Aivazovsky with friends 1893

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky created this painting of himself with friends in 1893. It offers us a peek into the social life of artists in late 19th century Russia. Here, Aivazovsky depicts a group of men gathered around a card table, an intimate setting suggesting camaraderie and perhaps intellectual exchange. In Tsarist Russia, artistic circles often served as spaces for discussing ideas, including those that might challenge the established social order. Art academies, such as the Imperial Academy of Arts, played a key role in shaping artistic styles and tastes, but artists also formed independent groups to explore new directions. This painting then, might speak to tensions between official artistic institutions and more informal gatherings of artists seeking alternative forms of expression. By delving into the archives and studying the biographies of the figures depicted, we can uncover the dynamics of their relationships and the broader social and institutional contexts in which they operated.