Night on the Eve of Ivan Kupala by Henryk Hector Siemiradzki
Born October 24, 1843, Henryk received his first art lessons from the Ukrainian painter Dmitry Besperchy, a pupil of Karl Brulloff whom he referred to as his only teacher. In 1860, under pressure from his family, he entered the Kharkov University, graduating years later with a BA in science. After graduating he left for St. Petersburg where, despite the age limits, he was accepted into the Academy of arts. During his years there he earned 6 silver and 3 gold medals. In Munich, Siemiradzki painted his first big work Roman Orgy in the Time of the Caesars (1872). The picture was bought by the St. Petersburg Academy, and the money helped the artist move to Italy. In Rome, where everything lives and breathes with art, he remained for the rest of his life, visiting Russia only from time to time.
"The accessories in this picture are painted with wonderful skill, but the figures are rather lacking in expression and movement" -Theodore Emu, Harper's
Ivan Kupala holiday is an ancient pre-Christian holiday of Slavs. It is still widely celebrated in the countries of Ukraine and Byelorussia. The holiday corresponds to the Midsummer holiday, celebrated in many western countries.
By Wesley Apodaca