Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'painter'

English Word: painter

Key Russian Translations:

• художник [ˈxʊ.dɐ.ʐnʲik] - [Formal, commonly used for artists in general contexts]
• живописец [ʐɨ.vɐ.ˈpʲi.sʲɛt͡s] - [More formal or specific, often for oil painters or fine artists]

Frequency: Medium (The word is commonly encountered in discussions of art, literature, and biographies, but not in everyday casual conversation.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of basic noun inflections and vocabulary related to arts. For 'живописец', it may be B2 due to its more specialized usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

художник: [ˈxʊ.dɐ.ʐnʲik]

Note on художник: The initial 'х' sound is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in Scottish "loch". Stress falls on the first syllable, and the 'ж' is a voiced palatal fricative.

живописец: [ʐɨ.vɐ.ˈpʲi.sʲɛt͡s]

Note on живописец: The 'ж' sound is soft and palatalized; pay attention to the stress on the third syllable, which can be tricky for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A person who creates paintings as an art form.

Translation(s) & Context:

• художник - Used in everyday and formal contexts for visual artists, such as painters or general creators of art.
• живописец - Applied in more specialized or historical contexts, like referring to classical or professional oil painters.

Usage Examples:

• Он — известный художник, чьи работы выставлены в музее. (On — izvestnyy khudozhnik, chyi raboty vystavleny v muzeye.)

  He is a famous painter whose works are exhibited in the museum.

• Молодой живописец экспериментирует с новыми техниками. (Molodoy zhivopisets eksperimentiruet s novymi tekhnikami.)

  The young painter is experimenting with new techniques.

• В России многие художники черпают вдохновение из природы. (V Rossii mnogie khudozhniki cherpayut vdokhnovleniye iz prirody.)

  In Russia, many painters draw inspiration from nature.

• Этот живописец предпочитает работать маслом на холсте. (Etot zhivopisets predpochtayet rabotat' maslom na kholste.)

  This painter prefers to work with oil on canvas.

• Художник проводит мастер-класс по пейзажной живописи. (Khudozhnik provodit master-klass po peyzazhnoy zhivopisi.)

  The painter is conducting a workshop on landscape painting.

A person who paints as a profession or trade (e.g., house painter).

Translation(s) & Context:

• художник - Less common for non-artistic painting; might be used informally, but 'маляр' is more accurate for house painters.
• маляр [mɐ.ˈlʲar] - Specifically for trade painters, in professional or everyday contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Нужен хороший маляр, чтобы покрасить дом. (Nuzhen khoroshiy malyar, chtoby pokrasit' dom.)

  We need a good painter to paint the house.

• Художник по интерьерам работает в этой фирме. (Khudozhnik po interyeram rabotaet v etoy firme.)

  The interior painter works at this company (though 'маляр' is preferable for trade work).

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'художник' and 'живописец' are masculine nouns. 'Художник' follows the second declension pattern for masculine nouns, while 'живописец' is also masculine but may vary slightly. They inflect for case, number, and gender agreement in sentences.

Note: These nouns do not change for gender but must agree with adjectives and verbs in number and case.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • художник (general artist)
  • мастер (master, implying skill) - Often used for highly skilled painters.
  • художник-живописец (painter-artist) - Combines terms for specificity.
• Antonyms:
  • не-художник (non-artist, informal)
  • критик (critic) - In the context of art, as an opposite role.

Related Phrases:

• Известный художник (Izvestnyy khudozhnik) - Famous painter; used in biographical or cultural discussions.
• Художник-пейзажист (Khudozhnik-peyzazhist) - Landscape painter; refers to a specific genre.
• Живописец эпохи Возрождения (Zhivopisets epokhi Vozrozhdeniya) - Renaissance painter; historical context.

Usage Notes:

'Художник' is the most versatile translation for 'painter' in artistic contexts and is preferred in everyday Russian, while 'живописец' is more formal and specific to fine art or historical figures. English speakers should note that Russian nouns require case agreement; for example, use the genitive case after prepositions like 'of'. Choose 'художник' for general use and 'живописец' when emphasizing classical techniques. Be aware of cultural nuances where 'художник' can also mean a broader artist, not just a painter.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'художник' for house painters instead of 'маляр'. Correct: Say "Мне нужен маляр" (I need a painter for painting walls) instead of "Мне нужен художник", which might imply an artist. Explanation: This confuses artistic and trade professions.
• Mistake: Forgetting case inflections, e.g., saying "Я видел художник" instead of "Я видел художника". Correct: Always adjust for accusative case. Explanation: Russian grammar requires nouns to change based on their role in the sentence.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, painters like Ilya Repin or Ivan Aivazovsky are iconic figures, often embodying national identity through their works. The term 'художник' carries a sense of reverence for creativity, influenced by Russia's rich artistic heritage, such as the Peredvizhniki movement, which emphasized realistic depictions of everyday life.

Related Concepts:

• скульптор (sculptor)
• художество (artistry)
• муза (muse, in artistic contexts)