Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov, artist: paintings, biography. Russian artists. Gerasimov Alexander Mikhailovich Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov famous Soviet artist

People's Artist of the USSR A.M. Gerasimov went down in Russian and Soviet history visual arts as an author famous portraits, thematic paintings, landscapes. He created about three thousand works, many of which were included in the golden fund of Russian fine art. Works by A.M. Gerasimov are in many art museums and art galleries former USSR: State Tretyakov Gallery, State Russian Museum, Museum of the Armed Forces, Historical Museum, etc. A.M. Gerasimov was the first president of the USSR Academy of Arts from 1947 to 1957. For many years, he headed the Organizing Committee of the Union of Artists, paying special attention to the development of multinational art in all its originality and versatility. The artist devoted a lot of energy to teaching and working with creative youth.

Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov was born on August 12, 1881 in the city of Kozlov (now Michurinsk), in the Tambov region. The father of the future artist, a native of peasants, was later a prasol - a livestock trader. He traveled to the south of the country, bought cattle, drove them to Kozlov and sold them in the market squares of the city. Gerasimov later recalled that his father did not acquire anything other than a two-story mansion house - his business did not always bring in large incomes, sometimes it simply “burned out.” “Our family,” recalled Alexander Mikhailovich, “lived according to old customs and adhered to them very strictly.”

After graduating from the parochial school, Gerasimov entered the Kozlovsky district school. At the same time, the father accustoms the “heir” to the trade business. In the early 90s, a graduate of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts S.I. Krivolutsky came to Kozlov and opened art school. At this time, A.M. Gerasimov began to get involved in drawing. Once, sitting with his father in a tavern over tea, he drew a horse, and when he showed the drawing to his friends, they said: “But your horse turned out to be alive.” A little later he absolute precision painted many Kozlov merchants. Having learned about the opening of a drawing school, he began to attend it. When Gerasimov showed his drawings to Krivolutsky, Sergei Ivanovich told him: “Young man, go and enroll in Moscow School painting, sculpture and architecture."

Despite his parents' reluctance, he goes to Moscow, passes the drawing exam brilliantly and becomes a student at the School. His teacher in the landscape class was M.K. Klodt, in the head class - K.N. Gorsky and A.M. Korin, in the figure class - S.D. Miloradovich and N.A. Kasatkin, in the full-scale class - A.E. Arkhipov and L.O.Pasternak. Teachers V. Serov, K. Korovin, A. Vasnetsov gave him a lot in painting. Having brilliantly completed the painting department of the School, A.M. Gerasimov decided to attend the workshop of K. Korovin. To do this, it was necessary, on Korovin’s advice, to enroll in another department of the School. Gerasimov firmly decided on architecture. Konstantin Korovin, rightfully considered the founder of Russian impressionism, gave him a lot. Often visiting Paris, K. Korovin told students about French impressionism and, of course, influenced the work of young Gerasimov. This influence can be especially seen in his early student works created in 1912-13: “Portrait of V.A. Gilyarovsky”, “Portrait of N. Gilyarovskaya”, “Portrait of V. Lobanov”. All these works were written at V. Gilyarovsky’s dacha, in Gilyaevka. “Portrait of V.A. Gilyarovsky” is now in the writer’s apartment in Moscow, and two other portraits are in the collection of the museum-estate of A.M. Gerasimov.

During these years, V.A. Gilyarovsky often attended student exhibitions at the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. From the works, he could easily determine not only the artist’s talent, but also where this or that artist came from. He acquired paintings by the very young Gerasimov, supported him morally and financially, and this had a beneficial effect on the artist’s work.

Since 1909, A.M. Gerasimov has taken part in all reporting exhibitions of the School. In 1911, he showed about ten works: “The bees are humming,” “The rye is mowed down,” “The night is turning white.” In 1912 - "Bolshak. Heat", "Warm black soil", "Tossing haystacks", "Spring Festival", " Winter road. Troika." These student works were praised by critics: "Gerasimov," wrote the Moscow press of those years, "has proven himself to be an interesting landscape painter... Others are still looking, but he has already found his way. A wonderful, unique artist spring landscape, he can truly be called a poet of spring, a poet of young awakening nature." From the very beginning, A.M. Gerasimov declared himself as an artist following the traditions of Russian realistic art. "I loved life and the real in art. That’s why I liked the life of A.E. Arkhipov’s colors so much,” he recalled. A.M. Gerasimov was attracted to such artists as A. Zorn, C. Monet. According to him, in them he valued sincerity, poetry and integrity.

Upon graduating from the School in 1915, Gerasimov was awarded two diplomas - an artist of the 1st degree and a diploma of an architect. Its only architectural structure is the theater building, built in Kozlov in 1913. “While still a student, I designed a theater building in Kozlov in the modernized Empire style. This is the only building - the rest of the projects remained on paper, because I devoted my whole life to painting,” recalled A.M. Gerasimov. In 1915, A. Gerasimov was drafted into the army, and from the army in 1918 he returned to his hometown.

In Kozlov in 1919, the artist created the “Commune of Creativity of Kozlov Artists”. He gathered everyone “who could hold a brush in their hands in the slightest degree,” as well as artists who had graduated from art schools. "Commune" organized exhibitions and designed performances in the theater. At that time, A.M. Gerasimov worked as a decorative artist in the theater.

In 1925, A.M. Gerasimov moved to Moscow and soon joined the Academy of Artists and Artists, working at the same time as a set designer at the Moscow Operetta Theater and the Maly Theater. Since 1934, he has visited Germany, France, Italy, and Turkey on creative trips. From these trips he brings back many sketches, watercolor sketches, and travel sketches. In 1936, the first personal exhibition of A.M. Gerasimov opened in Moscow, at which more than a hundred works were presented. On it he shows the painting "Lenin on the Tribune" (1930), "Portrait of I.V. Michurin" (1926), a portrait - the painting "K.E. Voroshilov at the maneuvers of the Red Army" (1936) and many foreign sketches in which the artist admires the magnificent monuments of the past, conveys the rhythms of large European cities of the 30s. In the same year, the artist was awarded the Order of Lenin. After Moscow, the artist’s personal exhibition was shown in Michurinsk.

At the end of the 30s, A.M. Gerasimov became interested in portraiture: “The portrait genre is the main type of my creativity, expressing my essence as an artist,” Gerasimov wrote. The artist was attracted by creative, intellectually rich and significant personalities. “I loved and love the strong and bright in nature, I look for the same in a person and when I find it, I uncontrollably want to capture it in a colorful image,” recalled A.M. Gerasimov. The need to perpetuate the strong, wonderful person, seen in its broad connections with time, era, environment, resulted in the creation of a truly grandiose series of portraits. Among them, “Portrait of the ballerina O.V. Lepeshinskaya” (1939) especially stood out. The ballerina is depicted in the rehearsal hall, against the backdrop of a huge mirror, standing on pointe shoes. This technique allows you to show the dancer’s figure from two angles. The mirror reflects a table with makeup supplies and part of a ballet barre, and the easel at which the artist worked is also visible.

Remarkable are the portraits of A.K. Tarasova (State Russian Museum), the Moscow Art Theater actor I.M. Moskvin (1940) (Lvov Art Gallery), “Portrait of the artist Tamara Khanum” (1939). Later he wrote “Group portrait of the oldest artists of the State Academic Maly Theater of the USSR A.A. Yablochkina, V.N. Ryzhova, E.D. Turchaninova” (1956), “Portrait of Rina Zelenaya” (1954), etc.

In 1936, A.M. Gerasimov completed work on a large multi-figure canvas “The First Cavalry Army”. A year later, in 1937, this work was shown in Paris at the World Exhibition and received the highest award - the Grand Prix. In 1943, the artist was awarded the title "People's Artist of the USSR". In 1944, A.M. Gerasimov painted “Group Portrait oldest artists I.N. Pavlov, V.N. Baksheev, V.K. Byalynitsky-Birul, V.N. Meshkov." In 1946, for this work the artist received a third State Prize. In 1958, at the World Exhibition in Brussels, he was awarded a gold medal for the same work. A.M. Gerasimov saw beauty in everything, even in the simplest and most unpretentious. He knew how to make any, sometimes banal, motive sound. We see this quality in Gerasimov’s famous “Wet Terrace,” written in his hometown Michurinsk, in the courtyard of his house in three and a half hours. Tretyakov Gallery I immediately purchased this painting. " Wet terrace"written as if in one breath. The softness of the light, the rain-washed greenery of the garden, the countless variety of reflexes on the wet floor, on the polished table, the falling rose petals - all this is breathtaking. Only an artist who was enthusiastically in love with life could write the “world of things” like this This work was first shown at the first personal exhibition in Moscow in 1936.

In 1947, A.M. Gerasimov became the first president of the USSR Academy of Arts. He devoted a lot of time and effort to the institutes named after V.I. Surikov and I.E. Repin. He headed the State Commission for Awarding Diplomas and led a creative workshop at the Academy in Leningrad. He raised issues of educating young artists at sessions of the USSR Academy of Arts. In 1951 he became a doctor of art history. Whatever A.M. Gerasimov is busy with, whatever complex tasks he did not decide, he was, first of all, a painter, in love with life, a master of realistic art.

Even though the artist long years lived in Moscow, he loved his house in Michurinsk very much. His parents and his sister lived here, here he got married and his daughter Galina was born. Gerasimov traveled all over the world, he visited many countries, and when he returned from abroad, as a rule, he came to his native Michurinsk immediately the next day. One day he said to his sister: “Dear Sanya! In what hotels did I live abroad, with a microclimate, and now, when I arrived at my native home“I’m ready to kiss these stones.” So said the artist, sitting on a bench near the house and looking at the path paved with white stone that led from the house to the workshop, where he created his best works of the Kozlov period of creativity.

After the death of A.M. Gerasimov in 1963, the public of the city and region petitioned for the creation of a memorial museum in the city of Michurinsk.
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Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov

(1881—1963) —

Russian, Soviet painter

Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov was born on August 12, 1881 - Russian, Soviet painter, architect and art theorist, teacher, professor. Doctor of Art History (1951). The first president of the USSR Academy of Arts in 1947-1957.
Academician of the USSR Academy of Arts (1947). People's Artist of the USSR (1943). Winner of four Stalin Prizes(1941, 1943, 1946, 1949). Member of the CPSU(b) since 1950.

He was born in Kozlov (now Michurinsk, Tambov region) in merchant family.

Gerasimov's homeland

In 1903-1915 he studied at the Moscow School of Painting and Painting with K. A. Korovin, A. E. Arkhipova and V. A. Serova.

Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture

In 1915 he was mobilized into the army and until 1917 he was on the fronts of the First World War. After demobilization, in 1918-1925, he lived and worked in Kozlov.
In 1925 he moved to Moscow and joined the Association of Artists revolutionary Russia, began teaching at the Memory School in 1905.
In 1939-1954 he was chairman of the organizing committee of the Union of Artists of the USSR. In 1943, he transferred his personal savings, 50,000 rubles, to the Defense Fund.
Since 1947 - full member, in 1947-1957 - first president of the USSR Academy of Arts.
1951 - Doctor of Art History.
One of the largest Soviet artists of the 1930s - 1950s. Fascinated by impressionism in his youth, in the 1920s he began to paint pictures in the genre of socialist realism. The paintings of A. M. Gerasimov are written in bright, rich colors and are often dedicated to Soviet and party history.

J.V. Stalin and K.E. Voroshilov in the Kremlin. 1938

Stalin and A.M. Gorky in Gorki

Meeting of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt with the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi 1944

He was the favorite artist of J.V. Stalin. Portraits of Stalin by A. M. Gerasimov were considered canonical during the life of the leader. He was friends with Voroshilov, who visited A. M. Gerasimov in Michurinsk. Gerasimov painted many portraits of K. E. Voroshilov. There was also book illustrator(“Taras Bulba” by N.V. Gogol).
With the beginning of the reign of N.S. Khrushchev, he was gradually relieved of all posts, and the artist’s paintings were removed from museum exhibitions.

In the city of Michurinsk, Tambov region, there is a museum-estate of A. M. Gerasimov and an art gallery, the largest in Russian Federation among the city's art galleries. It was in this estate that A. M. Gerasimov wrote famous landscape“After the Rain (Wet Terrace),” an illustration of which was published in a Russian language textbook for many years.

Michurinsky was built according to his design Theatre of Drama in 1913.

Particularly famous is A.M. Gerasimov received as the author of numerous portraits of V.I. Lenin and I.V. Stalin. Occupying official positions in the main artistic organizations of the USSR in the most reactionary years, he pursued a tough policy of combating any deviations from the method of socialist realism. In the 1950s A.M. Gerasimov wrote: “Why should I consider the tastes of formalist artists above my taste? [...] with all my gut I understood that this was some kind of death, I was sick of all this and aroused hatred, which is still not done less […]". At the same time, the artist created chamber, lyrical works, giving preference to landscape and still life. In these works he was an adherent of the painting system of his teacher K.A. Korovina.

Gerasimov’s best works in the field of still life and landscape, characterized by great cheerfulness and colorfulness, are: “The Steppe is Blooming”, 1924, “Harvest”, 1930, “Apple Trees”, 1932, “After the Rain”, 1935, Tretyakov Gallery,
“Wanted”, 1937, series of landscapes “Mother Rye”, 1946, etc.
“Monastery Grove” is one of the early little-known works of Alexander Mikhailovich. Like everyone else best works Gerasimov’s etude is characterized by brightness and typicality of images, strength and saturation of color, clarity of form, objective touch -
borrowing, mastery of composition.
The landscape was painted in 1918 in the grove of Trinity Kozlovsky monastery, then stayed in the artist’s house in Kozlov-Michurinsk until 1964 with the author’s sister Alexandra Mikhailovna Gerasimova. In 1964 she gave
sketch by A.V. Platitsyn (artist, member of the USSR Union of Artists).

Alexander Gerasimov died on July 23, 1963. Buried in Moscow on Novodevichy Cemetery(site no. 8).

Gerasimov's grave at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Gerasimov A. M. “Portrait of the oldest artists: Pavlova I. N., Baksheev V. N., Byalynitsky-Biruli V. K., Meshkov V. N.” 1944

Self-portrait

"Family portrait"
Canvas, oil. 143 x 175 cm
National Art Museum The Republic of Belarus

Portrait of a daughter

News from the virgin lands. 1954

Portrait of ballerina O. V. Lepeshinskaya. 1939

Portrait of Michurin

"In the garden. Portrait of Nina Gilyarovskaya"
1912.
Canvas, oil. 160 x 200
House-Museum of A.M. Gerasimova
Michurinsk

Bombay dancer

"Bouquet of flowers. Window"
1914.
Canvas, oil. 75 x 99
Astrakhan Art Gallery named after. B.M. Kustodieva.
Astrakhan.

MONASTERY GROVE (Oak Grove of the Trinity Monastery)
(1918) Canvas/oil
78 x 62 cm
30.71"" x 24.41

.

"Noon. Warm rain"
1939

Noon. Warm rain. 1939

Still life with peonies and carnations. 1950s

"Still life "Roses""
1948
Canvas, oil. 107 x 126 cm
State Museum Arts named after A. Kasteev of the Republic of Kazakhstan

"Roses"

Family portrait

Today I will tell you about the work and life of the Russian and Soviet artist Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov.

Artist Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov was born in the Tambov province, in the city of Kozlov, into a merchant family. And this event happened on July 31, 1881. The small and cozy town of Kozlov will be for Gerasimov all his life not only a small homeland, but also a spiritual refuge - the artist will often come from the noisy capital to Kozlov: to relax and gain new strength, to write for the soul.

Roses on the table

But I’ll tell you about paintings “for the soul” a little lower.

In the meantime, the gifted young man leaves for Moscow to study painting. His teachers were V.A. Serov, K.A. Korovin, A.E. Arkhipov.

Then the first happened World War and the future artist goes to the front - two years of service on an ambulance train, which evacuated the wounded and maimed from the Southern Front. In 1918, Gerasimov left military service and leaves for small homeland, and has been working as a decorator for seven years.

In 1925, Alexander Mikhailovich moved to Moscow, joined the AHRR and actively “involved in revolutionary painting.” His canvas “Lenin on the Tribune” is very popular - the country recently lost its leader. And here is just a living Lenin - on the podium, against the backdrop of red banners...

Lenin on the podium

It must be said that during this period Alexander Mikhailovich became seriously interested in portraiture: individual portraits and group portraits. In fact, there is not a single major political event in a country to which the artist would not respond with another painting. And in addition, he actively works in the secretariat of the board of the Union of Soviet Artists.

Portraits of top officials of the state appear more and more often - his works are considered an example of Soviet portrait painting. This is exactly how leaders should be written. And there is no one who wants to argue with this, because the artist is considered the favorite portrait painter of Comrade Stalin.

Portrait of I.V. Stalin

Awards simply rained down. Sometimes the rain was golden.

I would not write about the artist’s work and bring to your attention his works if there were no “other” paintings. Very often the artist is presented as a kind of opportunist who, with lackey servility, painted and painted the leaders. This is stupidity. Gerasimov was a man of his era, in which paintings for the anniversary of the October Revolution and wet boards of the terrace after the rain were harmoniously intertwined.

After the rain. Wet terrace

After the death of Comrade Stalin, Gerasimov fell into disgrace; his “ceremonial” paintings, in connection with the revealed cult of the leader’s personality, were removed to museum storage rooms or simply destroyed.

We can say that the artist wasted his talent in serving the rulers, but... Don’t rush to judge him. There was a time when the creator had to make a difficult choice. And it is impossible to judge a person who lived in those times in isolation from those events and those people.

And today I want to show you the artist’s works. In particular, those that were written in Kozlov, in moments of spiritual solitude. Let's see great artist Gerasimova. One that is definitely timeless. Although, who am I to talk about eternity and true art? He is an artist - and this is beyond any doubt. An artist with a capital letter.

Paintings by the artist Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov

News from virgin lands
In the bath
Still life "Roses" Peonies
In the spring on the felling Portrait of a daughter
Still life. Field bouquet Daughter of the Mexican Ambassador Gloria national costume Tehuana Noon. Summer day
After spring thunderstorm
Roses
Paris. Cabaret
Roses Portrait of D.S. Dmitrievsky Portrait of Olga Lepeshinskaya
Garden in bloom
Report by I.V. Stalin at the XVI Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)
Peonies
Still life with roses
Wildflowers
Polovtsian dances Tatyana Udalenkova (Persian Dance from the opera “Khovanshchina” by M.P. Mussorgsky)
The night is growing pale. Still life
Portrait of Nina Gilyarovskaya Peonies
Hymn to October Portrait of I.V. Stalin

Alexander Gerasimov - artist, known in the history of fine arts as a great creator famous paintings. He created almost three thousand works of art. Most of these works are housed in museums and galleries in countries of the former Soviet Union.

Childhood of A. Gerasimov

Gerasimov Alexander Mikhailovich was born in 1881, on August 12, in the city of Michurinsk (formerly the city of Kozlov). His father was a simple peasant and livestock seller. In the south of his country he bought animals, and in Kozlov he sold them on the square. Apart from a single two-story house, the artist’s family had nothing. My father’s work was not always profitable; sometimes my father even suffered big losses. The family of the future artist always had certain traditions, which they invariably adhered to.

When Alexander Gerasimov graduated from church school, he entered the school in Kozlov. His father taught him the family trade. At the very beginning of the 90s, S. I. Krivolutsky (a graduate of the St. Petersburg Art Academy) opened an art school in the city of Kozlov. It was during this period that young Alexander Gerasimov began to become interested in drawing and began to visit open school drawing. When the founder of the school, Krivolutsky, saw Gerasimov’s drawings, he said that Alexander should enter the School of Painting in Moscow.

Study of Alexander Gerasimov

The parents were against their son going to study in Moscow. However, despite all the prohibitions, Alexander Gerasimov still enters the capital’s School of Painting. After its successful completion, Gerasimov began to often visit Korovin’s workshop. But to attend it, Alexander needed to study at any one more department of the school. And Gerasimov chose the department of architecture. The influence of A. Korovin greatly affected the artist’s early work. V.A. Gilyarovsky bought his early works and thereby supported him psychologically and financially to the young artist. Since 1909, A. Gerasimov participated in all exhibitions that were organized at the School.

In 1915, after graduating from the School, Alexander Gerasimov received two diplomas (architect and artist). But the only building that he built thanks to his architectural education was the building of the only theater in the city of Kozlov. That same year, Alexander left to serve in the army, and upon returning from there in 1918, he immediately returned to Michurinsk.

Artistic activity of A. Gerasimov

In 1919, Gerasimov became the organizer of the Kozlov Artists' Commune. This commune gathered everyone who had anything to do with art. This organization regularly held exhibitions, decorated and designed sets for various theatrical productions.

In 1925, A. Gerasimov left for the capital and entered the Academy of Reconstruction and Reform. During the same period of time, he worked as an artist in the Moscow theater. Since 1934, Alexander has been going on artistic trips and business trips to different countries, for example, France and Italy. From his creative, artistic travels, he brought a lot of good sketches of paintings and sketches. In 1936, a personal exhibition of the artist was opened in Moscow. This exhibition featured about one hundred famous works artist (“Lenin on the podium”, “Portrait of I.V. Michurin”, etc.). After a successful show in Moscow, the exhibition was demonstrated in the artist’s hometown - Michurinsk.

In 1937 famous work Gerasimova was demonstrated in France at a world exhibition and earned the Grand Prix.

In 1943, Alexander Gerasimov became People's Artist Soviet Union. For the work “Group portrait of the oldest artists,” Gerasimov was awarded the state award in 1946. prize, and in 1958 - a gold medal.

Family of Alexander Gerasimov

The artist loved his hometown and his family very much, although he lived in the capital, Moscow, for many years. The artist’s parents and his sister remained in Michurinsk. In this city, Gerasimov got married, and his beautiful daughter named Galina was born. Alexander was in different countries, but always, when I returned from a business trip, I always came to Michurinsk. He always told his sister that no beautiful and expensive hotels in various countries could compare with his home, where he was ready to even kiss stones.

Alexander Gerasimov died in 1963. A museum was opened in his honor in Michurinsk.

Alexander Gerasimov is an artist, author of a number of paintings on revolutionary themes. However, he also painted lyrical portraits and landscapes, in which the peculiarities of his work were especially evident: bright colors, broad strokes, and a desire for sketch-like design of the canvases.

Years of study

Alexander Mikhailovich Gerasimov was born in a small town in the Tambov province in 1881. The artist, whose biography and work are the subject of this review, studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture for more than ten years.

At first he studied at the painting department, and here his teachers were: famous masters, like Korovin, Serov. It was from them that he borrowed his characteristic style of writing. The author also adopted a lot from impressionist authors, whose work he became interested in during his student years. Gerasimov is an artist who did not limit himself to painting; he also took up architecture, enrolling in the corresponding department.

Female portrait

While studying at a Moscow school, the author wrote a series interesting works, in which even then his extraordinary talent as a painter was reflected. In 1912 he created a portrait famous translator and theater historian Nadezhda Gilyarovskaya. The picture is filled with bright sunlight, its colors are rich and bright. In the center of the canvas there is a figure of a young beautiful woman in a simple summer house dress. In front of her is a table with a huge bouquet of flowers, which gives the picture a festive spirit. There is a magnificent garden in the background. This picture turned out to be very cheerful, it is imbued with a love of nature.

Painting “Bouquet of Flowers”

Gerasimov is an artist who, at an early stage of his work, was fond of landscape sketches. Two years later he wrote new picture- "Bouquet of flowers. Window". Like the first picture, it is painted with bright and rich colors.

These two paintings clearly showed the author’s passion for impressionism: the images do not so much tell a story as they convey the author’s momentary impressions. He placed emphasis on the imagery of the depicted objects, so their contours turned out to be somewhat blurry, the brush stroke was free and wide.

He graduated from the Gerasimov College with the degree of artist and architect. The artist was drafted into the army during the First World War, then lived for some time in his hometown of Kozlov and only in 1925 was able to return to Moscow. Here he entered society revolutionary artists- the organization AHKhR, whose representatives developed the principles of socialism in their work. This period of the artist’s life dates back to his acquaintance with People’s Commissar K. Voroshilov, who received Active participation in the fate and advancement of the painter.

Portraits

At the end of the 1920s - the first half of the 1930s, socialist realism became dominant in art. This direction implied the depiction of reality from the point of view of the ideals of the same name social order. Its main principle was nationality, which implied the accessibility and understandability of the plots. Gerasimov began to paint his paintings in a new manner. It is significant that at the time in question he perceived himself as a portrait painter. His canvases were distinguished by pomp and even some gloss. The artist created a whole gallery of portraits of party leaders (K. Voroshilov, V. Lenin, I. Stalin). Characteristic feature His works are characterized by vivid expression, expressiveness, and mobility of figures.

The painting “V.I. Lenin on the podium"

This painting was created in 1930. It was in this work that socialist realism most clearly manifested itself, since its content was imbued with the spirit of class struggle, which became main theme specified direction. In the center of the picture is the figure of this party leader, who leaned forward with a sharp movement, as if wanting to strengthen the meaning of what was said with this movement. The painting “Lenin on the Tribune” is imbued with the idea of ​​struggle. Gerasimov deliberately plays on the contrast of colors. The sky is covered with dark gray clouds, while the speaker himself is surrounded by red flags, which are known to be a sign of revolution.

Below, the artist depicted a huge crowd of people with red flags. The color scheme of the picture turned out to be very colorful. Gray, almost black clouds stand out sharply against the background of white gaps, and Lenin’s black suit emphasizes the swiftness of his movement towards the audience. The entire composition is built on contrast, as the author wanted to show the dynamism of the struggle. In the same year, the artist created a second portrait of Lenin, representing him speaking at the plenum of the Moscow Soviet in 1922. This canvas, unlike the first, focuses on the appearance of the speaker: his face is in the center, and his figure is again full of dynamism and swiftness.

Works from the late 1930s

Gerasimov created two monumental portraits during this period. The artist, whose paintings were not only lyrical, but also somewhat official, painted Stalin and Voroshilov in 1938 against the broad background of the Kremlin. Secretary General and " iron people's commissar» shown in full height. Both are observing the construction work taking place in the capital. The painter did a particularly good job with the landscape in the background: the author depicted a city view after the rain, which he always did especially well.

The picture has a deep ideological meaning: the types of construction were supposed to show the viewer the achievements of socialism, the figures of Stalin and Voroshilov against the backdrop of a renewing Moscow served as the embodiment of the idea of ​​​​the progressive role of the Bolshevik Party in the destinies of the country. A year later, the artist painted a portrait of Stalin making a report at the congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). This canvas is also of an official nature and is distinguished by its pomp.

"Hymn to October"

This work was created during the Great Patriotic War, in 1942. While Soviet culture She was especially active in pursuing the idea of ​​the progressive role of the revolution, the party, and party leaders. Much attention was paid to the personality of Stalin, who was presented as the legitimate successor of Lenin. The painting “Hymn to October” combines these above ideas into one whole. In the center is a bust of Lenin, above which hangs a portrait of Stalin in profile. Party figures are depicted in front, and on the podium on the left Joseph Vissarionovich speaks in front of those gathered who filled the entire hall. The painting is made in red, which expresses revolutionary ideology. The meeting takes place in Bolshoi Theater(boxes are visible on the sides), which gives the image a special festivity and solemnity.

This painting is considered the most monumental in the artist’s work; it was presented on the 10th international exhibitions. All of the above paintings are canvases of a strictly official nature; they have become the standard of art in the country.

Painting “After the Rain”

This work is considered one of the best in the artist’s work. It is imbued with that subtle lyrical spirit that was so characteristic of the early Gerasimov, who began with beautiful landscape sketches in which his genuine love for native nature. In 1935, at the peak of his popularity, the painter unexpectedly decided to go to the Tambov region to relax. According to the recollections of the artist’s sister, he was amazed and delighted by the renewed landscape after a heavy downpour. Gerasimov wrote especially well the so-called “rain” stories. The artist (“After the Rain” is the most striking example of the author’s skill in depicting nature), like no one else, was able to show the state of the air, grass, sky and all environment during the period of its renewal. His painting breathes freshness and moisture. Looking at her, the viewer begins to feel the airy coolness and softness spread around.

Composition

In the center of the canvas is a garden porch (the second name of the work is “Wet Terrace”) with an elegant table on which stands a vase with a bouquet of flowers. In the background is a dense garden overgrown with fresh greenery. Half the picture is filled light sunny light that reminds you of the recent rain. Right side darkened, and this contrast is smoothed out by the azure tint of the sky, which seems to reconcile both sides.

The artist managed very well to show wet fresh foliage of trees, a damp terrace, and a table washed by the rain. The product is made in the best traditions early creativity Gerasimova.

Career development

Gerasimov served as chairman of the Council of Artists of the Soviet Union. He became one of the first artists to receive the title of national painter. For ten years, from 1947 to 1957, he served as president of the Academy of Arts. Gerasimov was engaged in developing the theory of art criticism, as evidenced by his receipt of a doctorate. In addition to paintings and monumental canvases, he was engaged in illustration (for example, his hand belonged to the drawings for N. Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba”). During the reign of Stalin, Gerasimov was a leading artist in the country, but after N. Khrushchev came to power, he lost almost all his posts, and his paintings were removed from museums.

In 1963, the famous painter Gerasimov died. The artist, whose exhibition was organized in 2016 in historical museum, it's been a long time creative path from a passion for impressionism to the transition to socialist realism. This exhibition presents his most significant works, as well as his early landscape sketches, which clearly demonstrate the evolution of the painter. The painting “Hymn to October” especially stands out among the exhibits. This is a huge monumental canvas for a long time was kept in the museum and was not exhibited because, as it turned out later, there was no ceremonial meeting depicted on the canvas in honor of the anniversary of the revolution, but the painter received an order to depict it in the picture.

This painting is interesting because, being a monument Soviet era, clearly shows the ideology that dominated our country at one time. That is why the painting is of considerable interest to the Western viewer, who can get an approximate idea of ​​thinking from it. Soviet man mid 20th century. Gerasimov's creativity was extremely diverse: he painted and family portraits, and landscapes, and official canvases. Being an architect by training, the artist painted buildings. One of best works painter on this topic - “There is a subway!” Gerasimov went through a long creative path and took a prominent place among domestic artists.