Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Kuzma Sergeevich Petrov-Vodkin (Кузьма Сергеевич Петров-Водкин), 1878-1937, is a famous Russian and Soviet painter.
Biography
Early years
Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin was born in 1878 in Khvalynka, Samara Oblast, in a middle-class family of shoe maker. His first exposure to art was in his early childhood when he befriended a couple of icon makers and a freelance painter. Still, Petrov-Vodkin didn't quite see himself in art at that time; after graduating from middle school, he took a summer job at a small shipyard with plans to get into railroad college in Samara. After failing his exam, he turned to "Art Classes of Fedor Burov" in 1893.
In April 1895, Burov died and for some time Petrov-Vodkin took different painter jobs in the regions. By chance, his mother's employee invited a well-known architect, R. Meltzer. Petrov-Vodkin was introduced to the guest and impressed him enough to get an invitation to study art Saint Petersburg. The education was financed by a charity among local merchants.
Petrov-Vodkin stayed in Saint Petersburg from 1895 to 1897, before mowing to "Moscow institute of sculpture, painting and architecture". Petrov-Vodkin was a student of Valentin Serov, another famous Russian painter. In 1901, Petrov-Vodkin took classes in Munich. He graduated in 1904.
Beginning of independent work (1899-1912)
Even during his college years, Petrov-Vodkin managed to have a conflict with Russian orthodox church, which discarded his work on a chapel in Samara and ultimately destroyed it as unacceptable. Some of his early works were deemed too erotic. His first really well-known work was Dream (1910), which sparked a discussion among contemporary Russian artists. A main proponent of the Painting was Alexander Benois, and his main opponent - Ilya Repin, thus the paining was discussed by two major Russian painters of the time. Other major works of that time include Boys, and, most notably, Bathing of a Red Horse. The latter became an instant classic, and, in a sence, trademark for the artist and a conclusion for the period.
During this stage in his artistic development, Petrov-Vodkin extensively used an aesthetic of Orthodox icon together with brighter colours and unusual compositions. His works were often deemed blasphemous and erotic (sometimes even homoerotic).
Maturity (1912-1928)
During his earlier years, Petrov-Vodkin developed his "spherical perspective": a unique twist that distorted the drawing as to represent the viewer high enough to actually notice the spherical curve of the globe. He used it extensively through his works like Death of a Comissary and On the Line of Fire, which make the observer seem more distant, but actually close. It is argued that this twist has been built upon Byzantine perspective - an inverse perspective used in iconography.
Petrov-Vodkin's colours get darker, but paintings become more detailed. He starts painting still life and portraits, stepping further away from his usual theme. With the help of Soviet government, he makes several trips across USSR, painting a lot of ethical material.
Later years (1928-1937)
In 1928, Petrov-Vodkin got ill and had to abandon painting for several years. He turned to literature ant wrote two major books, "Khvalynsk" and "Euclid's Space". His return to painting was not so spectacular. His drawing became caricature-like, although it is usually considered that he started feeling suffocation from Stalin's Great Purge and starting painting satire. Most notable among works of this period is 1919. Alarm. (1934), which basically shows the uneasyness of teh time.
Heritage
Until mid-1960es, Petrov-Vodkin was nearly forgotten in USSR as not true to the spirit of socrealism. However, during the time of Khrushchev he was rediscovered and rightfully reinstalled as one of the major Russian painters.
Works
-
Kiss -
Petrograd Madonna -
Motherhood -
On the Line of Fire
-
Dream -
1919. Alarm.
-
Boys -
Death of a Comissary
-
Bathing of a Red Horse
-
Moving party -
Theatre. Farce.
-
Theatre. Tragedy.
-
Herring -
Bather's morning -
Fisherman's Daughter -
Thirsty Warrior
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
.jpg?lang=en)
