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1882 - 1943

Aristarkh Lentulov

description

The largest Russian artist, painter and set designer.

One of the founders of the Russian avant-garde, Aristarkh Lentulov is certified as a brave experimenter and a “sunny” artist in the history of fine art. He was a member of the Jack of Diamonds group and was one of the first to work at the junction of figurative and subjectless painting; he was the first to choose a colour as the orientation in painting. The organizer and chairman of the Society of Moscow Artists, a professor at several educational institutions.

Key ideas:

– In an article for the exhibition “Wreath” (1909), Alexandre Benois wrote, «A. Lentulov is a wonderful colorful artist. It is important to value and cherish his joyful clear talent, his cheerful attitude to work. His canvases sing and make your soul happy». This full and surprisingly accurate definition characterizes the emotional mood that the paintings of Lentulov evoke. Biographers cannot decide who gave Lentulov the nickname “artist of the sun”, but it was extremely correct. He wrote, “My passion for bright light, to the sun has accompanied me from the day I was born.”

– As for the technique and methods applied in the construction of compositions, the painter was a truly great avant-garde artist. He was called the most desperate experimenter of the Jack of Diamonds community. Cubism, which became both a discovery and a source of inspiration for Lentulov, allowed not only to abstract the space and object of the image as much as possible without going into absolute aimlessness, but also to emphasize that color richness plays a major role in the painting.

– The energy with which Lentulov builds the composition evokes a sense of movement with a continuous change of the angles of the monastery or temple adjacent to modern buildings. The sensation of ringing and hum of a big city reproduced according to the principle of “color dynamics” is also expressed. It was this technique that became the Lentulov’s embodiment of ideas about the new possibilities of painting.

– The paintings, conventionally called architectural landscapes, are kaleidoscopic, because the artist wanted to see the object as if from everywhere at once. According to his daughter’s recollections, “dozens of times he walked around it (St. Basil’s Cathedral), remembering bizarre foreshortenings, following the changing position of individual chapters”, and then “conveyed this fabulousness, the unbridled fantasy of form” with the most cheerful colors.

– The easel picture remained the main one in the work of A. Lentulov in the future, when shocking and boldness of the early period gave way to a desire for analytical comprehension of the world. His self-portraits and portraits are characterized by the artist’s focus on comprehending the internal state of the character, often emphasized by a hot or calm background. Intense dynamics gives a way to a rhythmically impeccable and almost balanced composition, the movement closes within the field of the painting, “slows down”, but remains depicted fragmentarily, as is observed in cubism.

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1882

1898 - 1900

1900 - 1904

1905 - 1909

1910

1911

1913 - 1916

1917 - 1918

1919 - 1927

1927 - 1932

1933 - 1937

1940

1943

The birth of the artist

He was born on January 16 in the village Black Pyatina (sometimes mentioned as the village of Vorona) of the Nizhnelomovsky district of the Penza province into the family of a rural priest who died early. His mother gave the boy to study to become a priest. This area, which did not attract the young Aristarkh at all, later ensured him a good knowledge of Russian icons.

He entered the newly opened Penza Art School

After leaving the seminary where he had studied for 6 years, he entered the newly opened Penza Art School, which was run by K. Savitsky. He left school, supporting a group of students who did not agree with the themes taught in the composition class.

Studied at the Kiev Art College

Studied at the Kiev Art College, where one of his teachers was Nikolay Kirillovich Pimonenko. According to Aristarkh himself, the holidays and work in nature, as well as acquaintance with the works of M. Vrubel, brought him more benefit. He was expelled for not attending classes.

He returned to Penza

He returned to Penza and studied at a college there. Not having entered the Academy of painting due to his audacity, he studied at the D. Kardovsky studio. Began to exhibit his paintings, including at the very first avant-garde Russian exhibition “Wreath”.

Became a participant in the exhibition «Jack of Diamonds»

Became a participant in the exhibition «Jack of Diamonds», and then was a founding member of a group with the same name. Met Larionov, Goncharova, Mashkov, Falk, Bakst, Kulbin and other progressive artists. In the artist’s works, the influence of impressionism and symbolism is noticeable.

He went to Paris

He went to Paris, where worked a lot on his own and studied at the workshops of J. Metzinger and Le Fauconnier at the private Academy de La Pallette. The following year he visited Italy for educational purposes.

He lived in St. Petersburg

He lived in St. Petersburg, closely collaborated with Futurists (Burliuk, Kamensky, etc.), actively participated in their events. As a stage designer, he designed a performance at the Chamber Theater.

In Moscow, he worked in the Commission for the Protection of Monuments

In Moscow, he worked in the Commission for the Protection of Monuments. He became the head of the painting workshop in the former Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He was invited for the post of professor at the Stroganov School. He created a design for Scriabin’s symphonic poem “Prometheus”, which was performed at the Bolshoi Theater.

Created and designed the production of the play «Demon»

Created and designed the production of the play «Demon», actively exhibited his paintings and worked as a teacher, collaborated with the Institute of Artistic Culture. He took part in the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, receiving a grand prix for the scenery for the play “Demon”. He became a member of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia.

He made a creative trip to the Volga region

Became the organizer and chairman of the Society of Moscow Artists, which included many of the members of the «Jack of Diamonds» group. He conceived a large group portrait of its members, but completed only a well-developed sketch. He made a creative trip to the Volga region, painting a number of brilliant landscapes.

The only solo exhibition of A. Lentulov

The only solo exhibition of A. Lentulov, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of his painting career, was successfully held in Moscow. He was appointed Professor of the Moscow Art Institute named after Surikov. Created industrial landscapes and plot paintings, inspired by his multiple trips around the country.

He continued to paint actively

He continued to paint actively, worked at the theatre even during the period of evacuation to Ulyanovsk. He returned to Moscow being sick, underwent surgery.