Landscape With Windmills 

Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky painted this landscape with windmills in oil on canvas, evoking a vivid sunset. Aivazovsky, a Russian Romantic painter, spent much of his career as the principal artist to the Russian Navy. Although best known for his seascapes, here he directs his attention inland. The windmills, silhouetted against the fiery sky, suggest a focus on industry and the human modification of the landscape. Aivazovsky spent much of his life in Crimea, and this painting reflects the romantic nationalism of 19th century Russia, with its tendency to idealize rural life. The deliberate placement of the windmills also speaks to the way certain technologies were celebrated as symbols of progress. Art historians look at the way a painter is supported by institutions, and Aivazovsky was a key figure in the Imperial Academy of Arts. He used his position to promote a vision of Russia as a powerful empire with a rich cultural heritage.