Sculpture and artist Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin: biography, features of creativity and interesting facts

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

The second half of the 19th century in our country was marked by the creation of magnificent works of fine art, the authors of which were I. Repin, I. Kramskoy, V. Perov, I. Aivazovsky and many other Russian artists. Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich in his youth also pleased art lovers with his works, which are distinguished by dynamism and realism. However, real fame came to him thanks to his monumental sculptural works, which today adorn Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian cities.

Childhood

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich was born in the village of Platonovo (Smolensk province). His father came from a peasant class, but thanks to his business acumen, he managed to become a small landowner. The upbringing of the son was mainly done by the mother and grandfather - Dmitry Andreevich. It was they who taught him to play the piano, harp and guitar. In addition, the boy began to visit a local icon painter to studybasics of his craft.

When the Mikeshin family moved to the nearest county town of Roslavl, Misha entered a parochial school, then a 3-grade county school, and then a gymnasium.

During his studies, he proved to be an exemplary student. In addition, at the insistence of his mother, the boy also studied drawing and music. However, he failed to successfully graduate from the gymnasium due to a scandalous incident. Shortly before his final exams, he joined a "secret order of misogynists" organized by classmates. One day the members of this boyish "organization" gathered at the Mikeshins' house. Mikhail did not know that one of his comrades had brought vodka with him and poured it into glasses where there was water for the initiation ceremony. As a result, the boys got drunk and fought. This became known to the leadership of the gymnasium, which expelled the entire company with a "wolf ticket".

Study in St. Petersburg

Continuing education was out of the question. In order not to sit idle, Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin got a job as a draftsman on the construction of the Moscow-Warsaw highway. However, he did not leave painting and took drawing lessons from local artist A. Rokachevsky.

The head of the construction of the highway A. Vonlyarlyarsky noticed the outstanding abilities of the young man and assisted him in a trip to the Northern capital and admission to the Academy of Arts. Mikeshin quickly overcame the initial stage of education and began to study in the class of battle painting under the guidance of B. Villevalde. Success came to the artist afterfirst year of study. In particular, Emperor Nicholas I liked his painting Life Hussars at a Watering Hole, who purchased it for his collection.

Moreover, the young artist was invited to the palace as a teacher of painting to the Grand Duchesses, and after that he accompanied the youngest son of the Tsar, Nikolai Nikolaevich, on trips to Poland, Crimea, Ukraine, Transcaucasia and the Caucasus.

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich: biography (1858-1896)

After graduating from the Academy of Arts with a big gold medal, the artist became interested in monumental sculpture. He was lucky, and the very next year he won the competition of projects for the creation of a monument, which was supposed to be installed in Novgorod. The next 3 years he was busy working on this monument, which made him famous throughout the country.

Immediately followed by several proposals for the creation of monuments for installation in different cities of the country. Most of them were liked by citizens, and were also highly appreciated by specialists.

In 1869 Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich became an academician.

The fame of the best muralist of the country, firmly entrenched in him, did not prevent the sculptor from looking for other areas of self-expression. In particular, in 1876-1878 he began to publish the magazine "Bee", where he published his cartoons and memoirs.

Mikeshin died in St. Petersburg in 1896.

Interesting facts

Information about a person can be given not only by his biography. Mikhail Mikeshin was a man with diverseinterests. In many ways, they were formed in childhood, thanks to their parents. In particular, the sculptor's love for depicting battle scenes was associated with a collection of weapons that his father recaptured from the French in 1812, when he fought in the militia, and later in the partisan brigade of A. S. Figner. Little Misha often took these sabers and guns without asking to play “war” with his peers.

Mikeshin's biography contains other interesting facts:

• During his first year at the academy, he made a living designing product labels.
• As a student, Mikeshin came every summer to the Smolensk estate of the Vonlyarlyarskys, where he painted the walls of the church of St. Alexander Nevsky.
• Today in Smolensk you can see 2 large granite vases made according to Mikeshin's drawings for the Vonlyarlyarsky estate.
• The sculptor owns sketches of decks of playing cards on historical themes commissioned by the Imperial Card Factory.
• Mikeshin was an enthusiast of the Esperanto language and founded the first Espero society in 1892.
• The artist was famous among the Petersburg intelligentsia and people of art as a witty cartoonist.

Monument in honor of the Millennium of Russia

This is his most famous creation, Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin created on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the calling of the Varangians to Russia. The Monument to the Millennium of Russia is a large-scale work depicting great saints, sovereigns, princes, as well as military leaders and other prominentpersonalities who glorified Russia.

The sculptural composition consists of three tiers, symbolizing the unity and interconnection of Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality. The monument was solemnly opened in Veliky Novgorod in 1862. I. Schroeder and V. Hartman helped in the work on the monument to Mikeshin.

For the creation of the sculptural composition "Millennium of Russia" Mikeshin was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and also granted an annual life pension of 1,200 rubles.

Monument to Catherine II in the Northern Capital

Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin also created a monument in honor of the centennial anniversary of the accession to the throne of the most famous female ruler of the Russian Empire. The monument to Catherine the Great was erected on Alexandria Square in St. Petersburg in 1873. It is a majestic bronze figure of the empress in a beautifully draped robe, in full growth, with a scepter and a laurel wreath in her hands. At her feet lies a crown, and on her chest is the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the upper tier of the pedestal of the monument, the sculptor placed 9 figures of the most famous figures of the Catherine era.

Monument to Bohdan Khmelnitsky

This monument, also authored by Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin, has been one of the symbols of the capital of Ukraine for more than 120 years. It was established in honor of the great hetman of the Zaporozhye army, who was one of the initiators of the entry of a significant part of the lands of the Dnieper and Little Russia into the Russian kingdom. Solemnthe opening of the monument was timed to coincide with the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. He depicts Bogdan Khmelnitsky sitting on a lathered hot stallion. With one hand, the hetman tames his horse, and in the second he holds a mace pointing to the northeast.

Interestingly, according to the original project of the sculptor, the stallion Bogdan Khmelnitsky pushed the gentry, the Jesuit and the Jewish tenant off the rock, in front of which there were figures of a Little Russian, a Red Russian, a Great Russian and a Belarusian, listening to the song of a blind kobzar.

Monument to M. Yu. Lermontov

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich, whose sculptures were highly appreciated by his contemporaries, is the author of the monument installed in St. Petersburg, in the square in front of the main building of the Nikolaev Cavalry School. The creation of this monument was given to the famous master with great difficulty, as he became the object of criticism due to the choice of stone for the pedestal, as well as the "inappropriate" clothes in which the bronze figure of the seated Lermontov was dressed.

Monument to Ataman Yermak in Novocherkassk

The creations created by Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich can be seen not only in the capital and in St. Petersburg. For example, on the Cathedral Square of Novocherkassk there is a monument to Ataman Yermak. The sculpture is mounted on a massive granite block. Yermak holds a crown in his right hand, which symbolizes the conquest of Siberia for the Russian tsar, and in his left hand he holds a marching banner.

Now you know what works Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin created. A brief biography of the famous sculptor and artist is also known to you. She is an example of how a young man from the outback became famous and reached the top of the profession through talent and hard work.