On November 19, 2019, an open lesson in the Russian language and culture was held in the Russian center of the European Foundation of Slavic Literature and Culture in Bratislava. It was dedicated to the life and works of Russian painter Ivan Shishkin.
Students from professional art schools came for a visit. All of them came from different cities to study in Bratislava and live in a boarding school located near the Russian Center. Such meetings are not held for the first time and have already become traditional.
A story was told to visitors about the tragic fate of the painter, his life in Yelabuga, the study of painting in Germany, and then a film about the painter’s work was shown on the big screen. Images of paintings made a lasting impression on students, especially his famous paintings "Rye", "Morning in a pine forest" and other landscapes.
A discussion unfolded about the manner of paintings, anatomical knowledge of nature, and the amazing realism of paintings was aroused at the lesson and also about how the tragic fate of the painter was reflected in his paintings.
At the end of the quiz, the students received sweets “Mishka Kosolapy”, on the wrappers of which the famous paintings of the painter are depicted.
Then the students got acquainted with the exhibition of paintings from Yelabuga “My Russian Province”, which was prepared by the Yelabuga State Museum-Reserve. In one of the paintings they saw an image of the house where the painter Shishkin lived.
The exhibition made a strong artistic impression on the students, but they were especially struck by the brilliant creations of Shishkin. One of the students decided that she would devote her thesis to the works of Shishkin.