Mikhail Clodt was born to the artistic family of barons
Clodt von Jürgensburg, his father was the first Russian
wood engraver, his uncle
Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg was a famous Russian sculptor. He learnt drawing at the
Saint Petersburg Mining Cadet Corps, then at the
Imperial Academy of Arts (1851–1858). After receiving a
Large Gold Medal he received a scholarship for three years to study painting in France,
Switzerland and
Italy but abandoned his foreign trip in a year. He complained that the foreign landscapes would not inspire him and that French and Italian school of painting is inferior to Russian one. After returning Clodt got permissions to use the rest of the scholarship funds in his travel over Russia. In 1863 Clodt got recognition for his painting
Highway in Autumn. Even higher praise was given for his work
In the Field (1872) and the
Forest view in Midday (1878). Observers celebrated his devotion to Russian landscape, attention to the details and
perspective. On the other hand, popular art critic
Vladimir Stasov noted petty
naturalism and the "slavish following to reality" in many Clodt works. As an example of such a work he stated
Cows at Watering (1879). In both his devotion to the Russian landscape and some petty naturalism Clodt was probably the forerunner of
Ivan Shishkin. Mikhail Clodt was a founding member of the
Peredvizhniki movement, but the Peredvizhniki did not completely consider him as their own. That was partially due to the sharp criticisms from Clodt and partially because of him keeping his professorship of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1871–1886). After Clodt's particularly sharp criticism over
Arkhip Kuindzhi Clodt was forced to break with the Peredvizhniki. Soon he retired from the Academy as well. Clodt did not paint anything of value after the 1870s. Half-blind and financially broken, he died in 1902. ==Selected paintings==