How a rebel artist became an academic and teacher of the Tsar’s children: Karl Lemoch

The year 1863 can be defined as a landmark for the future development of fine art in Russia. It all started with the”revolt of the fourteen.” Fourteen students of the historical class preferred the realistic style to the classical, propagandized direction of the Academy and left the walls of the institution. One of these artists was Carl Lemoch.

According to V. V. Stasov: “These young people were all extremely insufficient-it means that they were dependent from head to foot and obliged to tremble for their future, and yet, risking this future, they prefer to lose their reward and the prospect of traveling abroad, just not to perform what is repugnant to their artistic conscience.” And they all lost the gold medal… Continue reading →