Orlovsky V. "Cloudy day"

Vladimir Orlovsky is an outstanding painter, one of the founders of the Ukrainian realistic landscape.

He was born in Kiev, in a noble family. He graduated from the 2nd Kiev gymnasium, where he received initial skills in drawing under the guidance of N. M. Soshenko. Later, he took lessons in St. Petersburg, where, in particular, he met Taras Shevchenko. In 1861, Orlovsky entered the Academy of Fine Arts, where he began to make rapid progress under the guidance of the famous marine painter A. P. Bogolyubov. During his studies, he received all the existing academic awards: in 1862 — a small silver medal for landscapes, in 1863-a large silver medal, in 1866-a small gold medal. From 1869 to 1872, he worked as a" pensioner from the Academy " in Paris, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. The works he brought from Europe were highly appreciated by the Academy Council, which extended his pensioner's allowance for three years, but for studying nature and improving painting in Russia.

In 1887, Orlovsky moved from St. Petersburg to Kiev. He provided great assistance to the Kiev Drawing School named after N. I. Murashko, was a member of its art council, was one of the organizers of the creation of the Kiev Art School. 

For several years after that, he wrote on the motives learned in Thais and Gatchina, and finally, in the period 1885-1890, he was engaged in painting mainly marine species, which he had been engaged in before. At the end of the XIX century, his works were very popular, they were willingly purchased by the capital's aristocrats and members of the imperial family.

Vladimir Donatovich Orlovsky spent the end of his life in Italy, where he lived since 1909 and where he died on March 16, 1914.