The Peredvizhniki

Did you know that there was a group of Russian artists in the late 1800's called The Wanderers (or The Itinerants)? No? Oh. Me neither actually, until last night. I dig the name. I kind of wish I could travel back in time, join this group of renegade artists who in protest at academic restrictions formed an artists' cooperative and you know, just travel the countryside being cool, painting en plein air, posing for a portrait or two...perhaps indulging in a reckless love affair. Ivan Kramskoi? Pretty good looking guy. Also hello there, Andrei Ryabushkin. And Arkhip Kuindzhui... you're not so bad yourself, either. These were definitely the hipsters of St. Petersburg.

Sidenote: you know you need to get out more when you find yourself checking out dead painters... I'd wander the countryside with them any day, though. ANYWAY. There's an interesting mix of folkloric painting, portraits of the wealthy, landscapes, urban poverty and warfare. But I'm just going to leave you with a landscape or two. And my imaginary boyfriends. (It has been a long, bleak winter devoid of socialization, ok? Try not to judge.) Paintings are by Nikolai Yaroshenko and Arkhip Kuindzhi. The devastatingly handsome men are Ivan Kramskoi and Andrei Ryabushkin. (And yes, you know your dating life is in shambles when you are contemplating time travel.)