Vladimir Krantz Biography

Vladimir Pavlovich Krantz - a Soviet Russian painter, lived and worked in
Leningrad - Saint Petersburg, regarded as one of representatives of the Leningrad
school of painting, most famous for his lirical landscape paintings.

He painted the modest beauty of Russian forest and seascapes in Crimea, while
working at the Academic Dachas.  There he got acquainted with many colleagues
who enriched his paintings.  Among them was a famous Soviet painter, Zogonek,
who once presented Krantz his sketch with the inscription:"to the student
surpassing the teacher".

The landscape of the Central and Northern Russia especially attracted the artist. 
He often visited the museum-estate of the Great Russian poet A. Pushkin near Pskov.
Admiring the poet, Krantz presented the museum of series of 44 landscapes in different
seasons.

Krantz prefers painting "ala prima", finishing his landscapes in one day. His architectural
background helped the artist to build his well balanced compositions according
to the principles of "Golden Sections", for example, land should occupy one
third of the pictures space and sky two thirds, or vice versa. His idols were
Russian artists of the 19th century: F. Vasiliev, I Levitan, and I Shiskin.


Krantz a master of the landscape, goes to find the right viewing point. He
paints shades by fluid paints, and lit parts by impaso.  He is distinguished for
his penetrating attitude to nature, respect in showing details and brilliant rendering of
mood.

Originals