Willie, Mikhail Yakovlevich

Born in the family of a military medic. After the death of his father (1850) enters the Guards Secondary Enforcement School . After receiving permission from the command, he simultaneously attends the Imperial Academy of Arts as a volunteer, where he learns from the famous watercolor painter, Professor Luigi Premazzi .

In 1857, Willie was enrolled as an ensign in the Transfiguration Regiment . In 1862, he resigned "due to illness" in the rank of second lieutenant and continued his studies at the Academy of Arts with his teacher. Talent Willie was quickly noticed, and in the following year he was awarded the title of artist. Receives permission for a three-year foreign internship (1865).

Studying the European school of painting: for two years engaged in watercolor painting in Brussels. In April 1867, the Royal Belgian Watercolor Society selected Willie as their honorary member. Acquainted with oil painting in Munich.

At the end of the internship, he presented his work to an academic exhibition and in February 1868 for his series of watercolors (Views of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, Bernkastel on the Moselle. Prussia, Interior of the dining room of Count Kushelev-Bezborodko) received the title of academician of watercolor painting ^[1] . He appealed to the president of the Academy of Arts, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna , with a request for further training in Europe, adding his best watercolors to the request. The grand duchess, flattered by such a gift, deigned to express the opinion that "he has a remarkable talent that could be further developed by studying Belgian and English watercolor painters and staying in Italy."

He lived in Germany for several years, then worked in Paris for ten years. Repeatedly traveled to Italy, where he drew the plots of his paintings. Visited England - their historic homeland.

His name is becoming well known in Europe: Willie repeatedly takes part in the World Exhibitions (in Vienna, Brussels and twice in Paris), as well as in the All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow. After participating in the Paris exhibition of 1900, he was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honor (Knight of the Grand Cross) . Willie very rarely and for a short time, came home. In Russia, he travels a lot around the ancient cities, creating in 1880–1890s numerous types of ancient Russian architectural monuments: the Yaroslavl series (General view of Yaroslavl, the Church of the Nativity, the Moscow outpost in Yaroslavl), counties of the Yaroslavl province, etc.

He arranged an exhibition of the most interesting watercolors (1889), which made a big impression on the metropolitan society. Emperor Alexander III bought species of Rostov the Great, made with an amazing knowledge of the special features, and expressed his wish to become the exclusive purchaser of all his further works. This tradition was continued by Nicholas II . For merits in the revival of Russian national art, he was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav of the 3rd degree and of St Vladimir of the 4th degree.

In 1903, on the recommendation of famous artists I. E. Repin , V. V. Mate and N. P. Kondakova, he was elected a full member of the Academy of Arts. For many years he was an active member of the Society of Russian watercolourists. He was an avid bibliophile, fond of books, bibliography and library science. Mikhail Yakovlevich was a founding member of the Russian Society of Publishers; a founding member and board member of the Russian Society for Library Science; Member of the Board of the Russian Shorthand Society.

Going to the international stenographic congress in Brussels in July 1910, Willie felt very ill and was forced to return to St. Petersburg. November 16, 1910 he was gone.

Almost all the work of Willie, remaining in Russia, are in the storerooms of museums and little known to the general public.

• Willie, Mikhail Yakovlevich // Great Soviet Encyclopedia : 66 tons (65 tons and 1 extra) / Ch. ed. O. Yu. Schmidt . - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia , 1926-1947.
• S. N. Kondakov. Anniversary reference book of the Imperial Academy of Arts. 1764-1914. - SPb .: Partnership R.Golike and A.Vilborg, 1915. - T. 2. - p. 38. - 454 p.
• Yuli Bondarenko. Mikhail Yakovlevich Willie / / Neva: Journal. - 2003. - № 9 .

• Willie Mikhail Yakovlevich (1838–1910)