Viktor Hartmann
Article date: 28/10/08 | Last edited: 24/01/09
This Gallery Page is my long and ambitious pursuit to find, and catalogue as many as possible (so far I have 13) if not all of a photographic reproduction of the works by Viktor Hartmann, displayed at the posthumous exhibition that took place in 1874. This exhibition of about 400 works, led M. Mussorgsky to create the piano suite “Pictures at an Exhibition”. I have no doubt that the exhibition’s display was a memorable source of inspiration not only for Mussorgsky and all who attended it, but also for many living today.
In this updated post you can follow my attempt to search for more images of Hartmann’s work, enjoy what I’ve already found, and/or possibly help me with my search; all of your efforts are very welcome.
Gnom
This Hartmann's image is associated with "Bydlo", a movement from the very well known work "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Mussorgsky.
Strada
Chernomor
Egg
Gate of Kiev
Catacomb
Goldenberg
Schmuyle
The facsimile of the drawing The Hut of Baba Yaga on Hen’s Legs by Viktor Hartmann depicting a clock in the Russian style. This sketch inspired Modest Mussorgsky to compose the piano piece The Hut on Hen’s Legs (Baba Yaga) in Pictures at an Exhibition. The original of the drawing is housed in the Manuscript department of the National Library of Russia (http://www.nlr.ru/).
1. Le Marche
2. Le Marche
Marine Division Russian pavilion at the World Exhibition in Vienna. 1873 г. Проект входной части. 1873 Draft input part. Картон, тушь, акварель. Cardboard, ink and watercolor.
Perigue
Search Updates:
Saturday, 15 November 2008 - I’m looking for help in contacting NHK TV crew Ikuma Dan and Fumito Kondoh (Japan). According to the website owner Tatsuya Banno (I assume that is his name, from site: …/Bilderausstellung-e.html), Ikuma Dan and Fumito Kondoh tried to seek out the rest of the pictures throughout Russia in 1992. “(These two reporters) published a book entitled “Pursuit of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition” and broadcasted the programme as an NHK Special. They did seem to succeed to find the rest 5 pictures with the highest possibility, travelling the country following small clues and inferring on bold postulation like a detective story.” I have a feeling that this is the latest if not only attempt to find Hartmann’s works. So, it will be very interesting to see and/or read more about this attempt.
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Hi,
Picture # 2 can in absolutely no way be associated with Mussorgsky’s music piece entitled Bydlo in Pictures at an Exhibition.
‘Bydlo’, a Polish word meaning ‘cattle’, is the musical transcription by Mussorgsky of a sketch by Hartmann representing a heavily loaded cart with huge wheels and drawn by massive-shaped oxen, making its progress along a country way.
Picture # 5 is not just “Egg”, it’s a sketch for a costume, and the corresponding piece in Mussorgsky’s Pictures is Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells.
Thank you so much Sergei for sharing these splendid pictures. I have been fascinated by Moussorgsky’s superb music for many years, and it is a delight to be able to see some of Hartmann’s works that inspired it. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of a painting of the old city of Périgueux, which is about 100 kms southwest of Limoges, and near which I live. Apart from Ravel’s magnificent orchestration, could you recommend other noteworthy versions ?
Dear Sergei Korschmin,
A friend told me about your site, featuring more of the paintings of Viktor Hartmann, and I have been utterly fascinated to see paintings of his not previously known to me (especially the ones with association to Mussorgsky’s “Pictures.” Please allow me to introduce myself to you and the visitors to your site as a “Pictures at an Exhibition” enthusiast, and the president of IKVA (International Kartinki s Vystavki Association), and organization devoted to the promotion of all the arrangements (more than 300 to date) of this work, and the recordings of them. Anyone wishing to receive our free occasonaly newsletters, and lists of all of the known arrangements and recordings of this work can contact me at davecanfield@sbcglobal.net.
I do have a question for you: One of the arrangements that I have encountered (I purchased the score to it) is your own arrangement for brass sextet of “Pictures.” Could you tell me if there are any recordings (even private ones) of your arrangement, and if so, how I can obtain one for our archive? Also, if you can supply any details about how you came to make your arrangement, the year you arranged it, etc., I would like to put this information into an encyclopedia of “Pictures” that I am at work on.
Many thanks, and I wish you every success in your hunt for further Hartmann works!
David Canfield
Wow! These pictures are very interesting. Since I saw these after playing “Pictures at an Exhibition”, they are quite different to what I’ve imagined. :P …very interesting phenomenon.
Hi Hermann. I assume you are referring to Thomas von Hartmann (1886-1956), the Russian composer? I have looked through some of the historic & biographical references in my library and browsed through quite a few Russian historic websites and found no conclusive answer. My guess is that these two men are not related, however I could be wrong. I will keep your question in mind and if I discover any new information I will let you know. If you discover any further information, please feel free to share your information here. Other than that, thank you very much for your comment.
Is Viktor Hartmann related to Thomas von Hartmann ?
Thanks for you answer !
Hello Elvira,
Thank you for your comment. Mussorgsky’s visit to Hartmann’s posthumous exhibition of about 400 works led him to the creation of “Pictures at an Exhibition”. I feel that it is plausible to assume that the composer at the time was influenced by all of the works displayed. I completely sympathise with your desire to recreate in its entirety the exhibition that took place in February 1874. (I assume that this is what you are after, purely because your suggestion of having six pictures is absolutely correct. Mussorgsky only took sketches of four “foreign” and two Russian themes as a core pictorial representation of the musical work. Here is very interesting web site with very good images.) However, the majority of the works displayed were then sold and locating originals will be a very difficult if not impossible task.
Maybe this humble web page could help resurrect what Mussorgsky and many others experienced 134 years ago… It is very bold and ambitious…, perhaps I will start with this:
Hear Me, Hear Me… !
Dear korschmin.com visitors and readers: If while reading through your great-grand and/or grandparents correspondence and/or diaries you notice any reference to Viktor Hartmann’s life or work and/or their having been in St. Petersburg (Russia) in March 1874 and visited an exhibition in Academy of Arts of Viktor Hartmann’s drawings, watercolors, architectural projects, sketches of theatrical scenery and costumes please let me know.
Hello, I am from Guatemala, Central America. I am working in a power point presentation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures, and I just had the 6 pictures most known. I really would like to have the rest of them to finish with the original my presentation. Would you be so nice to let me know how to get the others?
I am enjoying seeing Hartmann’s work! Where did you find these sketches?
Thank you for sharing!
I have read on the Internet that most of the original paintings are lost (either destroyed by neglect or still to be found). How did you manage to found this ones?
Thanks from all my hearts I’ll give a lecture about pictures and your images is wonderful to use to help audience to appreciate the musical work you helped me a lot.
Thank you so much for showing these fabulous works of art. Playing the “Pictures” is one thing, actually seeing them and then contemplating them is another…
To: James Milne
Well spotted. Yes no wagon, but the execution of Polish peasants. Mussorgsky has turned this into more of a social commentary of how Russians treated Poles. In 1874 Czarist Russia this was a dangerous notion to express.
The Bydlo is always described as a Polish peasant wagon, drawn by oxen, and with huge wheel. I do not see it here.
Thanks for publishing these fascinating images. I am playing the tenor tuba solo in a performance of ‘Pictures’ next weekend, and need inspiration.