Leo Tolstoy: "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself"

Ilia Efimovich Repin (Ukrainian-born Russian Realist painter, 1844-1930)| Portrait of Leo Tolstoy, 1887

Best known for his two classic novels, 'War and Peace' and 'Anna Karenina' Leo Tolstoy, in full Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy / Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й (1828-1910), was a Russian writer, a master of realistic fiction and one of the world’s greatest novelists.

• "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself".

• "Tutti pensano a cambiare il mondo, ma nessuno pensa a cambiare se stesso".

• "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".

• "Tutte le famiglie felici si assomigliano fra loro, ogni famiglia infelice è infelice a suo modo".

• "If you look for perfection, you'll never be content".

• "Se cerchi la perfezione, non ti accontenterai mai".

Ivan Kramskoi | An unknown lady, 1883

‣ Author: Ivan Kramskoi / Ива́н Крамско́й (Russian painter and art critic, 1837-1887).

‣ Title: Portrait of an Unknown Woman, also known as The Unknown Woman, An Unknown Lady or Stranger - Russian: Неизвестная.

‣ Medium: oil on canvas.

‣ Date: 1883.

‣ Provenance: Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.

Anny Maddock, 1954 | Figurative painter

South African painter Anny Maddock started drawing people when she was old enough to hold a pencil and was considered a child prodigy. She matriculated at Rhenish Girls High in Stellenbosch and then studied fine art at Cape Technical College. After qualifying she studied Fashion Design and then went into Textile Design.

After her marriage and divorce she worked in fields as diverse as journalism, tourism, antiques and restauranteering.

Walter Langley | Genre painter

Walter Langley (1852-1922) was an British painter and founder of the Newlyn School of plein air artists.

He was born in Birmingham and his father was a journeyman tailor.

At 15 he was apprenticed to a lithographer.

At 21 he won a scholarship to South Kensington and he studied designing there for two years.

The sometimes highly ornate work is mainly in gold and silver and in a Renaissance style.

Ford Madox Brown | Pre-Raphaelite painter

Ford Madox Brown (16 April 1821 - 6 October 1893) was a British painter of moral and historical subjects, notable for his distinctively graphic and often Hogarthian version of the Pre-Raphaelite style.

Arguably, his most notable painting was "Work" (1852-1865). Brown spent the latter years of his life painting the twelve works known as The Manchester Murals, depicting Mancunian history, for Manchester Town Hall.

Ford Madox Brown was born at Calais and trained at Antwerp, in Paris and at Rome, where he came into contact with the Nazarenes. Settling in England in 1846, he became a friend of the Pre-Raphaelites and, with his taste for literary subjects and meticulous handling, an influence on their work, though he was never a member of the Brotherhood.

Ford Madox Brown | Work, 1852-1865

L'arte di Ford Madox Brown

Ford Madox Brown (Calais, 16 aprile 1821 – Londra, 6 ottobre 1893) è stato un pittore Inglese. Sebbene non facesse ufficialmente parte della confraternita dei Preraffaelliti, Brown fu colui che, facendo conoscere l'arte dei puristi e dei nazareni, influì in modo significativo nello stile del gruppo.

Biografia

Ford Madox Brown nacque a Calais il 16 aprile 1821 da Ford Brown, commissario di bordo, e da Caroline Madox, di un'antica famiglia del Kent. Sposò prima Elizabeth Bromley, cugina per parte di madre, da cui ebbe Lucy nel 1843.

Dopo la morte della prima moglie per tubercolosi avvenuta nel 1846, dalla sua modella Emma Hill ebbe Catherine che diventerà artista come la sorellastra e come prometteva di diventare anche l'altro fratello Oliver morto prematuramente.

Studiò in diverse città europee quali Gand, Bruges e all'Accademia di Anversa.

Elie Anatole Pavil | Serata in un caffè parigino

Elie Anatole Pavil (1873-1948) è stato un pittore Francese di origine Ucraina.

Pavil nacque a Odessa, in Russia, nel 1873. Arrivò a Parigi nel 1892. Pavil ha esposto al Salon des Artists Français, Salon des Indépendants e Salon d'Automne.

Ha esposto alla Galerie Charpentier, alla Galerie Georges Petit ed alla Galerie Bernheim Jeune.

Claude Monet ha descritto i dipinti di Pavil come "piccole meraviglie".

È stato insignito del titolo di Chevailier de la Légion d'Honneur. Pavil annoverava anche Pissaro tra i suoi amici.

Pavil continuò a dipingere con la stessa passione fino alla fine dei suoi giorni.