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1881 - 1953

Ivan Myasoedov

description

A Ukrainian artist, master of painting and graphics, author of large panels on themes of myths, portraitist, landscape painter and painter of everyday genre, illustrator.

He was born into the family of Grigory Grigorievich Myasoedov, а famous genre painter, one of the founders of the Wanderers movement and artist Ksenia Ivanova. Myasoedov married Ksenia when she was already pregnant with a child whom he did not accept for a long time. His godfather was certain Zotov – Ivan later used this name in emigration. Father, not allowing his wife to show maternal feelings and suggesting the boy that he was a foundling, gave the child to the family of his friend A. Kiselev, a talented Wanderer and landscape painter.

Ivan was the creator of the first postage stamps of the Principality of Liechtenstein, listed in all the catalogs. In Liechtenstein, in honor of the 100th anniversary of “Professor E. Zotov”, a series of stamps dedicated to him was issued; in 1992, the Art Society named after E. Zotov (I. Myasoedov) was created and bought from the artist’s heirs and collectors more than 3 thousand works of Myasoedov and built a modern museum for them.

He wrote the Manifesto of Nakedness, which was included in book “Nudity on the Stage”. The publication caused many protests of the zealots of morality, but the portrait of I. Myasoedov, placed in it, makes it possible to see the “antique” look of the author himself with tattooed eyelids (circus artist’s make-up). In those young years, the artist professionally took a great interest in photography and created series of photocompositions on mythological and historical themes, starring nude in the role of an ancient hero, Bacchus or Mercury.

In total, Ivan Grigorievich, the son of G. Myasoedov, the founder of the Wanderers, created more than 4 thousand paintings and graphic works.

Key ideas:

– In his early paintings, I. Myasoedov had a passion for ancient mythological themes, performing them in a manner close to the characteristic German art nouveau. As a supporter of the cult of antiquity, which dominated his alma mater (St. Petersburg Academy of Arts) in the early 20th century, he propagated the beauty of the naked body in every possible way.

– In the Pavlenki period (from 1912), the model for portraits and paintings becomes Malvina Vernici, an Italian dancer who became the wife and faithful friend of Myasoedov. Her exotic appearance was highly appreciated by her husband and a whole circle of young artists.

– In the late 20-ies in Berlin, Ivan Myasoedov painted dozens of nostalgic Ukrainian theme pictures, using the technique of Impressionists – a broad brushstroke, light colors, the general festiveness of the plot. Especially expressive is canvas “Tea Party in Pavlenki”, where the cozy world of the native manor is clearly idealized.

– A special place in the heritage of the master is taken by drawings for postage stamps of Liechtenstein, which became his second motherland for 15 years and knew him as Professor Zotov. The compositional skill of graphic Myasoedov, an ability to distinguish the central characters and harmoniously fit into the filigree-executed ornament was recognized in the Alpine principality. An example of the work of Zotov-engraver is the stamp with the image of stylized “Consolation Madonna” in a denomination of 10 francs (published in 1941). The historical series – 5 marks to the 600th anniversary of the disengagement of Liechtenstein and Switzerland was spectacular.

– In the 1940s, a series of so-called “historical nightmares” was added to the oldest modernist mythologies and symbolist allegories, a depiction of the horrors of revolutions and wars embodied in the images of a herd of grim humanoid gorillas. (“Revolution”, “Crowd of Demons”, etc.). A part of this cycle is a series of symbolic drawings for philosophical work “Encyclopedia of General Confirmations”, on which I. Myasoedov worked until the end of his life.

– One of the last paintings by the master – “Sea and sky. Departure to Argentina “(1953) – all shines with serene peace, giving hope for a peaceful settled life.

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1881

1889 - 1896

1896 - 1903

1907 - 1909

1909

1910 - 1911

1911 - 1914

1917 - 1921

1922 - 1934

1934 - 1946

1946 - 1948

1953

The birth of the artist

He was born on October 12, 1881 in Kharkov, at that time, the Russian Empire.

Lived with "nurse Ksenia"

Lived with “nurse Ksenia” in the family estate of his father Pavlenki (it was near Poltava and now is one of its districts), attended the private art school, organized by his father. He learned the fact that Ksenia was his mother from his father only after her death in 1899.

Studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture

Studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, participating in collective student’s exhibitions; was awarded the title of “non-class artist”. Passionately got carried away with power sports and received 1 prize for exercises with weights at the V championship of Russia. He went to England to sketch the coronation of Edward VII (1903, the order of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna).

Entered the war painting workshop of the Academy of Arts

Entered the war painting workshop of the Academy of Arts, attended the engraving workshop of Professor W. Mate. He combined studies at the academy with the studies at the Petersburg Athletic Society of Count Ribopier. Under the pseudonym the Marquis de Krasas, he won the II prize of the All-Russian Weightlifting Championships.

"The Hike of the Minoans"

Received the title of the artist and paid a trip to improve his skills in Europe for his competitive work “The Hike of the Minoans”. Staying in Rome after the Messinian earthquake, demonstrated power tricks at the circus and received a considerable amount of money, which he immediately donated to ones in need, as the newspapers reported enthusiastically.

Participated in the creation of panorama "The Battle of Borodino"

Participated in the creation of panorama “The Battle of Borodino” under the guidance of academician F. Rubo, took a great interest in photography, wrote a treatise on athleticism and the beauty of nude nature for book “Nudity on the Stage”, putting photo-nu-portraits as examples. Getting to know about his father’s illness, he went to Poltava, stayed with him until the end, and sketched his agony.

Lived in Pavlenky

Lived in Pavlenky, organized exhibitions selling paintings of his father and collections, worked as a fighter and a weightlifter at the circus. He created artistic and philosophical group “Garden of the Gods” (nudist-athletic circle). Among its members, there were F. Krichevsky, V. Maksimovich, and others. He married circus actress Malvina Vernici, built a house in Pavlenki in Italian style. Not losing connections with creative Petersburg, he exhibited his paintings at the Academy of Arts, decorated the capital’s publications (“Hercules”, “Tops”). He was invited by the rector to the Kiev Art School.

He left for the Crimea

He left for the Crimea, was an art correspondent in the army of Denikin, was evacuated on a German ship “Wigbert” to Constantinople, then settled with his wife and daughter Isabella in Berlin.

He spent three years in Moabit prison

During the Berlin period, he was successful as a portraitist, created a series of nostalgic paintings of the life of Ukraine (“Farewell to Pavlenki”, “Sunflower with a kobzar”, etc.). Works were published on postcards by firm “Olga Dyakova and Co.”. The skill of a draftsman and engraver pushed Ivan to fake money, for which he spent three years in Moabit prison, later served time in Lukau. Between the periods of the imprisonment he successfully performed the role of a boyar in the “Games of the Empress” by V. Strizhevsky (1929). He created an advertisement – the famous poster for Hollywood movie “Trader Horn” from the natural sketches of animals made at the zoo.

Ivan painted a portrait of Benito Mussolini

After Hitler came to power, the family left under the names of Eugene and Malvina Zotov to Latvia through Brussels, where Ivan painted a portrait of Benito Mussolini, later printed on the cover of magazine “New Italy”. As Czechoslovak citizens, Zotovs settle on false passports in Liechtenstein (Vaduz), Evgen Zotov became a “court artist”, who created the portraits of the members of the princely house, as well as the sketches of postage stamps that made the master famous.

Ivan was arrested

Zotovs were deprived of their citizenship because of their false passports, and soon Ivan was arrested for the forgery of credit papers and sentenced to 2-year imprisonment for lack of evidence and on the condition that they leave the country.