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1892 - 1953

Alexander Osmerkin

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An outstanding Ukrainian artist Alexander Osmerkin was a member of the “Jack of Diamonds” art group, many other associations and groups, worked as a professor of painting at several higher art educational institutions and headed a personal workshop. In the 1940s, he came under the definition of “formalist” and “propagandist of Western art”, was dismissed from the Academy. He was forbidden to execute orders, exhibit and sell his works. Accepting the merits and talent of the master, the graduates of his workshop held the exhibition “In Memory of the Teacher”. An art and memorial museum was opened in the city of Kropyvnytskyi, the homeland of the artist, in the mansion where Osmerkin’s childhood passed; one prize is awarded in his name.

Key ideas:

– A. Deineka, a contemporary and colleague of A. Osmerkin, called him “a soft lyricist” and “a man of absolute art hearing”, who also was called “Don Quixote in art”. All three definitions precisely characterize the artist’s personality and directly reflected in his creative destiny. Also, he actively participated in home productions – scenes from Ukrainian life and classics. The emotions of Alexander, who adored theater and poetry, are reflexed in his works of the 1900s – “Romantic scene”, “Harlequin and Columbine”, etc.

– The artist never sided with the adherents of non-objective art; using the techniques of the “Russian Cezannists” and cubist elements, he did not apply these styles in a pure form. He did not adhere to the doctrine of the full flatness of the depicted objects; that is why even his cubist still lifes have a background depth and volume of objects.

– In the portrait genre, with the exception of the earlier works (such as the very expressive cubist “Portrait of the Unknown in the Top Hat”), the master adhered to realism; however, he painted not in the academic style but a vivid manner of post-impressionists. Late landscapes, especially still-life bouquets of the last years of his creative career, can be referred to this art movement and Impressionism. An expressive and dense smear alternates with soft touches of the fingers along the edges of the colourful layers, as if they collect shadow and light into single airspace. The combination of the thin layers of classical glaze and impressionistic “live” painting creates a special feeling of the materiality of the objects depicted.

– The artist that never forgot Ukraine came to his hometown, Elisavetgrad, which regularly changed its name became of the ideological whims of that era, several times. At home, he painted not only portraits of his father, nanny, neighboring children, but also created landscape painting “Ukraine”, taking as a basis the real place and the legend of the village of Lelekovka. Analyzing other works of the author, “Still Life with a Pandora”, “Ukrainian Village”, “Still Life with Sunflowers”, art critics rightly believe that the artist posed the question of self-identification and answered it in favour of establishing art with deep national features.

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1892

1900

1910 - 1913

1914

1915 - 1917

1918 - 1919

1920 - 1922

1923 - 1926

1927 - 1929

1930

1940 - 1946

1947 - 1949

1953

Alexander Osmerkin was born

Alexander Osmerkin was born on December 8 into a family of a land surveyor in Yelisavetgrad (now Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine). Passion for painting and theater was instilled in the boy by his uncle Yakov Pauchenko, architect, graduate of the Moscow School of Painting and Painting. Alexander’s father collected samples of folk art.

He studied drawing at the Zemstvo real school

He studied drawing at the Zemstvo real school, where his teacher was artist-wanderer F. Kozachinsky.

He entered the class of N. Roerich of the St. Petersburg Drawing School

He entered the class of N. Roerich of the St. Petersburg Drawing School. Soon he moved to Kyiv and studied at an art school; his teachers were Pimonenko, Menko and others. The student’s works were exhibited next to the paintings of K. Kostandi at the First Elizavetgrad art exhibition where his father’s collection was also presented. Having moved to Moscow, he attended I. Mashkov’s private school.

Took part in exhibitions of the “Jack of Diamonds”

Took part in exhibitions of the “Jack of Diamonds” for the first time, becoming a member of this group of artists called “Russian Cezannists”. Among the artist’s acquaintances were painters Konchalovsky, Lentulov and others, poets Yesenin, Akhmatova, Kuzmin, Mandelstam and others. He collaborated with Mayakovsky.

He was drafted into the army

He was drafted into the army, graduated from the Chuguev Military School with the rank of ensign. Participated in the exhibition “Free Art” and together with leading artists, “jacks” in the exhibition “World of Art” (Moscow). He organized a union of artists and painters. Participated in the exhibition “Free Art” and “World of Art” (Moscow) together with leading artists, “jacks”. He organized a union of artists and painters.

Designed plays for the theatres of Pyatigorsk and Moscow

Designed plays for the theatres of Pyatigorsk and Moscow. At the invitation of P. Konchalovsky, he began teaching at the Free State Art workshops (The Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture) as an assistant of the head of the workshop. He became a participant in the exhibition of the trade union of the new art representatives at the “Fifth State Exhibition of Paintings”. He married E. Barkova, whose portraits he repeatedly painted.

He joined the reorganized “World of Art”

He joined the reorganized “World of Art” headed by Mashkov along with many “jacks”, participated in two exhibitions of this society and an took part in the First Russian Art Exhibition in Berlin.

“World of Art”

Participated in the exhibition for the first “World of Art” together with Grabar, Konchalovsky, Lentulov, Falk, and others. He joined the Moscow Painters Partnership and then moved with Konchalovsky and Kuprin to the “Being” group.

Visited Ukraine

Visited Ukraine, created several paintings there; after leaving Genesis, he organized the “Wing” group and held its exhibition. He became a founding member of the new association “Society of Moscow Artists” (SMA). He received a prize for his canvas “Red Guard in the Winter Palace.” Married E. Halperin. Traveled around Pushkin’s places and to Georgia.

Participated in the anniversary exhibition “Artists of the Russian SFSR”

He came home several times, including visiting A. Petritsky in Kharkiv. Headed an individual workshop at the All-Russian Academy of Arts (Leningrad). Participated in the anniversary exhibition “Artists of the Russian SFSR”. A solo exhibition of the artist was held at the club “Rubber” in Moscow. Collaborated with the Drama Theater of Leningrad, taught at the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts. He supervised the practice of students in the Crimea (near Sudak in the village of Kozy and Alupka). Daughters Tatyana and Lydia were born.

He presented 19 of his paintings at the exposition of the Union of Artists

He presented 19 of his paintings at the exposition of the Union of Artists and at the “Exhibition of the best works of Soviet artists” at the Tretyakov Gallery. When the war began, he worked on posters “TASS Windows”, presented new paintings at the exhibition “The Great Patriotic War” at the Tretyakov Gallery. Married N. Navrotskaya, who became the model of his several genre portraits. He was sent to the Yerevan Art Institute to establish teaching there, participated in several All-Union exhibitions.

He was dismissed from the institute for "formalism" and "propaganda of Western trends"

He was dismissed from the institute for “formalism” and “propaganda of Western trends”. He was forbidden to take orders, sell his paintings. A year later, the Academy of Arts sharply criticized his pedagogical work. The artist was asked to paint a picture for his rehabilitation, “The Automobile Plant Leaders named after Stalin”. However, the canvas that he created was rejected, and a lawsuit was instituted against the master (closed in 1952).

He died while working on a landscape

Suffering from a sharp deterioration in health (he had three strokes), the master took a break in his work, and then he painted sunny-bright still-lifes and landscapes. His last portrait was “My daughter Lily with a dog”. He lived in the village of Pleskovo near Moscow and died while working on a landscape on June 25, 1953. He was buried in Moscow at the Vagankovsky cemetery.