Scene at dusk on the Baltic coast

Julius von Klever prints are full of winter light: low red suns behind bare birches, travelers on snowy forest roads and moonlight over frozen villages. Klever was a Russian landscape painter of Baltic German descent whose romantic, atmospheric scenes made him a favorite of the Russian imperial family. This collection gathers art prints of his winter forests, sunsets, Baltic coasts, spring meadows and fairy-tale scenes.

About Julius Sergius von Klever

Julius Sergius von Klever was born in Dorpat (today Tartu, Estonia) in January 1850, into a Baltic German family; his father taught chemistry at the Veterinary Institute. He took early lessons from Konstantin von Kügelgen and in 1867 entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in St Petersburg to study architecture, at his father's wish. He soon switched to landscape painting under Sokrat Vorobiev and Mikhail Clodt.

He left the Academy around 1870 but was quickly successful. Count Pavel Stroganov bought one of his paintings in 1871, and in 1872 Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna bought his Sunset. After Tsar Alexander II showed interest in his work, the Academy named him an artist despite his lack of a diploma, then an Academician in 1878 and a professor in 1881. Paintings from a stay on Nargen island in 1879 were bought by Pavel Tretyakov and the imperial family.

In the 1890s he was drawn into a financial scandal involving an acquaintance at the Academy, which caused him a breakdown. He moved his family to Germany, living in Neustrelitz until the First World War brought them home in 1915. After the revolution he taught at the Academy and the Central School of Technical Drawing. He died in Leningrad on 24 December 1924.

Style and Subjects

Klever was a Romantic landscape painter with a taste for drama. He loved strong light effects: the last red glow of sunset through the trees, moonlight on snow, storms over open fields. Winter was his favorite season, and his forests of birch and fir often frame a lonely hut, a traveler or a horse-drawn sledge heading home.

He also painted the Baltic coast with its fishing villages, spring meadows, overgrown parks and old cemeteries, and a few fairy-tale subjects such as Little Red Riding Hood. His pictures are detailed and decorative, with rich, warm color against cool snow.

Famous Works

• Abandoned Cemetery in Winter (1871). His early success, bought by Count Pavel Stroganov.
• Sunset (1872). Purchased by Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna.
• Birch Forest (1876). The painting Tsar Alexander II wished to buy, which won him the title of artist.
• Old Park (A Neglected Park in Marienburg) (1878). The work that earned him the rank of Academician.
• Forest on Nargen Island (Virgin Forest) (1879), Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. Bought by Pavel Tretyakov after his stay on the island.
• Forest Wilderness (1881). The painting for which the Academy made him a professor.
• Winter Landscape (1891), Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. One of his many glowing winter scenes.

Decorating with Klever Prints

Klever's winter sunsets are perfect for a living room, den or bedroom in the colder months. Their warm reds and golds against blue-white snow create a cozy, glowing mood, and they look wonderful in dark wood or gilt frames near a fireplace.

His Baltic coast and fishing village scenes suit a hallway or study with a calm, northern feel, while his spring meadows and fairy-tale pictures bring lighter color to a child's room or breakfast nook.

FAQ

What art movement was Julius von Klever part of?

Klever was a Romantic landscape painter who worked within the academic tradition of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St Petersburg.

What is Julius von Klever known for?

He is best known for dramatic winter landscapes with glowing sunsets, snowy forests and moonlit scenes. His paintings were bought by members of the imperial family and by Pavel Tretyakov.

Where can I see Klever's original paintings?

His work is in the State Russian Museum and the Hermitage in St Petersburg, the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the Art Museum of Estonia and many regional museums across Russia.

How can you recognize a Klever painting?

Look for snowy forests or fields lit by a low red or golden sun, bare birch trees, and small figures, huts or sledges in a quiet, atmospheric landscape.

Did Klever's children become artists?

Yes. Three of his four children became artists: Maria and Oscar worked in the theater, and Julius taught at the Art and Industry Academy.

Related Artists

• Ivan Shishkin — leading Russian painter of forests of the same era
• Arkhip Kuindzhi — Russian landscape painter famous for dramatic light effects
• Ivan Aivazovsky — Romantic Russian painter of light and sea
• Isaac Levitan — Russian master of mood landscape