10 paintings by Ivan Shishkin you should know (PICS)

He was born in Yelabuga to a merchant family. His parents' house stood on the high bank of the Toyma River, offering a breathtaking view. Even then, young Ivan was more interested in art than in the exact sciences. He dropped out of the First Kazan Gymnasium, shying away from the prospect of becoming a bureaucrat civil servant like the devil shuns holy water. And when he met Moscow artists who had come to Yelabuga to paint the iconostasis of the cathedral church, he became “obsessed” with the idea of ​​enrolling in the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture. Although his parents disapproved of the idea, they allowed their son to give it a try.

Soon, the whole school was talking about the young man who painted forest landscapes. Four years later, the young artist moved to St. Petersburg, where he enrolled in the Academy of Arts.

1. ‘View in the Vicinity of Düsseldorf’, 1865

After graduating from the Academy, Shishkin set off on a long study tour of Europe. In Summer 1864, he found himself in Düsseldorf. The rainy weather didn't hinder his work at all; on the contrary, it allowed him to study the changing sky.

The artist painted the romantic landscape ‘View in the vicinity of Düsseldorf’ at the request of a philanthropist named Nikolai Bykov. Upon receiving the painting, he sent it to the Council of the Academy of Arts, noting in an explanatory note that "this painting serves as proof of his abilities and talent…" For this work, Shishkin was awarded the title of academician.

2. ‘Logging’, 1867

After returning to Russia, the artist headed home to Yelabuga, from where he began a journey through the Kama region. In Summer 1867, he traveled to Valaam, where he painted several large-scale works, including ‘Logging’. Shishkin had a knack for noticing beauty in the most insignificant details and discerning the fragility of nature. This is precisely why the center of the painting features not an oak grove or dense forest thickets, but a recently felled pine tree.

3. ‘Midday. On the Outskirts of Moscow’, 1869

A year later, Shishkin married a woman named Evgenia Vasilyeva, the sister of his student Fyodor Vasilyev. The artist immersed himself in his work with renewed vigor. Based on sketches made near Moscow after returning from Europe, he painted a summer landscape, capturing nature after a rain in all its splendor. ‘Midday’ became the artist's first work to be acquired by the renowned collector Pavel Tretyakov. It perfectly reflected his expectations of what he expected from a work of art: "I don't need a rich landscape nor a magnificent composition nor spectacular lighting nor any miracles. Just give me a dirty puddle, so long as there's truth in it, poetry…"

4. ‘Pine Forest. Mast Forest in the Vyatka Province’, 1872

"I love the truly Russian forest and paint only it," Shishkin admitted. In 1870, he became one of the founders of the Society of the Wanderers. Ivan Kramskoy, with whom the artist was very close, was also a member of the association. They traveled together, searching for new places to paint from nature. In Kramskoy's studio, Shishkin worked on "Pine Forest," a painting he intended to submit to the Society for the Encouragement of Artists competition. The competition jury praised the work, awarding it first prize.

5. ‘Forest Wilderness’, 1873

Kramskoy believed that "Shishkin was a milestone in the development of Russian landscape painting; he was a man who is a school in himself, but a living school". For his painting ‘Forest Wilderness’ the artist was awarded the title of professor at the Academy of Arts. "A forest of firs, pines, aspens, birches and lindens. A swampy marsh — it’s a delight," Shishkin said of his favorite subjects. It seemed fate favored him in absolutely everything. However, dramatic changes were taking place in Shishkin's life at this time. His sons Vladimir and Konstantin died, both before reaching the age of two. Then, in 1874, the artist's wife, Evgenia, passed away. So, work became his only salvation.

6. ‘Rye’, 1878

In 1880, the artist married for the second time. His chosen one was Olga Lagoda, a student of his and one of the first female students at the Academy of Arts. The following summer, their daughter Ksenia was born. But, their happiness was short-lived: a month later, the artist's second wife died. Shishkin was inconsolable, mourning not only his beloved, but also a talented artist. "If you could see all her albums, drawings, sketches and unfinished paintings, you would be indescribably delighted – nothing like what she has created, neither we ever nor any artist today could have dreamed of!" he lamented.

7. ‘Oaks’,  1887

In the late 1880s, the artist frequently visited Sestroretsk, choosing the local park as a setting for his sketches. "When I come to St. Petersburg, I'll try to see if it's somehow possible to build a studio in Dubki to paint animals… And Dubki is such a magnificent place." He presented one of the works he created there, ‘Oaks’, at the 15th exhibition of the ‘Peredvizhniki’ (Wanderers).

8. ‘Morning in a Pine Forest’, 1889

During this period, the artist, together with his colleague and friend Konstantin Savitsky, created one of his most famous works, ‘Morning in a Pine Forest’. Shishkin painted the awakening pine forest, while his friend depicted funny bears climbing a fallen tree. Pavel Tretyakov bought it for 4,000 rubles: the collector claimed that the painting "speaks volumes about the painting style and creative method that are uniquely Shishkin's".

9. ‘Winter’, 1890

In 1894, the artist became the head of the landscape workshop at the school affiliated with the Academy of Arts. Students adored him and often asked for advice. He did not refuse, but believed that one should not praise students immediately.  Because of this,  embarrassing moments sometimes arose: girls, upon hearing criticism, would burst into tears.

10. ‘The Ship Grove’, 1898

“The pine tree at the exhibition gave off a scent – the sun, light has arrived!” That is what people said about this painting. ‘The Ship Grove’, depicting a forest near Yelabuga, became the master’s final work. On March 19, 1898, he attended the opening of the Alexander III Museum (now the Russian Museum). In the morning, he waited for the newspapers with reports, made preparatory sketches and began work on a new painting. At that moment, his heart stopped. 

*You can learn even more about the artist's work in the ‘Ivan Shishkin. Russian Forest’ exhibition, which is on display at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg until November 9, 2026.