Ivan Aivazovsky

[[File:Armenian Signature of Aivazovsky.jpg|thumb|Aivazovsky’s signature in Armenian on oil painting from 1899]]

[[File:Armenian Signature of Aivazovsky.jpg|thumb|Aivazovsky’s signature in Armenian on oil painting from 1899]]

”’Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky”’ ({{lang-ru|Иван Константинович Айвазовский}}; 29 July 1817{{spaced ndash}}2 May 1900) was a Russian Armenian [[Romanticism|Romantic]] painter who is considered one of the greatest masters of [[marine art]] as well as one of the greatest and most influential painters of the 20th century. Baptized as ”’Hovhannes Aivazian”’,{{efn|{{lang-hy|Յովհաննէս Այվազեան}} in [[Classical Armenian orthography|classical spelling]] and Հովհաննես Այվազյան in [[Reformed Armenian orthography|reformed spelling]]. His name was given as Յօհաննես Այվազեան, ”Yohannes Aivazian” in baptismal records.{{sfn|Harutiunian|1965|p=89}} }} he was born into an [[Armenians|Armenian]] family in the [[Black Sea]] port of [[Feodosia]] in [[Crimea]] and was mostly based there.

”’Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky”’ ({{lang-ru|Иван Константинович Айвазовский}}; 29 July 1817{{spaced ndash}}2 May 1900) was a Russian [[Romanticism|Romantic]] painter who is considered one of the greatest masters of [[marine art]]. Baptized as ”’Hovhannes Aivazian”’,{{efn|{{lang-hy|Յովհաննէս Այվազեան}} in [[Classical Armenian orthography|classical spelling]] and Հովհաննես Այվազյան in [[Reformed Armenian orthography|reformed spelling]]. His name was given as Յօհաննես Այվազեան, ”Yohannes Aivazian” in baptismal records.{{sfn|Harutiunian|1965|p=89}} }} he was born into an [[Armenians|Armenian]] family in the [[Black Sea]] port of [[Feodosia]] in [[Crimea]] and was mostly based there.

Following his education at the [[Imperial Academy of Arts]] in [[Saint Petersburg]], Aivazovsky traveled to Europe and lived briefly in [[Italy]] in the early 1840s. He then returned to Russia and was appointed the main painter of the [[Russian Navy]]. Aivazovsky had close ties with the military and political elite of the [[Russian Empire]] and often attended military maneuvers. He was sponsored by the state and was well-regarded during his lifetime. The saying “worthy of Aivazovsky’s brush”, popularized by [[Anton Chekhov]], was used in Russia for describing something lovely. He remains highly popular in Russia in the 21st century.<ref name=”2017poll”/>

Following his education at the [[Imperial Academy of Arts]] in [[Saint Petersburg]], Aivazovsky traveled to Europe and lived briefly in [[Italy]] in the early 1840s. He then returned to Russia and was appointed the main painter of the [[Russian Navy]]. Aivazovsky had close ties with the military and political elite of the [[Russian Empire]] and often attended military maneuvers. He was sponsored by the state and was well-regarded during his lifetime. The saying “worthy of Aivazovsky’s brush”, popularized by [[Anton Chekhov]], was used in Russia for describing something lovely. He remains highly popular in Russia in the 21st century.<ref name=”2017poll”/>