The culture of the Soviet and post-Soviet period is a bright large-scale turn of the Russian heritage. The events of 1917 became a reference point in the development of a new way of life, the formation of new thinking. The mood of society at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries resulted in the October Revolution, a turning point in the history of the country. Now a new future awaited her with its own ideals and goals. Art, which in a sense is a mirror of the era, has also become a tool for implementing the dogmas of the new regime. Unlike other types of artistic creation, painting, which forms and shapes human thought, most accurately and directly penetrated the minds of people. On the other hand, pictorial art was least of all subordinated to the propaganda function and reflected the feelings of the people, their dreams, and above all the spirit of the times.

Russian avant-garde

The new art did not completely avoid the old traditions. Painting, in the first post-revolutionary years, absorbed the influence of the futurists and the avant-garde in general. The avant-garde, with its contempt for the traditions of the past, which was so close to the destructive ideas of the revolution, found adherents in the person of young artists. In parallel with these trends, realistic tendencies developed in the visual arts, which were given life by the critical realism of the 19th century. This bipolarity, which matured at the time of the change of eras, made the life of the artist of that time especially intense. The two paths that were outlined in post-revolutionary painting, although they were opposites, nevertheless, we can observe the influence of the avant-garde on the work of artists of the realistic direction. Realism itself in those years was diverse. The works of this style have a symbolic, propaganda and even romantic appearance. The work of B.M. is quite accurately conveys in symbolic form a grandiose change in the life of the country. Kustodieva - "Bolshevik" and, filled with pathetic tragedy and irrepressible glee "New Planet" by K.F. Yuona.

P.N. Filonov, with his special creative method - “analytical realism” - is a fusion of two contrasting artistic trends, which we can see in the example of a cycle with the agitational name and meaning “Entering the world flourishing”.

P.N. Filonov Ships from the cycle Entering the world flourishing. 1919 State Tretyakov Gallery

The unquestioning nature of universal human values, unshakable even in such troubled times, expresses the image of the beautiful “Petrograd Madonna” (the official name is “1918 in Petrograd”) K.S. Petrova-Vodkina.

A positive attitude to revolutionary events infects the light and filled with a sunny, airy atmosphere the creativity of the landscape painter A.A. Rylova. Landscape "Sunset", in which the artist expressed a premonition of the fire of the revolution, which will flare up from the growing flame of the fire of the judgment over a bygone era, is one of the inspiring symbols of this time.

Along with the symbolic images that organized the rise of the people's spirit and carried away with them, like an obsession, there was also a trend in realistic painting, with a craving for a concrete transfer of reality.
To this day, the works of this period keep a spark of rebellion that can assert itself within each of us. Many works that were not endowed with such qualities or contradicted them were destroyed or forgotten, and will never be presented to our eyes.
The avant-garde will forever leave its mark on realistic painting, but a period of intensive development of the direction of realism begins.

The time of art associations

1920s - the time of the creation of a new world on the ruins left by the Civil War. For art, this is a period in which various creative associations developed their activities in full force. Their principles were shaped in part by early art groupings. The Association of Artists of the Revolution (1922 - AHRR, 1928 - AHR), personally carried out orders from the state. Under the slogan of "heroic realism" the artists who were part of it documented in their works the life and everyday life of a person - the brainchild of the revolution, in various genres of painting. The main representatives of the AHRR were I.I. Brodsky, who absorbed the realistic influences of I.E. Repin, who worked in the historical-revolutionary genre and created a whole series of works depicting V.I. Lenin, E.M. Cheptsov is a master of the genre of genre, M.B. Grekov, who painted battle scenes in a rather impressionistic madder. All of these masters were the founders of the genres in which they performed most of their work. Among them, the canvas "Lenin in Smolny" stands out, in which I.I. Brodsky conveyed the image of the leader in the most direct and sincere form.

In the painting "The Meeting of the Membership Cell" E.I. Cheptsov very reliably, without far-fetchedness, depicts the events that took place in the life of the people.

A magnificent joyful, noisy image, filled with stormy movement and the celebration of victory, is created by M. B. Greeks in the composition "Trumpeters of the First Cavalry Army".

The idea of \u200b\u200ba new person, a new image of a person is expressed by the trends emerging in the portrait genre, the brightest masters of which were S.V. Malyutin and G.G. Ryazhsky. In the portrait of the writer-soldier Dmitry Furmanov S.V. Malyutin shows a man of the old world who managed to fit into the new world. A new tendency that originated in the work of N.A. Kasatkina and developed to the highest degree in female images by G.G. Ryazhsky - "Delegate", "Chairwoman", in which the personal principle is erased and the type of person created by the new world is established.
An absolutely accurate impression is formed about the development of the landscape genre at the sight of the work of the leading landscape painter B.N. Yakovleva - "Transport is getting better".

B.N. Yakovlev Transport is getting better. 1923

This genre depicts a renewing country, the normalization of all spheres of life. During these years, the industrial landscape comes to the fore, the images of which become symbols of creation.
The Society of Easel Painters (1925) was the next artistic association in this period. Here the artist sought to convey the spirit of modernity, the type of a new person, resorting to a more detached transmission of images due to the minimum number of expressive means. In the works of Ostovtsev, the theme of sports is often demonstrated. Their painting is filled with dynamics and expression, which can be seen in the works of A.A. Deineki "Defense of Petrograd", Yu.P. Pimenov "Football" and others.

For the basis of their artistic creativity, members of another well-known association - "Four Arts" - chose the expressiveness of the image, due to the laconic and constructive form, as well as a special attitude to its color saturation. The most memorable representative of the association is K.S. Petrov-Vodkin and one of his most outstanding works of this period - "The Death of the Commissar", which through a special pictorial language reveals a deep symbolic image, a symbol of the struggle for a better life.

From the composition of the Four Arts, P.V. Kuznetsov, works dedicated to the East.
The last major artistic association of this period is the Society of Moscow Artists (1928), which differs from the others in the manner of energetic sculpting of volumes, attention to chiaroscuro and plastic expressiveness of form. Almost all representatives were members of the "Volta of Diamonds" - adherents of futurism - which greatly affected their work. The works of P.P. Konchalovsky, who worked in different genres. For example, portraits of his wife O.V. Konchalovskaya convey the specifics of not only the author's hand, but also the painting of the entire association.

By the decree "On the restructuring of literary and artistic organizations" on April 23, 1932, all artistic associations were dissolved and the Union of Artists of the USSR was created. Creativity fell into the sinister fetters of rigid ideologization. The artist's freedom of expression, the basis of the creative process, has been violated. Despite such a breakdown, the artists previously united in communities continued their activities, but new figures took the leading role in the pictorial environment.
B.V. Ioganson was influenced by I.E. Repin and V.I. Surikov, in his canvases one can see a compositional search and interesting possibilities in coloristic solutions, but the author's paintings are marked by an excessive satirical attitude, inappropriate in such a naturalistic manner that we can observe the example of the painting "At the Old Ural Factory".

A.A. Deineka does not stay away from the "official" line of art. He is still true to his artistic principles. Now he continues to work in genre themes, and he also paints portraits and landscapes. The painting "Future Pilots" well shows his painting during this period: romantic, light.

The artist creates a large number of works on a sports theme. From this period, his watercolors, painted after 1935, remained.

Painting of the 1930s represents a fictional world, the illusion of a bright and festive life. The easiest thing for the artist was to remain sincere in the landscape genre. The genre of still life is developing.
The portrait is also subject to intensive development. P.P. Konchalovsky writes a series of cultural figures ("V. Sofronitsky at the piano"). The works of M.V. Nesterov, who absorbed the influence of V.A. Serov, show a person as a creator, the essence of whose life is a creative search. This is how we see the portraits of the sculptor I.D. Shadr and the surgeon S.S. Yudin.

P.D. Corinne continues the portrait tradition of the previous artist, but his painting style consists in conveying the rigidity of form, a sharper, more expressive silhouette and austere color. In general, the theme of the creative intelligentsia plays a great role in the portrait.

Artist at war

With the advent of the Great Patriotic War, artists begin to take an active part in hostilities. Due to the direct unity with events, in the early years, works appear, the essence of which is the fixation of what is happening, "a picturesque sketch". Often such paintings lacked depth, but their transmission expressed a completely sincere attitude of the artist, the height of moral pathos. The portrait genre is coming to a relative flourishing. Artists, seeing and experiencing the destructive influence of war, admire its heroes - people from the people, persistent and noble spirit, who displayed the highest humanistic qualities. Such tendencies resulted in ceremonial portraits: “Portrait of Marshal G.K. Zhukov ”by P.D. Korina, cheerful faces from P.P. Konchalovsky. The portraits of the intelligentsia of M.S. Saryan, created during the war, is the image of the academician “I.A. Orbeli ”, the writer“ M.S. Shahinyan "and others.

From 1940 to 1945, the landscape and genre of genre also developed, which were combined in his work by A.A. Layers. "Fascist Flew" conveys the tragedy of the life of this period.

The psychologism of the landscape here fills the work even more with sadness and silence of the human soul, only the howl of a devoted friend cuts through the wind of confusion. Ultimately, the meaning of the landscape is rethought and begins to personify the harsh image of wartime.
Subject pictures stand out separately, for example, "Mother of the Partisan" by S.V. Gerasimova, which is characterized by a refusal to glorify the image.

Historical painting in a timely manner creates images of national heroes of the past. One of such unshakable and confident images is "Alexander Nevsky" by P.D. Korina, personifying the unconquered proud spirit of the people. In this genre, towards the end of the war, there is a tendency for simulated drama.

War theme in painting

In the painting of the post-war period, ser. 1940 - end. In the 1950s, the theme of war, as a moral and physical test, from which Soviet people emerged victorious, occupies a leading position in painting. Historical-revolutionary, historical genres are developing. The main theme of the everyday genre is peaceful labor, which was dreamed of during the long war years. The canvases of this genre are permeated with cheerfulness and happiness. The artistic language of the everyday genre becomes narrative and tends to be lifelike. In the last years of this period, the landscape also underwent changes. The life of the region is revived in it, the connection between man and nature is reinforced again, an atmosphere of tranquility appears. Love for nature is also praised in still life. The portrait is developing interestingly in the work of various artists, which is characterized by the transfer of the individual. Some of the outstanding works of this period were: "A Letter from the Front" by A.I. Laktionova, a work like a window into a radiant world;

composition "Rest after the battle", in which Yu.M. Neprintsev achieves the same vitality of the image as A.I. Laktionov;

the work of A.A. Mylnikova "On Peaceful Fields", joyfully rejoicing at the end of the war and the reunification of man and labor;

the original landscape image of G.G. Nyssa - "Over the Snows" and others.

Harsh style to replace socialist realism

Art of the 1960s-1980s is a new stage. A new "severe style" is being developed, the task of which was to recreate reality without everything that deprives the work of depth and expressiveness and has a detrimental effect on creative manifestations. He was characterized by laconicism and generalization of the artistic image. The artists of this style glorified the heroic beginning of the harsh working days, which was created by the special emotional structure of the picture. The "harsh style" was a definite step towards the democratization of society. The main genre for which the adherents of the style worked was the portrait, the group portrait, the genre of genre, the historical and historical-revolutionary genre also developed. V.Ye. became prominent representatives of this period in the context of the development of the "severe style". Popkov, who painted many self-portraits, V.I. Ivanov is a supporter of the group portrait, G.M. Korzhev, who created historical paintings. The disclosure of the essence of the "severe style" can be seen in the painting "Geologists" by P.F. Nikonov, "Polar explorers" A.A. and P.A. Smolinins, "Father's Overcoat" by V.E. Popkov. In the landscape genre, an interest in northern nature appears.

Stagnation era symbolism

In the 1970s-1980s. a new generation of artists is being formed whose art has influenced to some extent the art of today. They are characterized by symbolic language, theatrical entertainment. Their painting is quite artistic and virtuoso. The main representatives of this generation are T.G. Nazarenko ("Pugachev"),

a favorite theme of which was a holiday and a masquerade, A.G. Sitnikov, who uses metaphor and parable as a form of plastic language, N.I. Nesterova, creator of controversial paintings ("The Last Supper"), I.L. Lubennikov, N.N. Smirnov.

The Last Supper. N.I. Nesterova. 1989

Thus, this time appears in its diversity and diversity as the final, formative link of today's fine arts.

A huge wealth of the picturesque heritage of previous generations is discovered in our era. The contemporary artist is practically not limited by any framework that was defining and sometimes hostile to the development of the fine arts. Some of the contemporary artists try to adhere to the principles of the Soviet realistic school, someone finds themselves in other styles and directions. The tendencies of conceptual art, ambiguously perceived by society, are very popular. The breadth of artistic and expressive means and ideals that the past provided us must be rethought and serve as the basis for new creative ways and the creation of a new image.

Our art history workshops

Our Gallery of Contemporary Art not only offers a large selection of Soviet art and post-Soviet painting, but also conducts regular lectures and master classes on the history of contemporary art.

You can sign up for a master class, leave wishes for the master class you would like to attend by filling out the form below. We will definitely read for you an interesting lecture on your chosen topic.

We are waiting for you in our LECTORIUM!

The Soviet period in the history of Russia is a period of almost eighty years, during which the country has undoubtedly changed more than in the last two hundred years of the Romanov dynasty. These changes affected absolutely all spheres of life, from everyday moments to breakthroughs in science, the development of technology and, of course, art.

One cannot ignore the fact that the population of pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary Russia is absolutely two different societies, and the revolution of 1917 itself became a kind of watershed that forever established the boundaries of eras.

Historical events can be treated in different ways, but for collectors of antiquity and art, history is the scenery within which the subject of their interest was created on the stage of time. For those studying the artifacts of time, history serves as an explanation of why a particular thing looks the way it is and not otherwise. It cannot be denied that the Soviet government began its struggle against the illiteracy of the population and paid the maximum possible attention to education issues, realizing that such citizens would be at least a little more useful to society. Art education, which was previously available to a much smaller percentage of the population, was no exception. Of course, the party elite and the leadership of the USSR had their own interest in this. They needed those who would illustrate the life of the new country and demonstrate its achievements and superiority over the old world. Nevertheless, despite the huge imprint of propaganda, which could not but leave an imprint on art workers and their works, it was in the Soviet Union that many artists who later became very famous were born and developed. But the creators who began their journey even under Tsarist Russia developed in many ways faster than their Western colleagues, Soviet painting had its own recognizable signature and style.

If you are reading this text, then to one degree or another you are interested in such a layer in the visual arts as Soviet painting. Working with the canvases of artists is a priority direction of the "Russian Antique Gallery" and, of course, we could not ignore the most interesting works of Russian artists who painted their paintings during the Soviet era.

You don't have to be a sophisticated collector to want to buy paintings from the times of the Soviet Union. With a relatively democratic cost in comparison with the paintings of Western European artists of the nineteenth century, the paintings of the Soviet Union are no less interesting and were written in a unique period of time by real masters. Often, Russian and not only art lovers begin their collection of paintings with the works of artists of the USSR. One of the explanations for the interest in Russian painting of that period can be called the unusually high level of training of artists and art education of the Soviet school in general, as well as the greater availability of education in general.

Before buying a Soviet painting, we are proud to offer you to familiarize yourself with our section in order to assess the level of skill and genius of Soviet artists, to choose your favorite canvases.

For many, Soviet painting will certainly evoke nostalgic feelings, because these works largely reflect their childhood. Half-forgotten life of the past, old buildings and streets that have changed beyond recognition today, stadiums, demonstrations, labor of workers, harvesting, scenes from production facilities, demonstration of the achievements of Soviet masters. These motives come down to us from the paintings of many creators of the USSR. Our collection includes works by artists such as:

A.A Deineka

E.E. Moiseenko

A.I Lutsenko

Yu.A. Volkov

If you want to start collecting paintings from the USSR, then we recommend that you first define the boundaries of your collection. They can be the time period, subject matter, creative association, the way the painting is applied, and much more. Of course, when defining the boundaries of your future collection, it is best to consult with people immersed in the environment of antique fine art, who will at least help you with advice on how to avoid pitfalls and mistakes that await newbies. Experts of the "Russian Antique Gallery" are always ready to give you advice on any questions of interest.

We also always advise you to start with the collection to buy Soviet paintings by little-known artists at the moment. Their paintings are cheaper, but just like any antiques, they are consistently growing in price, being an excellent investment, much more reliable than modern banks. Moreover, the world of antique fine art also has its own fashion. Only yesterday, the artist, known only to a narrow circle of professionals, suddenly receives worldwide recognition, an academic scientific article or scientific-pop material is published on the topic of his works, and his canvases instantly become necessary for everyone and everyone, and, therefore, seriously increase in price. And such cases are by no means an exception.

You can buy a painting by a Soviet artist as well as a decorative item. And this solution also has many advantages that cannot be discounted. Note that the painting of the USSR has its own characteristic and recognizable features, the skillful use of which makes it possible either to create a certain atmosphere of a bygone era, or to emphasize a certain "Russianness" of the space in which the painting is located. Soviet painting is very accessible to those looking for an interior solution by the very fact of its quantity, and, therefore, this section of the "Russian Antique Gallery" is regularly updated. The stylistic and genre variety of works by Russian artists in the USSR is no less interesting. The rapid change in the ideological paradigms of Soviet society gave birth to a great deal in an astonishingly short time. The explosion of the avant-garde, which gave rise to absolutely all the main directions of art of the twentieth century: abstractionism, suprematism, constructivism, futurism, rayonism, analytical art, which developed towards socialist realism. Later, thanks to this strikingly multifaceted path, the world of fine art received non-conformist artists who created their canvases from the 60s to the late 80s of the twentieth century. And all this diversity existed

and developed in parallel, being in favor or out of favor with the ruling elite. This is an incredible and multifaceted period that is simply impossible not to love and appreciate.

Despite the fact that the "Russian Antique Gallery" deals with the rarities of the past, we all live in the world of the present and quite modern. Who better than us to know that the most valuable thing a person has is time. And in pursuit of his witnesses, you can lose this precious resource. While creating this site, the team of our store has made a lot of effort to make it as convenient and simple to buy Soviet paintings as possible, in order to save your personal time, which you can always spend on things that are important to you.

It is easy and simple to buy paintings by Soviet artists today in our online store, spending just a few minutes and performing the minimum possible number of steps. Absolutely every item from the archives of our store is presented on our website, accompanied by a detailed description, with the maximum possible indication of all important data for the rarity, as well as with high-quality photographs in which you can easily see antiques in the smallest detail. To buy a Soviet painting, all that remains for you is to find a painting that is interesting to you, place it in the basket and place an order. After that, our managers will contact you and discuss the details.

If you have any questions about any painting or object presented in our online store, you can always contact us through the feedback form or call the phone number indicated in the upper right corner. Our experts are always happy to help you.

For those who are accustomed to making purchases only by directly examining the object with their own eyes, our online store, where Soviet painting is presented, is also not useless. It shows the current availability of items in our collection and allows you to get all the necessary brief information about the antiques you are interested in.

Our team of experts is working daily to find new unique items for our collection and is always ready to take individual orders to find specific items. It is best to buy a Soviet painting, come to our store and tell our consultant what kind of painting you are interested in, and we will accept your request for work. The employees of the "Russian Antique Gallery" have hundreds of completed individual orders, and we are sure that we will be able to find the item you are interested in on mutually beneficial terms.

Suggests you to choose in our salon

Soviet artists in our understanding are necessarily revolutionary or imperial painters. The heirs of the currents that formed before the October Revolution are unlikely to be included in this category, as well as the nonconformists, avant-garde and others who existed not thanks to the USSR, but in spite of it.

Deineka possessed an amazing ability to penetrate a person's soul, knew how to show it in relationship with the world - and the world is always filled with a mood, alarming or joyful, screaming tragic or thoughtlessly summer.

Now we are not happy with waterfalls of rain pouring from the sky, and more than half a century ago people knew how to rejoice at everything - if not all the inhabitants of the USSR, then the artist Pimenov for sure. What was he supposed to do back in 1937?

compositions based on paintings by famous artists on the site

Desn consists in the acceptance by the whole being of what is happening around you at the moment. The irrational aspect of admiring nature - without realizing oneself in it - is the Zen of the child. It is very strange to see how Plastov's "First Snow" is given to children at school. Or not strange, right?

compositions based on paintings by famous artists on the site

An unsophisticated image of a birch grove in the spring, when the snow has already melted, but the sky is still cold, windy, the reflection of winter is on it, and the air is cold, too, ringing with a bird's whistle, sloshing sodden last year's grass underfoot. Baksheev wrote this, the task is difficult, and the landscape itself is simple and straightforward.

compositions based on paintings by famous artists on the site

The famous painting by Soviet artist Tatyana Yablonskaya depicts a joyful morning and in it is the artist's daughter. The canvas is permeated with sunlight.

compositions based on paintings by famous artists on the site

The famous painting by Viktor Grigorievich Tsyplakov "Frost and the Sun" does not depict the sun itself, but the effects of lighting. The picture contrasts strong houses and a sleigh with horses moving along a snow-covered road towards us - the audience.

compositions based on paintings by famous artists on the site

M. Bree-Bane. Women radio operators. 1933 ~ O. Vereisky. Three sisters

E. Samsonov. To new lands. 1954

S. Kamanin. Construction of tugboats. 1953

E. Danilevsky. Steel sample. 1952

I. Simonov. Foundry workers. 1959 ~ E. Kharitonenko. Electric welder. 1959

A. Deineka. Who will win. 1932

V. Kuptsov. ANT-20 ("Maxim Gorky"). 1934

B. Yakovlev. Transport is getting better. 1923

G. Ryazhsky. Mine. Ural. 1925

V. Malagis. Steelworkers. 1950

I. Bevzenko. Young steelworkers. 1961

N. Bazylev. Excursion to the factory. 1956

G. Bzhozovsky. In a steel-making shop. 1964

I. Romas. On rafts. 1949

M. Maltsev. On watch. 1953

V. Tsvetkov. Poultry farm. 1971

M. Maltsev. Crane operator. 1953 ~ Z. Popova. Nice catch. 1970
S. Balsamov. Leading worker. 1951

N. Bazylev. Plant them. Ordzhonikidze. 1972

A. Petrov. "Mosfilm". 1978

A. Petrov. Moscow. Kazan Station. 1981

V. Firsov. Column. 1984

F. Reshetnikov. Arrived for vacation. 1948 ~ F. Reshetnikov. Again a deuce. 1951

T. Yablonskaya. Morning ~ Yu. Raksha. Little bathers. 1979

N. Zhukov. We are growing and getting better. 1953 ~ A. Laktionov. Visiting grandchildren

I. Vladimirov. At the girls' school ~ V. Korneev. Schoolchildren at a concert. 1952

F. Reshetnikov. For peace! 1950 ~ N. Solomin. Young moms

E. Gordian. Illuminated by the sun. 1982 ~ B. Ugarov. Mother

K. Petrov-Vodkin. Sleeping baby. 1924

Yu. Kugach. At the cradle

N. Terpsikhorov. Window to the world. 1928

P. Krivonogov. Girl with skis. 1963 ~ V. Zholtok. Winter has come. 1953

A. Ratnikov. Walked up. 1955

T. Yablonskaya. In the park. 1950

T. Yablonskaya. Has caught a cold. 1953

N. Ulyanov. Bullfinches

D. Kolupaev. Celebration at school. On the tree. 1949

A. Kostenko. I. Michurin with children. 1964 ~ P. Drachenko. Pioneer song. 1959

V. Zholtok. Girl with a red hat. 1955
A. Mylnikov. Veranda is on the veranda. 1957

S. Grigoriev. Goalkeeper. 1949

K. Uspenskaya-Kologrivova. Didn't take fishing

S. Grigoriev. Fisherman. 1958

I. Shulga. Pioneers visiting the Black Sea people. 1940

P. Krylov. Two Natasha

R. Galitsky. At the finish line

I. Shevandronova. In the rural library

I. Shevandronova. The rehearsal is in progress. 1959

A. Deineka. Future pilots. 1937

V. Pribylovsky. Future captains. 1963

S. Grigoriev. Pioneer. 1951 ~ P. Krokhonyatkin. Children on the balcony. 1954 ~ O. Bogaevskaya. Children's holiday. 1980

E. Chernyshova. Vyshnevolotsk brides. 1984 ~ A. Levitin. Peace to grandchildren. 1985

K. Petrov-Vodkin. Girl with a doll. 1937 ~ M. Bogatyrev. Future champions. 1950

J. Titov. Near the mausoleum of V.I. Lenin. 1953

P. Krivonogov. The funeral of I.V. Stalin. 1953

I. Davidovich, E. Tikhanovich. May Day demonstration

I. Davidovich, E. Tikhanovich. May Day demonstration (fragment)

A. Kazantsev. I.V. Stalin with his mother

B. Vladimirsky. Roses for J.V. Stalin

I. Penzov. Happy childhood. 1978

L. Kotlyarov. Bread and salt (L.I.Brezhnev with village workers)
I. Radoman. Leonid I. Brezhnev at ZIL

A. Gerasimov. I.V. Stalin and A.M. Gorky in the country. 1930

A. Gerasimov. Family portrait. 1934
People's Artist of the USSR A.M. Gerasimov
Despite the reluctance of his parents, he goes to Moscow, brilliantly passes the exam in drawing and becomes a student at the School. His teacher in the landscape class was M.K. Klodt, in the head class - K.N. Gorsky and A.M. Korin, in the figure class - S.D. Miloradovich and N.A. Kasatkin, in the natural class - A.E. Arkhipov and L.O. Pasternak. Teachers V. Serov, K. Korovin, A. Vasnetsov gave him a lot in painting. Having brilliantly finished the painting department of the School, A.M. Gerasimov decided to visit the workshop of K.Korovin. To do this, it was necessary, on the advice of Korovin, to enter another department of the School. Gerasimov firmly decided - on the architectural. Konstantin Korovin, who is rightfully considered the founder of Russian impressionism, gave him a lot. Often visiting Paris, K. Korovin told students about French impressionism and, of course, influenced the work of the young Gerasimov. This influence can be traced especially in his early student works, created in 1912-13: "Portrait of VA Gilyarovsky", "Portrait of N. Gilyarovskaya", "Portrait of V. Lobanov". All these works were written at V. Gilyarovsky's dacha, in Gilyaevka. "Portrait of VA Gilyarovsky" is now in the writer's apartment in Moscow, and two other portraits are in the collection of the museum-estate of AM Gerasimov.
VA Gilyarovsky during these years often attended student exhibitions at the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. By the work, he could easily determine not only the talent of the artist, but also where this or that artist came from. He acquired pictures of a very young Gerasimov, supported him morally and financially, and this had a favorable effect on the artist's work.

In the garden. Portrait of Nina Gilyarovskaya, 1912

Portrait of art critic V.M. Lobanov. 1913
At the end of the 30s, A.M. Gerasimov was fond of portraiture: "The portrait genre is the main type of my work, expressing my essence as an artist," wrote Gerasimov. The artist was attracted by creative, intellectually rich and significant personalities. “I loved and love the strong and bright in nature, I look for the same in a person and when I find it, I irresistibly want to capture him in a colorful image,” A. Gerasimov recalled. The need to perpetuate a strong, beautiful person seen in his broad connections with time, era, environment resulted in the creation of a truly grandiose series of portraits. Among them, "Portrait of the ballerina OV Lepeshinskaya" (1939) stood out. The ballerina is depicted in the rehearsal room, against the background of a huge mirror, standing on pointe shoes. This technique allows you to show the figure of the dancer from two angles. The mirror reflects the table with the make-up accessories and part of the ballet machine, and the easel at which the artist worked is also visible.
Remarkable are the portraits of A.K. Tarasova (State Russian Museum), the Moscow Art Theater actor I.Moskvin (1940) (Lvov Picture Gallery), "Portrait of the Artist Tamara Khanum" (1939). Later he painted "A group portrait of the oldest artists of the State Academic Maly Theater of the USSR, AA Yablochkina, VN Ryzhova, ED Turchaninova" (1956), "Portrait of Rina Zelena" (1954), etc.

Portrait of the artist A.K. Tarasova. 1939 ~ Portrait of a daughter. 1951

A.M. Gerasimov. Portrait of K.E. Voroshilov. 1927
Portrait of Klim Petrovich Voroshilov, grandson of K.E. Voroshilov. 1949
Gerasimov Alexander Mikhailovich

Gerasimov had a gift for easily grasping portrait resemblance and felt himself primarily a portrait painter. Among his works, images of high-ranking people are gradually beginning to prevail. Gerasimov was especially famous as the author of numerous images of V. I. Lenin, I. V. Stalin and major party bosses. He deliberately gave his brush to the service of the triumphant communist government in exchange for personal prosperity.

An extraordinary talent, a cheerful, "juicy" manner of writing - all this, as the artist moved up the career ladder, acquired a ceremonial gloss (Portrait of K. E. Voroshilov. 1927. Museum of Contemporary History of Russia). His most recognized canvases were “V. I. Lenin on the podium "(1930. State Historical Museum; repetition of 1947 in the State Tretyakov Gallery) and" Speech by V. I. Lenin at the Plenum of the Moscow Soviet on November 20, 1922 "(1930. State Historical Museum).

Success and recognition were not long in coming. In early 1936, a personal exhibition of Gerasimov opened in Moscow, which showed 133 works, starting with the earliest. The central place, of course, was occupied by portraits of party leaders, the main place on the exposition was given to "The speech of IV Stalin at the 16th Party Congress" (1933. Archive of works of art).

Unlike many others, Gerasimov was allowed to travel abroad. In the 1930s, he visited Berlin, Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, Istanbul and Paris. Abroad, the artist painted many sketches ("Hagia Sophia". 1934. State Russian Museum) and constantly visited art exhibitions. But the "correct" fighter for socialist realism did not like what he believed to be unprincipled art of Europe. French artists, according to Gerasimov, listened with interest to his stories about "artistic activities in the USSR." “The wonderful life and working conditions of artists in the Soviet Union seemed to them like a fairy tale, where all kinds of art were surrounded by the care of the party and the government” (Sokolnikov M. A. Gerasimov. Life and work. - M., 1954. P.134. ).

In the second half of the thirties and in the forties such officially pompous works of Gerasimov as “I. V. Stalin and K. E. Voroshilov in the Kremlin "(1938, Tretyakov Gallery)," I. V. Stalin makes a report at the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) on the work of the Central Committee of the CPSU (Bolsheviks) "(1939, Tretyakov Gallery)," Hymn to October "(1942. RM)," I. V. Stalin at the coffin of A. A. Zhdanov "(1948. Tretyakov Gallery, Stalin Prize 1949). Such "epoch-making" paintings were usually created by the brigade method, that is, by apprentices - the maestro himself prescribed only critical details. His huge canvases, full of poster pathos, became the standards of the official style of Soviet art.

His paintings created the image of a "wise leader" and played an important role in propaganda campaigns. The artist unrestrainedly flattered Stalin both in his pompous images of the secretary general and in his statements about him. Perhaps, just to raise his authority, he assured that Stalin in conversations with him "expressed the most valuable, for us - artists, remarks concerning the very theme of our craft." However, Stalin himself did not consider himself a connoisseur of painting, rather he was indifferent to it, if it did not concern his own portraits (Gromov E. Stalin: power and art. - M., 1998. S. 288, 305.).

The artist tirelessly also painted portraits of high-ranking officials of the Communist Party and government (Portrait of VM Molotov. [VM Molotov speaks at a meeting at the Bolshoi Theater on November 6, 1947.]. 1948. Tretyakov Gallery), military leaders and heroes of socialist labor ... Sometimes Gerasimov also wrote to representatives of the creative intelligentsia: "Ballerina O. V. Lepeshinskaya" (1939), "Group portrait of the oldest artists I. N. Pavlov, V. N. Baksheev, V. K. Byalinitsky-Biruli, V. N. Meshkov "(1944, Stalin Prize 1946). He also portrayed his family - "Family Portrait" (1934. Museum of the Republic of Belarus).

For himself, Gerasimov was engaged in rude and simplified eroticism, numerous sketches for the unfinished paintings "Country Bath" (1938, House-Museum of AM Gerasimov, Michurinsk) and "Polovtsian Dances" (1955, property of the artist's family, Moscow) have been preserved. On the theme of the "Village bath" Gerasimov wrote many sketches "for himself" over the years (Village bath. Study. 1950. Collection of the artist's family). He also “averted his soul” in his work on illustrations for “Taras Bulba” (1947-1952), in which, perhaps, he was looking for the lost paths to the national romanticism of the beginning of the century.

By the end of the 1930s, during the period of mass repressions and the formation of the totalitarian Stalinist system, Gerasimov achieved complete official success and prosperity. Now he is not only a courtier, highly paid painter, favorite of Stalin, but also the head of the country's artistic life, endowed with power. He was entrusted with leading and, most importantly, controlling the work of other artists. He was appointed chairman of the board of the Moscow branch of the Union of Artists (1938-1940) and chairman of the organizing committee of the Union of Soviet Artists (1939-1954). When the Academy of Arts of the USSR was created in 1947, Gerasimov was appointed its first president at the insistence of Voroshilov - he held out in this chair until 1957.

In all posts Gerasimov showed himself to be an energetic assistant to the party in suppressing the creative intelligentsia. He rigorously fought against any deviations from socialist realism under the false slogan "loyalty to the great traditions of Russian realism." He firmly and consistently fought against "formalism", against "admiration for the degenerated art of the bourgeoisie."

As a loyal handy for Voroshilov, he actively contributed to the closure in 1946 of the Museum of New Western Art, which housed the Museum of Gifts to IV Stalin. In 1948, during the discussion of formalism, he tirelessly advocated "high ideological art," that is, for an emasculated and ideological art. Gerasimov asked rhetorically and answered bluntly: “Why should I have considered the tastes of formalist artists above my taste? [...] with all my gut I understood that this was some kind of death, I was sick of all this and caused hatred, which is still not done less. "

He trampled on the Impressionists with particular fury and pleasure. Gerasimov's faithful people sought out recalcitrant artists and reported them to the strict guardian of the socialist realist order. The proceedings were always short and categorical. If the artist painted with strokes, then the accusation of "impressionism" followed. From that moment on, any works of such a disgraced painter were no longer accepted anywhere and he was doomed to a hungry existence.

At the same time, Alexander Gerasimov perfectly understood what real art and true creativity are. When his thoughts were far from responsible posts and high tribunes, he created chamber, lyrical works, giving preference to landscape and still life. In these works, willy-nilly, the pictorial system of his teacher Konstantin Korovin was reflected. Many of them bear distinct traces of impressionistic writing: The Song of a Starling (1938, Tretyakov Gallery), Apple Trees in Blossom (1946. Collection of the artist's family). In my opinion, his best work is “After the Rain. Wet Terrace "(1935. Tretyakov Gallery). In it, the artist showed genuine painting skills.

In everyday life, Alexander Mikhailovich was known as a gentle and benevolent person. In conversations with close people, he allowed himself very unorthodox statements. He advised young artists: “The most important thing is to grab life by the tail. Its uniqueness. Don't go after particularly formal canvases. You will get the money, but you will lose the artist in yourself ”.

By old age, the venerable artist seemed to have shrunk in stature and looked like a dwarf, wrinkled yellow skin hung in folds on his face, black Mongoloid eyes under flabby eyelids seemed sad. There was nothing villainous in his appearance. About himself he said: “I am the purest Russian! But the Tatars in my family, apparently, have been thoroughly. I would have to sit on a horse, beat off dried basturma under the saddle, drink, if I wanted to, cut the horse vein, drink blood. However, I have already sucked the blood of all formalists, and imagists, and diamonds like this ... I don't want any more, I'm sick ... ”.

With the death of Stalin, Gerasimov's influence began to fade, and after the 20th Congress of the CPSU and the exposure of the personality cult, the former ruler of artists was removed from affairs. In 1957, he lost his post as president of the Academy, paintings with the former leaders were removed to the museum storerooms.

Opal Gerasimova was perceived by the intelligentsia as one of the symptoms of Khrushchev's "thaw". However, the artist himself, who highly appreciated his talent, considered himself undeservedly rejected. When one of his acquaintances, an art critic, met the former head of socialist realism on the street and asked how he was doing, he replied with a startling phrase: "In oblivion, like Rembrandt." However, he exaggerated the measure of both his rejection and his talent. Socialist realists will be in demand until the fall of the partocracy in 1991.

The phenomenon of Gerasimov and many similar artists of the Soviet period is ambiguous. Gerasimov is a painter endowed with great talent from God. Any master in his work, whether he wants it or not, depends on the government, on the socio-culture, on the established community, on money. To what extent can he afford to compromise that cannot be avoided? Gerasimov has clearly crossed the invisible line of demarcation. He began to serve not his Talent, but the Leaders.

After the rain. Wet terrace, 1935
On display in the Tretyakov Gallery are two Gerasimov paintings: "Wet Terrace" and "I.V. Stalin and K. E. Voroshilov in the Kremlin. An example of a creative alternative for future art historians. But, perhaps, the descendants, when covered with the patina of the time of crime and injustice of the Stalinist era, will see in them only a great pictorial gift without any connection with the political conjuncture of the past. And in the still unwritten history of Russian art will remain both "Wet Terrace" and "I. V. Stalin and K. E. Voroshilov ". As outstanding monuments of their era. After all, no one now would think of reproaching DG Levitsky, F.S. Rokotov, V.L.Borovikovsky, I.E.Repin, V.A.Serov for the royal portraits.

Died Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov in Moscow on July 23, 1963; in the same year, the memoirs of a "militant socialist realist" ("The Life of an Artist") were published.

In March 1977, a memorial house-museum of the artist was opened in Michurinsk. It is a large two-story brick building. There is a garden, outbuildings, a carriage shed and a barn. Apparently, the artist's parents were wealthy merchants who knew how to trade profitably for themselves. The son followed in their footsteps.

Russian painting is rightfully distinguished from world art. The fact is that until the seventeenth century, Russian painting was associated exclusively with a religious theme. The situation changed with the coming to power of the tsar-reformer - Peter the Great. Thanks to his reforms, Russian masters began to engage in secular painting, there was a separation of icon painting as a separate direction. The seventeenth century is the time of artists such as Simon Ushakov and Iosif Vladimirov. Then, in the Russian art world, the portrait was born and quickly became popular. In the eighteenth century, the first artists appeared who switched from portrait painting to landscape painting. There is a pronounced sympathy of the masters for winter panoramas. The eighteenth century was also remembered for the birth of everyday painting. In the nineteenth century, as many as three trends gained popularity in Russia: romanticism, realism and classicism. As before, Russian artists continued to turn to the portrait genre. It was then that the world famous portraits and self-portraits of O. Kiprensky and V. Tropinin appeared. In the second half of the nineteenth century, artists more and more often depict the simple Russian people in their oppressed state. Realism becomes the central trend in painting of this period. It was then that the Wanderers appeared, depicting only real, real life. Well, the twentieth century is, of course, the avant-garde. The artists of that time greatly influenced both their followers in Russia and around the world. Their paintings became the forerunners of abstract art. Russian painting is a huge amazing world of talented artists who glorified Russia with their creations