“The movement of natural elements cannot be captured by the brush: to paint lightning, a gust of wind, or the splash of a wave from nature is inconceivable.” Ivan Aivazovsky The text below is the excerpt of the book Ivan Aivazovsky, written by Victoria Charles, published by Parkstone International. Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky has been one of Russia’s most popular artists for over a hundred years, enjoying greater fame in his youth than most artists do in a lifetime. He was well-known amongst artists and the general public who adored his talent, and his celebrity spread quite quickly. Near the start of his artistic career, he was elected to various foreign…