Isaak Asknaziy | |
|---|---|
 Isaak Asknaziy; portrait by Vasily Savinsky (1885) | |
| Born | (1856-01-16)January 16, 1856 |
| Died | 1902(1902-00-00) (aged 45–46) Moscow,Moscow Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Resting place | Dorogomilovo Cemetery [ru], Moscow |
| Alma mater | Imperial Academy of Arts (1879) |
| Known for | Painting |
| Awards |  |
| Elected | Member Academy of Arts (1885) |
Isaak L'vovich Asknaziy (Russian:Исаак Львович Аскназий; 16 January 1856, inDrissa – 1902, inMoscow) was aJewish-Russianpainter in theAcademic style, known primarily for his historical and Biblical scenes.
Asknaziy was born to a family of wealthyHasidic Jewish merchants, with a longrabbinical tradition.[1] His early education was entirely religious, but when his parents noticed his talent and love for drawing, they decided to encourage him in that pursuit.
When he was fourteen, he began attending classes at theImperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. His first drawings won praise from the sculptor,Mark Antokolsky, and he became a regular student there in 1874.[2] Although his primary instructor wasPavel Chistyakov, Antokolsky would continue to be his mentor throughout his education. True to his beliefs, he petitioned the Academy to allow him to work on Sunday, rather than on theSabbath.[2] He won several silver medals and was awarded two gold medals; for his depiction ofAbraham banishingHagar and her sonIshmael (1878) and for "The Whore Before Christ" (1879).[1]
In 1880, he was awarded the title of "Artist, First Class" and received a stipend to travel abroad for four years. He visited Italy, Germany and Austria, where he worked withHans Makart in Vienna.[1] While in Italy, he studied theOld Masters and produced a large canvas ofMoses in the desert, which earned him the title of "Academician" from the Imperial Academy.
In 1885, he returned to Saint Petersburg and was married.[1] He continued to focus on Jewish themes, primarily from theOld Testament and, in 1900, produced one of his best-known works: "Ecclesiastes". Despite some degree of financial difficulty, he never accepted commissions that ran counter to his beliefs.[2] He usually did a great deal of research in libraries and museums to ensure that his works were historically accurate. For some reason, however, his works were not popular among the wealthy Russian Jews, who would have seemed to be his natural audience, and sold better abroad; especially in the United States.[2]
