RUSSIAN ARTISTS Stepanov Alexey Stepanovich (1858-1923)

Modest, delicate, kind A. S. Stepanov, “Stepotchka,” as everyone called him, was loved and valued by friends — S. V. Ivanov, N. P. Chekhov, the brothers S. A. and K. A. Korovin, I. I. Levitan, M. V. Nesterov — and by numerous pupils, among whom were P. D. Korin, A. A. Plastov, L. V. Turzhansky and others. After Stepanov’s exhibition Korin said: "It was as if I had read Pushkin's verses. So simple, simple, and yet lofty... What can be said about him? He was an artist. That is all that needs to be said. And everything about him was simple, without effects. He had a soul, and that is the most important thing. But at the same time a high artistry, incomparable skill. He shimmered in his great simplicity."

Alexey Stepanovich Stepanov

Stepanov lost his parents very early. From the age of seven he was raised by a guardian, who insisted that the young man in 1879 graduate from the Cadastral Institute in Moscow and acquire the profession of a surveyor.

However, he did not work in that specialty, and in 1880 entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (МУЖВЗ). He studied in I. M. Pryanishnikov’s class, was a successful student and in 1884 graduated from the school with the large silver medal.

“Portrait of I. I. Levitan”
Paper, pencil. 21.5 x 13.4 cm
National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus

In the second half of the 1880s Stepanov spent several summer seasons working together with I. I. Levitan — first near Zvenigorod, then on the Volga. Alongside Levitan he is considered one of the creators of the so-called "mood landscape," when the artist not only searches in nature for a motif that corresponds to his inner state, but also psychologizes the landscape, transferring his own thoughts and feelings into it.

“Autumn”
Canvas, oil. 54 x 80 cm
Kirov Regional Art Museum named after V.M. and A.M. Vasnetsov

Autumn. 1896

Lake Udomlya. 1912

“Winter. Hoarfrost”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Memorial Museum-Estate of the artist N. A. Yaroshenko

“Winter Landscape”
1910
Canvas, oil
Buryat Republican Art Museum named after Tsvirkunov (T. S. Sampilov) [Note: original name: T.S. Sampilov Museum]

“March”
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum

“Thaw”
1904
Canvas, oil. 58.3 x 79 cm
Khimki Picture Gallery

“Early Spring”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Volgograd Regional Museum of Fine Arts

“The Sea”
1923
Canvas, oil
Ples State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

“Arbor under Flowers”
Study
Canvas, oil
Ples State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

In 1905 Stepanov was awarded the title of Academician of the Imperial Academy of Arts for the painting "Morning Greeting." The painting was exhibited at the 25th exhibition of the Peredvizhniki (Itinerants), the 24th exhibition of the Imperial Academy of Arts and in 1900 at the World's Fair in Paris.

“Morning Greeting”
1897
Canvas, oil 61 x 99 cm
Pskov State United Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

Stepanov’s works have a plein-air character; they are painted broadly, sketchily, with a thin transparent stroke, very softly, using few colors ("Use fewer paints," he later advised his pupils). Stepanov loved to depict a country road along which peasant horses pull sledges or carts ("Gusek", 1910-15; "Along the Country Lane in Winter", "At the Porch", both 1913-14; "They Left", 1914).

“Along the Winter Path”
Cardboard, watercolor
State Central Museum of Musical Culture named after M. I. Glinka

“Winter Landscape”
1910
Canvas, oil
State Tretyakov Gallery

“In a Team”
1911-17

“Remote Province”
1900s
Canvas, oil. 62 x 97 cm
State Vladimir-Suzdal Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

Each summer from 1906 to 1914 Stepanov lived in the estates Lubenkino, Garusovo and Berezhok of Vyshnevolotsky Uyezd (now Udomelsky District) of Tver Governorate. The house in which Stepanov lived in Garusovo is depicted in the painting "They Left."

“They Left”
1914
Canvas, oil
State Tretyakov Gallery

“In Winter”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Alupka State Palace and Park Museum-Reserve

Sleigh Ride

“Maslenitsa Ride”
1910
Cardboard, tempera. 49 x 68 cm
Stavropol Regional Museum of Fine Arts

“Coach Inn”
1912
Canvas, oil
North Ossetian Republican Art Museum named after M. S. Tuganov

“Village in Winter”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil. 42 x 68 cm
Stavropol Regional Museum of Fine Arts

“At the Watering Place”
1916
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum

He loved to depict peasant children observing the surrounding world — bare, poor, autumnal, but familiar and wide ("The Cranes Fly", 1891; "Children on the Brushwood", 1899; "At the Outskirts", 1915-16).

“The Cranes Fly”
1891
Canvas, oil 620 x 110 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
Moscow

“Children on the Brushwood”
1899
Canvas, oil. 47.5 x 72 cm
Ulyanovsk Art Museum

“Evening Dawn”
Canvas, oil
Krasnoyarsk Art Museum named after V. I. Surikov

By the Fence

“On the Terrace”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum

Conversation of a Godmother

“Roundelay”
Canvas, oil
Buryat Republican Art Museum named after T. S. Sampilov

“In the Boat”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Irkutsk Regional Art Museum named after V. P. Sukachev

“Friends”
Canvas, oil
Tver Regional Picture Gallery

A trip to Europe, and in particular the painting of the French Impressionists, exerted a certain influence on the artist’s work, though this influence was denied by his contemporaries. As a result of the trip Stepanov painted the picture "Washerwomen in Vichy."

“Washerwomen in Vichy”
1895
Canvas, oil. 41 x 55.5 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery

Old Avenue

He painted hunting scenes with enthusiasm ("After the Hunt. Return", 1907; "Killed Moose", 1900-10; "With Greyhounds", 1910s; "They Saw", 1917).

“Gathering for the Hunt”
1900s
Canvas, oil
Saratov State Art Museum named after A. N. Radishchev

“The Hunt”
1885
Canvas, oil
Memorial Museum-Estate of the artist N. A. Yaroshenko

“After the Hunt”
1894
Canvas, oil 58.5 x 100.3 cm
State Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Tatarstan
Kazan

“After the Wolf with Hounds”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil. 122.5 x 76 cm
Tyumen Museum of Fine Arts

With Greyhounds on the Hunt. 1900-1910

“Hunting with Greyhounds”
Study
Plywood, oil. 36 x 53 cm
Irkutsk Regional Art Museum named after V. P. Sukachev

Stepanov loved animals and possessed the rare ability to convey their habits and even their psychology ("Moose", 1889; "On the Hunting Ground", 1909; "Moose and Laikas", 1910; "Wolves at Night", "Wolves by the Wattle Fence", both 1910s; "Waiting for Dinner", 1910).

“Moose”
1889
Canvas, oil. 47.8 x 80.8 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery

“Moose”
1919
Canvas, oil
North Ossetian Republican Art Museum named after M. S. Tuganov

“Wolves at Night”
1910s.

Wolves. 1912-1915

“Wolves in a Winter Forest”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
State Tretyakov Gallery

“She-Bear with Cubs”
Colored paper, gouache 23 x 33 cm
Private collection

“She-Bear with Cubs”
1919
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Tagil Museum of Fine Arts

“Horse”
1911-1920
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum

“Little Horse”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum

“At Pasture”
Canvas, oil
National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus

“Cows at the Watering Place”
1908
Canvas, oil. 67 x 80 cm
Sevastopol Art Museum named after P. M. Kroshitsky

“Stall”
1910s
Canvas, oil
Ples State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

“Herd”
1910s
Canvas, oil
Taganrog Picture Gallery

“Flock of Sheep”
1900s
Canvas, oil
Dagestan Museum of Fine Arts named after P. S. Gamzatov

“The Killed One”
1911-1920
Study
Paper, watercolor
Memorial Museum-Estate of the artist N. A. Yaroshenko

On the Ploughland. 1909 - 1911

“At the Outskirts”
1914
Canvas, oil
Sumy Art Museum

“Study with a Cow”
Study
Canvas, oil
Novokuznetsk Art Museum

The genre in which the artist preferred to work can be called landscape-animal painting. M. V. Nesterov considered Stepanov the best animal painter after V. A. Serov. Serov also highly valued this gift of the artist and insisted on inviting Stepanov as a teacher to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (МУЖВЗ).

For about twenty years (1899-1918) Stepanov headed the "animal class" there. The pupils adored him. Very little is known about the artist’s personal life — shortly before his death he destroyed his archive. But he is wholly present in his paintings.

“On the Volga”
1897
Canvas, oil. 55 x 133 cm
Samara Art Museum

At Work. 1895

Woman on a Sofa. 1912

“Peasant”
Circa 1890
Canvas, oil
Ples State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

“Lilac Avenue”
1900-1910
Canvas, oil
State Literary Museum

Estate in Summer. 1882
“Estate in Summer”
1882
Canvas, oil
State Tretyakov Gallery

“Flower Bed in the Park”
Cardboard, oil. 23.3 x 33.7 cm
Khimki Picture Gallery

“Arrival of the Schoolmistress”
1889
Canvas, oil. 58.5 x 79 cm
Chuvash State Art Museum

“Portrait of S. P. Kuvshinnikova”
1888-1889
Canvas, oil
State Literary Museum

“Portrait of Medyntsev”
Canvas, oil
Tver Regional Picture Gallery
Nikolay Vasilievich Medyntsev — merchant, collector, father-in-law of the artist A. S. Stepanov (1902)

“Boulevard”
1919
Paper, watercolor
National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus

“Ferry”
1919
Canvas, oil
Rostov Regional Museum of Fine Arts

Ballet. 1908-1909

Particularly interesting is Stepanov’s gouache "Grand Opera," executed, at first glance, in a manner so evidently influenced by the Impressionists that it can lead even major specialists in French art of the late 19th century into a misattribution. In "Grand Opera" (circa 1922), with free stroke movements, indistinct and at the same time deep—though subdued—colors, trembling, vague yet characteristic silhouettes of figures in the twilight darkness of the auditorium and the airy white shadows of ballerinas melting into the bright light of the stage, Stepanov is so close to Degas that many attributed this small study, if not to Degas himself, then at least to one of the artists of his circle. M. A. Dobrov testified to Stepanov’s admiration for Degas’s work, his fascination with Degas’s masterly drawing. But it would be wrong to see in this study a blind imitation of French Impressionism. It is an inspired, excited, yet still merely practical exercise, prompted by the artist’s characteristic desire to learn until the end of his days. Deeply and truly, Stepanov was moved only by the Russian theme.

One should pay close attention to statements by Stepanov’s pupils denying the presence of Impressionism in his work (A. P. Panfilov, V. A. Filippov, B. N. Yakovlev and others).

There is a profound difference between the painting of the Impressionists and Stepanov’s painting, rooted in the very principle of their art. The Impressionist masterfully transmits an instantaneous impression. But, faithful to the moment, his work loses something of the permanently occurring essence that is contained in every phenomenon, in every object.

Stepanov strove to capture the most essential — precisely what gives tone and character to a phenomenon — discarding the unnecessary, looking into the very core of the subject. Behind his light, quick, airy painting there is much skill and much labor.
"This is not Impressionism," says A. P. Panfilov. "He took things gently, but directly." Therefore in his animals the "hair is always visible," although it is hard to imagine anything more distant from naturalism than Stepanov's art.
Years of persistent work, thousands of observations from nature, painstaking study of animal anatomy and, along with all this, mastery in artistic practice of all painting materials: paints, solvents, canvas, cardboard — all this lies at the foundation of Stepanov’s method.

That is why he did not allow his students to imitate him. He knew that such imitation could only be external and harmful. He taught to see, to choose the main thing, to remember; he taught to exercise the eye in distinguishing the finest nuances of tonalities.

Self-Portrait. 1922

In 1920 Stepanov became seriously ill, but he continued to work. One of Stepanov’s last works, "The Swing" (1923), was acquired for the Carnegie Institute collection. Alexey Stepanovich Stepanov died in 1923 and was buried at Vagankovo Cemetery.