Andrey Andreevich Mylnikov is an artist and teacher on a large scale

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

He wrote epic canvases and lyrics. He survived all the sorrows that befell the Russian people in the 20th century: the Civil War, the blockade of Leningrad and perestroika. Mylnikov had so much creative talent that he generously shared it with others, becoming a teacher for hundreds of young artists.

Life before the war

Andrey Andreevich Mylnikov was born on February 22, 1919 in the city of Pokrovsk, Saratov Region. The future artist grew up in difficult years for the whole country: the Revolution, the Civil War, collectivization. He did not know his father, an engineer and head of the car-building workshops; he was shot by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Andrei was brought up alone by his mother, in the provinces, but in 1930 she was forced to move to the capital, and then to Leningrad in search of work. Thanks to the move, the boy, who early showed a talent for drawing, got the opportunity to personally meet great masters: for example, Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin visited the art studio where he studied.

At the age of 18, Mylnikov enters the architectural department of the Leningrad Academyarts, then moves on to painting. His mentors were famous Soviet artists: Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar, Viktor Mikhailovich Oreshnikov, Boris Aleksandrovich Vogel and others.

Early success

Successful studies were interrupted by the war and the blockade of Leningrad. The young artist takes part in the defense of the city on the Neva. In 1942, he was taken away from the northern capital in a state of severe dystrophy. After 2 years, the artist returns to Leningrad to study and work. Andrey Andreyevich Mylnikov's diploma painting "The Oath of the B altics" was a great success and is considered one of the most famous and best works of the painter. The work, dedicated to the feat of sailors during the war years, was highly appreciated by critics, comparing it with the canvases of Repin himself.

Post-war creativity

In peacetime, the works of Andrei Andreyevich Mylnikov are widely recognized both among the people and the country's leadership, although the painter never joined the party. His work is epic in both size and theme, and is in keeping with the zeitgeist.

The State Prize was awarded to Mylnikov's painting "In Peaceful Fields" (1950). The artist's works appear not only on canvases, he is engaged in decorative painting. The most famous works of that time are a mosaic for the Leningrad metro station "Abundance" (1957), as well as a curtain with a portrait of Lenin for the Palace of Congresses in Moscow (1961). It is this image of Vladimir Ilyich that is known in our country and all over the world.

Mylnikov's favorite genre is a portrait. He portrays his famouscontemporaries and friends. The portrait of the sculptor T. S. Konenkov (1970) is remarkable - it is a lively and dynamic image.

Best portraits

The most favorite models are women and children, first of all - the daughter. The series of paintings "Verochka" (1955, 1963, 1966) deserved special recognition from the public. The artist watches his daughter growing up in fascination and lovingly reflects her on the canvas.

Later Mylnikov will paint a portrait of his granddaughter: "Dasha (Princess)" (1979). The artist depicted his wife, the famous ballerina Arina Pestova, with inspiration in the paintings “At Breakfast” (1958), “Arisha” (1951), “White Night” (1961).

He also liked to write nude female images, not erotic, but lyrical. According to the author himself, in this way he showed the ideal of beauty, tried to find and combine the beauty of the body and spirit.

Mylnikov pays special attention to the image of his mother. The paintings "Motherhood" (1966), "Sisters" (1967) are epic in their own way, glorifying the beauty of a woman with a child in her arms. The later one - "Farewell" (1975) - is tragic: the eyes of a mother seeing her son off to war touch the viewer to the core.

Nature in creativity

The artist Mylnikov Andrei Andreevich is a recognized master of landscape, in which he combined the traditions of Russian realism and symbolism. His nature is simple, but very lyrical and close to any Russian person.

One of the best paintings of the author is the landscape "Silence" (1987): the young man and girl depicted on it blissfully dissolve in nature, they are connectedwith her into a single whole and therefore happy.

Other landscapes include: "Spring" (1972), "Island" (1975), "Thunderstorm" (1980), "Trees in the Snow" (1984).

Late philosophical themes

The painter travels a lot around the world. He was especially struck by the culture of Spain. Upon returning to the Soviet Union, Mylnikov created a series of paintings dedicated to Garcia Lorca. "Spanish Triptych" (1979) includes the canvases "Corrida", "Death of Garcia Lorca" and "Crucifixion". These works are considered the most powerful in the artist's work, they emotionally and symbolically talk about eternal themes: life and death, suffering and a strong human spirit.

Mylnikov continues to write in old age. Pictures of the 90s - "Crucifixion" (1995), "Pieta" (2000) touch on the same philosophical topics.

Famous teacher and professor

For many years (from 1947 to 2012, one can say from the moment of graduation until his death) Andrey Andreevich Mylnikov has been teaching at the same institution where he studied himself - the Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after I. E. Repin in Petersburg. A professor and a gifted teacher, he trained an incredible number of artists - about 500. In addition, he was vice president of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Andrey Andreevich Mylnikov died on May 16, 2012. His grave is located at the Volkovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg.

The works of one of the most gifted and recognized domestic painters of the 20th century continue to bein demand both at home and abroad.