vasnetsov and his wife moved to Moscow. Life in Moscow brought fresh opportunities. Commissions flowed in, and with them, decent earnings. When he handed Alexandra his first payments, her face shone with surprise. With a playful smile, she teased him, saying he must have held up a carriage driver on the road. But most of all, she rejoiced, knowing that Viktor could now afford new paints.
Portrait of Tatyana, daughter of V. M. Vasnetsov
Vasnetsov’s friends looked on with a fond, friendly envy. Viktor’s home life truly flourished. His wife was sharp-witted and graceful, and their children — five in all — filled the rooms with happy noise. Laughter rang out from dawn till dusk. But as evening drew in, calm settled over the flat. Alexandra Vladimirovna would read aloud from the Bible, or Viktor Mikhailovich would gather the family round for tales from Shakespeare, Gogol, or Pushkin.
Portrait of Boris Vasnetsov, son of the artist
A spirit of creativity always warmed the Vasnetsov household. Each Christmas, they put on their own plays. The children wrote the scripts and stitched the costumes by hand. Vasnetsov would lay down his brushes and join in the bustle, helping with the scenery or doing the make-up for the actors before the curtain rose.
The Bogatyrs. V. M. Vasnetsov
Yet, Vasnetsov still longed for one last piece of happiness: a home of his own. It became the artist’s dream. Viktor Mikhailovich imagined a house that might have stepped from a fairy story. And, in time, that hope came true — though not in quite the grand style he had pictured. There was no money for stone walls, but the timber house they built near the very heart of Moscow drew cries of wonder from every friend who visited. On the upper floor, Vasnetsov set up his studio. Now, at last, he was truly content — able to work close by those he loved, listening to the lively stir of Alexandra Vladimirovna and the children below.
Knight at the crossroads. V. M. Vasnetsov
“Only within the family can a troubled soul of our age find peace,” Vasnetsov once said. Viktor and Alexandra Vasnetsov shared forty-nine years side by side — a long harmony. She gave their marriage her steadfast heart, a rare gift of devotion. As for him, he remained a true husband: dependable, trustworthy, and strong in spirit.
The crucifixion of Christ. V. M. Vasnetsov
Source: https://pravme.ru/2020-03-24-lyubov-i-zhizn-nerazdelimy-viktor-vasnetsov-i-aleksandra-ryazantseva.html
