IVAN AIVAZOVSKY (1817-1900)
Ayu-Dag (572 m -1,877 ft)
Crimea - Ukraine - Russia
In Mount Ayu Dag, Crimea, 1865, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Armenia
The Mountain
Ayu-Dag (572 m -1,877 ft) is a summit of Crimea. It is also known under the Russified name Medved'-gora which means Bear mountain. The summit is located 16 km north-east from Yalta between the towns of Gurzuf (Hourzouf) and Partenit. The mountain is a laccolith. Today its territory is a Nature reserve (5.5 km2). There is a pioneer children's camp Artek near Ayu-Dag (Medved' Mountain) which is well known internationally. The eastern slopes of Ayu-Dag lead to an ancient settlement Partenit. Remains of an early-medieval settlement and a number of churches were discovered here. In the 9th-10th centuries it was a well-known seaport, bound with cities of the Byzantine Empire. The western slopes lead to Artek.
The painter
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky (Ива́н Константи́нович Айвазо́вский) was a Russian Romantic painter. Despite he is considered one of the greatest marine artists in history, he painted a few mountains landscapes. Aivazovsky was born into an Armenian family in the Black Sea port of Feodosia and was mostly based in his native Crimea. Following his education at the Imperial Academy of Arts, Aivazovsky traveled to Europe and lived briefly in Italy in the early 1840s. He then returned to Russia and was appointed the main painter of the Russian Navy. Aivazovsky had close ties with the military and political elite of the Russian Empire and often attended military maneuvers. He was sponsored by the state and was well-regarded during his lifetime. The saying "worthy of Aivazovsky's brush", popularized by Anton Chekhov, was used in Russia for "describing something ineffably lovely." One of the most prominent Russian artists of his time, Aivazovsky was also popular outside Russia. He held numerous solo exhibitions in Europe and the United States. During his almost 60-year career, he created around 6,000 paintings, making him one of the most prolific artists of his time. The vast majority of his works are seascapes, but he often depicted battle scenes, Armenian themes, and portraiture. Most of Aivazovsky's works are kept in Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian museums as well as private collections.
