Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov, artist: paintings, biography

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The life of an artist cannot be cloudless, even if outwardly everything is fine. A real master is always in search of both means of artistic expression and plots that will affect a person who has turned his gaze to his picture.

Adolescence and youth

Alexander Gerasimov was born in the small town of Kozlov in the Tambov province in 1881. He will return to it, to his small homeland, again and again, resting from a busy life in the capital and gaining new strength and impressions. In the meantime, the growing gifted young man is studying painting in Moscow. His teachers were K. A. Korovin, A. E. Arkhipov, V. A. Serov, real masters, whose works our Motherland is proud of. A wide etude style of writing, rich coloring become inherent in a novice master. This is how Gerasimov the artist grows, mastering classical and modern techniques.

When the First World War began, Gerasimov was mobilized, and he spent two years on the fronts. He knew the full severity of trench warfare, when a person, in the words of Sholokhov, is eaten by a louse to the bone.

Return and departure to the capital

In 1918 Gerasimov returned to his native Kozlovand has been working there as a decorator for several years. In 1925 he again comes to the capital. Gerasimov finds himself in the AHRR association as a painter. The artist now combines Soviet political themes with the traditional manner of painting. The big work “Lenin on the podium” has been conceived and is being written.

She cannot fail to find a response in the souls of people who lost their leader quite recently, four years ago, whose grief is still alive. But now they see Vladimir Ilyich against the background of the scarlet banners for which they shed blood on the fronts of the civil war, energetic, calling forward … The picture is filled with the pathos of revolutionary energy and is written in an understandable, intelligible pictorial language.

Portraitist

At the same time, he is a teacher at the 1905 Memory School. Gerasimov had the ability to capture portrait resemblance. Therefore, he perceived and positioned himself primarily as a portrait painter. It was in the 30s that portraiture became the main thing in the artist's work. He has individual and group portraits. He works on portraits of famous beloved actors, polar explorers. Group portrait "Cavalry Army" wins the Grand Prix at an exhibition in Paris.

Public life

The artist "opened the door" to his studio, and the daily life of people poured into it in a wide stream. The painter does not miss a single social event that affects the country - everything resonates with him. At the same time, administrative work is added: Gerasimov became one of the leaders in the secretariat of the board of the UnionSoviet artists. Despite the lack of time, the first persons of the state began to appear more and more often in his portraits. Willingly or unwittingly, but his work is considered a model of how to write. Gerasimov the artist becomes Stalin's favorite portrait painter.

This is a portrait of Stalin at the 17th Congress of the CPSU(b) in 1934. Still full of energy, I. V. Stalin reads a report that arouses the support of the entire hall. Various shades of brown, playing with golden reflections, do not merge, but give severity and seriousness to the moment. This is the official "ceremonial" portrait. More chamber, "home" portrait of I. V. Stalin and A. M. Gorky in Gorki, he will write in 1939.

A cozy setting on a veranda bathed in morning light streaming through the greenery of the surrounding trees. Its mother-of-pearl reflections are on the carved railings, on the tablecloth, on the clothes of two calmly talking people. Everything is filled with simplicity and tranquility. Calm and peace are emphasized by a dog sleeping calmly on the floor. Masterfully beat this friendly environment Gerasimov. The artist did not regret the light colors, which created such a wonderful harmonious corner.

A burst of inspiration

The picture that Gerasimov painted, "After the Rain", is simple, light and poetic.

It's just a corner of the veranda with a garden behind it: a bench with railings, a figured table with carved legs. A voluminous bouquet in a glass jug, an overturned glass - everything plays and shimmers with joyfulcolors, reflections of the sun that came out after a shower. Juicy and varied is the greenery of the rain-washed garden. All shades of green are used. Each leaf flickers, illuminated along the contour and illuminated from the back. The branches leaned heavily, very close to the veranda, they were about to look into it. The puddles on the floor reflect the blue of the sky. Everywhere, on every object, raindrops sparkle like mother-of-pearl. The artist achieved a special state of freshness and purity, using the reflections that leave behind both the greenery of the foliage and the white-pink bouquet on the dark wet surface of the table. Light and shadow are intertwined, but the shadow is made in many shades, and therefore also shines and shimmers, pleasing the eye. The viewer does not see the light source. Scattered light of the sun - somewhere behind the trees and bushes. It is not bright, but the warmth of the setting summer sun is felt everywhere. According to eyewitnesses, after a summer downpour, Gerasimov (“After the Rain” is one of his most famous paintings), delighted with what he saw, immediately took up paint and a palette and, in one breath, without stopping, captured a marvelous landscape. But in order to be able to work so quickly and efficiently, one must go a long and difficult path in painting. That is the only reason why the artist managed to express the sincerity of his feeling, which leaves no one indifferent, to convey to the viewer the energy of freshness. Later, the master recalled his delight, his impatience when he was working on the landscape. Therefore, the work has become truthful and poetic in every detail. It was exhibited in Paris, and the painter received the Grand Prix (Grand Prix). This is not random luck, but the result of a lot of long work,conditioned by all life. Adjacent to it is a family portrait taken a year earlier.

In the same father's house in Kozlov, on a hot summer day, the whole Gerasimov family gathered. It is here, without moving to the capital, that the artist's relatives constantly live. The painter is resting serenely after intense activities with his family. He is preparing for the upcoming difficult and big work. The canvas is filled with light, peace and harmony.

The exhibition is a great event in the life of an artist

In the same years, more precisely, in 1936, the artist summed up his work, which had lasted for a quarter of a century: his exhibition was held in Moscow, where about a hundred works were presented. These were paintings and graphic works.

Another portrait

A little later, "Portrait of the ballerina O. V. Lepeshinskaya" will be painted, in 1939.

The artist catches the lead dancer after the warm-up, she is no longer at the barre. In a traditional ballet tutu, standing on pointe shoes, she is ready to fly up and continue the dance. Proud landing of the head, turn of the shoulders, a slight smile - everything speaks of the temperamental sparkling character of the dancer, of her liveliness and dynamism, which she transferred to the stage. The inspiration and love for work experienced by the prima ballerina are also captured by the artist in this portrait. Olga Vasilievna was one of the most beloved ballerinas of I. V. Stalin, he called her "dragonfly".

War

In the difficult years of the war, the master continues to work andtransfers his personal savings to the Defense Fund. The historical genre now occupies the artist more and more. He creates portraits of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. During the same period, he painted “A group portrait of the oldest Soviet artists Pavlov I. N., Baksheev V. N., Byalyanitsky-Biruli V. K., Meshkov V. N.”, for which he received the Stalin Prize in 1946.

Given the great influence on the development of fine arts had A. M. Gerasimov, he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR. He is also working on an epic film dedicated to the conference of the leaders of the three great powers in Tehran.

So once again the historical genre appeared in the artist's work. The canvas captured both the appearance and the characters of the people who took part in it.

Academician

After the war, in 1947, he was elected the first president of the USSR Academy of Arts. A significant role in this election was played by his close friend Voroshilov. For ten years, in this position, Gerasimov vigorously fought against those artists who were seen in innovation or even just in impressionism. He considered the degenerate art of the West to be alien to Soviet people. During these years, he creates a canvas full of solemnity and pomposity called “There is a subway!”

In the center on the podium - JV Stalin. But for some reason, not the leader, not the delegates in the hall, but five huge chandeliers attract all the attention. Everything else seems smaller andinsignificant.

In the small homeland

The artist disposes of great creative potential and high efficiency when he comes to his native city. Here he paints still lifes, landscapes, reflecting his state of mind. Memories of the years of work and study with Konstantin Korovin are reflected in these canvases.

"Song of the Starling" is a pure work without any pathos, lyrically telling about the beauty of awakening nature. Still life “Noon. Warm rain" shows how the master yearned for this work.

In it, he can use all the available techniques, change the boring brown-red color to a subtle lilac-blue, show raindrops flowing down the glass, breathe in clean, moisture-filled air. This is life in its personal manifestations. This is Gerasimov the artist, whose paintings are far from official, but full of dreams and lyrics, admiration and pleasure.

Personality Traits

Here you can see another side of his personality. After all, in everyday life Gerasimov was a gentle, benevolent person. He recommended young artists not to chase titles, money and fame. They will come to the person who deserves them after a long work on the drawing and coloring. He believed that one should not lose the artist in oneself.

Opala

After the death of I. V. Stalin, Gerasimov's influence began to decrease. Yes, he has changed in appearance. He became, as it were, smaller in stature, lost weight. Intelligent eyes were sad. But he was already in his seventies. The disgraced artist during Khrushchev's "thaw" was perceived as something obsolete.

Life goes on

However, Gerasimov himself did not consider himself a retrograde. He knew that he was an artist endowed with great talent by God himself. And it was true. But what did he exchange his talent for? In order to survive, he had to compromise and serve those in power. There is a fine line here between serving the Talent and the Masters. How can you not slip off of it? How not to cross the invisible line? These are eternal questions for every artist, in whatever area he works. The musician Orpheus was faced with the question of whom to serve - the bright, clear, harmonious Phoebus or the dark, stormy, ecstatic Dionysus. Since ancient times, this question has been decided by everyone for himself. Gerasimov Alexander Mikhailovich (artist) gave himself an answer, although he hesitated to the end.

Artist Ambiguity

Future art critics, comparing two paintings by Gerasimov, which are in the State Tretyakov Gallery, can see in them a timeless talent and will not reproach the artist for the splendor of portraits of Soviet leaders. How we look today at the ceremonial works of Franz Xavier Winterh alter or D. G. Levitsky and V. L. Borovikovsky, carefully written out in every detail, and treat them calmly - just like works of art.

What gave the artist the Motherland

For services to the Fatherland, starting in 1941, A. M. Gerasimov was favored by the authorities. Awards and prizes just rained down on him. He is a People's Artist of the USSR, he has four Stalin Prizes, the Order of Lenin, the OrderLabor Red Banner.

So, in tireless work, the life of a creator with a simple surname Gerasimov passed. The artist, whose biography is dual and ambiguous and, undoubtedly, marked by Talent, died when he was 82 years old.