Boris Kustodiev: paintings with titles, descriptions of works, photos

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

Boris Kustodiev is one of the most famous painters who glorify Russian life. Sometimes the artist is called the Russian Renoir, and Kustodiev's paintings with the names "The Merchant for Tea" or "Shrovetide" are visually known even to those who have not heard of him before. What other famous works belong to the brush of Boris Mikhailovich? The most famous and most significant paintings by Kustodiev with names and descriptions are further in the article.

Short biography

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev was born on March 7 (February 23 according to the old style), 1878, in an Astrakhan family of a logic teacher, professor of philosophy and literature. The future great artist began to show interest in drawing while still studying at a parochial school, and from the age of 15 he already took professional lessons from the artist Pavel Alekseevich Vlasov. At the age of 18, Boris Mikhailovich became a student of the Imperial Academy of Arts inPetersburg, where Vasily Savinsky and Ilya Repin were his mentors.

In 1900, the artist went to the Kostroma province - he was looking for nature for his thesis, and found the love of his life, Yulia Efstafyevna. They got married the same year. In 1903, after graduating from the Academy with honors and a gold medal, Kustodiev moved to Paris with his wife and young son Kirill. Here Boris Mikhailovich studied at the studio of the artist Rene Joseph Menard, traveled a lot around Europe, studying and copying the works of classical painters of Italy, Germany and France.

In 1904 Kustodiev returned to Russia, soon after that his daughter Irina was born. The artist worked a lot as an illustrator, in 1907 he became a member of the Union of Russian Artists, and in 1909 - a member of the Academy of Arts thanks to Repin's patronage.

Below you can see a reproduction of a painting by Boris Kustodiev called "On the Terrace", which he painted in 1906. The breakfast of the artist and his family is depicted here: his son Kirill looks directly at the viewer, in the very center with a cup - his elder sister. On the left is her husband, and on the right is Kustodiev himself. The artist's wife Julia made room at the table so that the nanny could seat little Irina on a chair.

In 1909, Boris Mikhailovich was diagnosed with a serious tumor of the spinal cord. Over the course of several years, he underwent more than one operation, as a result of the latter, the tumor was removed, but his legs remained paralyzed. From about 1912, the artist moved exclusively in a wheelchair, and painted inmostly lying down - an uncomfortable chair quickly tired him. Despite this, in 1913 he began to teach at the St. Petersburg New Art Workshop, and the most famous paintings by the artist Kustodiev with the names "The Merchant for Tea", "Shrovetide", "Portrait of Chaliapin" and "Russian Venus" were painted during this difficult period.

May 26, 1927 49-year-old Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev died. He painted his last picture a year before his death, overcoming terrible pain and thus showing the feat of a true artist devoted to art.

Merchant for tea

Above in the photo is the most famous painting by Kustodiev called "Merchant for tea", which he created in 1918. It is with this canvas that the expression "Kustodian young lady" is most often associated, by which they mean a puffy, white-skinned, portly and luxuriously dressed woman.

Boris Kustodiev wrote his most famous merchant's wife from his countrywoman, Astrakhan Baroness Galina Aderkas. In the center of the plot - Galina in the image of a merchant's wife, in a velvet dress and a fashionable turban, in a cheerful mood drinking tea from a saucer at a rich table on the terrace or balcony.

The center of the plot was the so-called home paradise - a plentiful meal, a magnificent and richly dressed woman in the center, an affectionate cat and a magnificent landscape behind. The merchant's wife is calm and self-satisfied, which gives the impression that she really is the mistress of the world. The main character of the canvas looks a little to the side - eitherthinking, or attentively listening to the interlocutor who did not get on the canvas. The picture is painted in oil on canvas in the style of impressionism, allowing you to feel the moment of the moment. You can see this picture in the St. Petersburg State Russian Museum.

Other merchants of Kustodiev

On the bottom photo are paintings by Kustodiev (the names can be found below), which also depict women of this class:

• "Merchant", 1915, State Russian Museum.
• "Merchant Drinking Tea", 1923, Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum.
• "Merchant with a Mirror", 1923, State Russian Museum.

These are not so popular plots with merchants, but definitely worthy of attention. All three paintings are filled with the same meaning as "The Merchant at Tea": they depict "mistresses of life", full, elegant, well-groomed women who are used to living beautifully and not denying themselves anything. On the third canvas, the most interesting thing is the face of a merchant who has just entered the room and is frozen in admiration before the sight of his beautiful wife.

Plots with Maslenitsa

On account of Boris Kustodiev - 3 paintings with the name "Pancake week". A reproduction of the most famous can be seen below.

This magnificent canvas - both in terms of plot and in terms of execution - was painted in 1916. This is one of the first big works of Kustodiev after the experienced operations.on the spine. In all the artist's paintings, an all-consuming love for Russia, peasant and merchant life is visible, but in this picture, the bedridden artist outdid himself, as if trying to compensate for the impossibility of attending a fun holiday. You can see this beautiful painting in the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.

There are two more paintings with the same name, painted later:

• "Maslenitsa", 1919, Joseph Brodsky's apartment museum.
• "Maslenitsa", 1920, Nizhny Tagil Art Museum.

The painting of 1919 seems to be a stylistic and plot continuation of the first painting. The same color depth, detailed drawing of all the characters, a sense of presence. The second picture is more like an illustration and is the brightest example of Russian post-impressionism.

Portrait of Chaliapin

Another name for another well-known painting by the artist is "F. I. Chaliapin at the Fair". The opera singer and artist were introduced to each other by the writer Maxim Gorky, and together they worked on the opera "Enemy Force" (Kustodiev drew scenery and costume designs).

From 1920 to 1922, in a lying position and with the help of a special easel tilted over the bed, Boris Mikhailovich created this monumental portrait about 200 by 100 cm in size. The portrait became a favorite in the singer's collection, he bought it and took it to Paris,constantly keeping with him, so the artist created another version of the picture - a smaller one, measuring 99 by 81 cm. Currently, the first portrait is exhibited in the St. Petersburg house-museum of Chaliapin, and the second - in the State Russian Museum.

The background of the picture is so similar to Kustodiev's "Shrovetide" works that it may seem like an enlarged fragment of a similar picture.

Stepan Razin

An excellent painting by Kustodiev called "Stepan Razin", written in 1918, is quite famous.

It is known that Stepan Razin as the leader of the peasant uprising was a favorite figure in post-revolutionary culture. Boris Kustodiev was not an ardent supporter of the revolution, but he had nothing against either: the artist loved Russia, was fascinated by the novelty of what was happening, and therefore wrote the work, wishing in this way to welcome the changes in the country.

The picture is very interesting for its construction - the center is filled with the setting sun, and the main character - Stepan Razin, proudly standing in his boat, as if about to sail away from the picture. Here, the artist's talent for depicting the moment was most clearly reflected - he seemed to photograph a random moment, snatching it out of life forever with all natural poses and the absence of deliberate symmetry.

Russian Venus

Since the artist became most famous for depicting full, full of he alth and joy women, Kustodiev’s painting underThe name "Russian Venus" seemed destined to be the last in his creative life. On a large canvas, a fragment of which is presented above, the artist’s daughter Irina is depicted at the moment of bathing in a bath - her pose, nudity and shock of golden hair resemble Botticelli’s Venus, and at her feet in the form of a leaf from a box of soap is a kind of cartouche "Russian Venus", which has become kind irony over the title.

The highlight of the painting is the story of its creation - in 1926 the artist hardly got out of bed. When a similar plot was born in his head, he could not wait for the preparation of the canvas, and therefore he took his own painting "On the Terrace", which was already mentioned above, and began to write directly on its back. It is curious that Irina Kustodieva was first depicted on the canvas "On the Terrace" at about two years of age, and her last portrait appeared on the back twenty years later.

The picture was almost destroyed: during the flood in the Gorky Art Museum, most of the picture was washed away. Pavel Baranov managed to restore the last work of Kustodiev. He also made a special frame for the canvas, so that both "Russian Venus" and "On the Terrace" were available to the viewer. The painting is currently kept in the Nizhny Novgorod Art Museum.

Bolshevik

The painting by B. Kustodiev, whose name is "Bolshevik", sometimes confuses those who are trying to determine for themselves the political views of the artist. In 1915 hepainted "Portrait of Emperor Nicholas II", and already in 1919 - a huge Bolshevik walking down the street with a red flag fluttering. In fact, for those who are familiar with the personality of Boris Mikhailovich, this is not at all surprising. The fact is that he loved his Motherland in all manifestations, taking historical events for granted. That is why, during the reign of the king, he painted his portrait, and after the change of power - an allegorical picture of a new man.

The painting is currently exhibited at the Tretyakov Gallery.

The sailor and the sweetheart

Quite well-known images of new people in the vision of Kustodiev are similar paintings of 1920 and 1921. with the same name "Sailor and sweetheart". They depict the same people: a strong, courageous sailor with a cigar in his mouth and his sweet, smart girl in a fur boa, a charming hat, fashionable boots and an invariable rose.

These paintings are painted in watercolor on paper. There is no consensus on these works: someone believes that in the person of a fashionista and a sailor, Kustodiev found himself a plot replacement for merchants and merchants, who were now not approved. Someone, on the contrary, thinks that the paintings are ironic about modern young people who have reacted to changes in a peculiar way.

Japanese doll

The picture of the artist Kustodiev "Japanese doll" was painted in 1908, it depicts a little Irina Kustodievawhile playing with an exotic Japanese doll. An interesting contrast to the overseas toy is the neo-Russian architectural style of the house, visible through the large window.

This canvas is a vivid example of Kustodiev's impressionism and, as mentioned above, his talent, as it were, to photograph what is happening. The picture does not have a deep plot or subtext, but it captivates the viewer with its liveliness, everyday simplicity and sincerity. You can see the painting at the State Russian Museum.

Self-portraits

On the reproductions above and on the main photo of the article you can see paintings by Kustodiev, whose names are as follows:

• "Self-portrait at the window", 1899, Perm Art Gallery.
• "Self-portrait" 1904, State Museum of Arts of Kazakhstan.
• "Self-portrait on the hunt" (main photo of the article), 1905, State Russian Museum.
• "Self-portrait with son Cyril", 1909, private collection.
• Self Portrait, 1912, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

On these canvases the artist depicted himself.