Grew up in his uncle's household
Information about Isaac Levitan's early years is rather contradictory. It is commonly believed that Isaac Ilyich Levitan was born in the Lithuanian town of Kybartai in the family of railway employee Elyash Abramovich Levitan. But according to recent archival research, Isaac may have been the son of Elyash's younger brother — Khatskel Leibovich Levitan — and thus Elyash's nephew. Elyash was an educated man, knew German and French, and supplemented his income with translation work and tutoring. Besides Isaac, three other children were raised in the family: a brother and two sisters. In the early 1870s the family moved to Moscow.
Studied under Perov, Savrasov, and Polenov
In 1873 the thirteen-year-old Isaac, following his older brother Abel-Leib, enrolled in the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. During their studies the brothers' parents died one after another and a time of extreme need followed. The school sometimes provided the brothers with financial assistance, and in 1876 exempted them from tuition due to extreme poverty and because of their great artistic abilities. During his studies Levitan attended the life-drawing class of Vasily Perov and the landscape class of Alexei Savrasov. At sixteen Levitan received a small silver medal and 220 rubles.
Alexei Kondratyevich Savrasov — Isaac Levitan's principal teacher
Was expelled from Moscow for two years
In 1879 the assassination attempt by Alexander Solovyov on Tsar Alexander II took place. This event led to the tightening of laws and the persecution of various social groups. Jews were forbidden to live in the 'originally Russian capital', so Levitan, together with his brother, sister and brother-in-law, moved to the Moscow suburb of Saltykovka. It was there that the well-known painting 'Autumn Day. Sokolniki' was created, which was later acquired by Pavel Tretyakov.
Isaac Levitan. Autumn Day. Sokolniki. 1879
Graduated from the school with a diploma as a teacher of penmanship
During his studies Levitan showed great success in painting and was one of Alexei Savrasov's best pupils. Despite this, he could not obtain the title of artist and finished the school with a diploma as a teacher of penmanship. Writer Konstantin Paustovsky believed that Savrasov's reputation did him a disservice — Savrasov was known for his quarrelsome temper and love of drinking, so the teachers transferred their dislike of Savrasov onto his favored student. Other researchers of the artist's biography point to discrimination against Levitan because of his origin.
Was close friends with Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
After leaving the school Levitan for a time settled in the village of Maksimovka. The Chekhov family was staying at the nearby Kiselev estate — it was there that Levitan became close to Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, a friendship he carried through his life. Levitan gladly took part in the Chekhov family's festivities and games. V.A. Gilyarovsky wrote: 'Only a few managed to win their place in life. It was a happiness for I. Levitan from his youthful days to enter Anton Chekhov's circle. I.I. Levitan was poor, but tried to dress respectably when possible, to be in Chekhov's circle, which at that time was also poor, but talented and merry.' The friendship with Chekhov was not simple: the writer repeatedly used stories from the artist's turbulent personal life in his works, for which the depressive and secretive Levitan resented him. The friends broke off relations several times, but later reconciled.
Isaac Levitan. Portrait of A. Chekhov
Was awarded the title of Academician and became a teacher
Levitan, who upon graduation from the school had still not received the artist's title, quickly made a name for himself, joined the Peredvizhniki (the Wanderers), acquired a stable financial position and traveled abroad. In 1898 the Academy of Arts awarded Levitan the title of Academician, after which the landscape painter was invited to teach at his alma mater — the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
Brought fame to the town of Plyos on the Volga
In 1888 Levitan, together with Sofya Kuvshinnikova and Alexei Stepanov, took a river cruise along the Volga and Oka and by chance ended up in the town of Plyos. The landscape painter so loved the beauty and views of the local nature that he spent three seasons in Plyos and created around two hundred paintings there. The most famous works of that period include: 'Evening. Golden Plyos', 'After the Rain. Plyos', 'The Church in Plyos'. In 1972 a house-museum of Isaac Levitan was opened in Plyos, and the town and its surroundings became known as Levitan's places.
Isaac Levitan. Evening. Golden Plyos. 1889
Nearly married Chekhov's sister, Maria
Levitan was known not only for his tendency toward melancholy but also for being amorous. He fell in love easily, but cooled quickly toward his objects of affection. When Levitan tried to court Chekhov's sister Maria, the writer told her that she should not reciprocate Levitan's feelings and that Levitan himself was interested in women of Balzac's age. Levitan's well-known lovers included the daughter of a wealthy landowner, the artist and married socialite Sofya Petrovna Kuvshinnikova, and the wife of a civil servant Anna Turchaninova. Both women were considerably older than the artist.
Portrait of S. M. Kuvshinnikova. 1888
Pavel Tretyakov highly valued Levitan's work
The famous patron early recognized Levitan's talent and readily purchased the landscape painter's canvases. A large and the most significant portion of Levitan's works is held in the permanent collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery. The famous painting 'Above Eternal Peace' became a central work of the collection.
Nikolai Chekhov. 'Portrait of the Sick Levitan' — a sketch made in 1885
Lived only 39 years
The hard years of extreme poverty, poor living conditions, intense work and the typhus he contracted adversely affected Levitan's health. He was diagnosed with a heart aneurysm and was sent to Crimea for treatment. Alas, all these measures only prolonged the artist's life briefly — Levitan died at thirty-nine, just short of his fortieth birthday.
