Paintings of Bogdanov-Belsky Nikolai Petrovich: names, description

The artist with a sonorous name Bogdanov-Belsky was from the lowest society. It would seem that the environment in which he grew up had to inevitably grind him and absorb, but no. The artist was educated and famous. His biography is an example not only of a happy coincidence, but also of tireless hard work. The image of the rural school, its pupils and teachers became one of the basic in his work.

Nikolai Petrovich Bogdanov-Belsky: biography

On a frosty day, December 8, 1868, a Smolensk farmhand was born to an illegitimate son. Everybody knows how society treated such children, and even from the bottom. Mother and child "out of grace" was sheltered by her elder brother. Many deprivations fell on the share of little Nicholas. At birth, he received the name Bogdanov - given by God. "Belsky" artist later added himself, in honor of the county in which he grew up.

The first two years of education, the boy was in a village church school in Shopotov. Thanks to the patronage of his teacher-priest, he came to the school of Professor Rachinsky. Here were trained the same, like Nikolai, simple peasant boys. This man played a decisive role in the artist's life. Bogdanov-Belsky himself always said that he owed everything to him.

Seeing the boy's talent for painting, Rachinsky helped him to enter the drawing school at the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and then to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. The patron helped the boy financially, allocating money for maintenance every month. At the school, Nicholas entered the landscape class, where he worked very successfully, often being the first among classmates. The boy was very lucky with the teachers, they were wonderful Russian artists: Vasily Polenov, Vladimir Makovsky, Ilarion Pryanishnikov. Over the theme of the final picture, Nicholas pondered for a long time, and Rachinsky suggested it. The result of the artist's enthusiastic work was the painting "The Future Monk".

After graduating from the Moscow School, Bogdanov-Belsky continued his studies at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts in the class of Ilya Repin. At the end of 1895, the graduate went to Europe: to Paris, Munich, and then to Italy. The coloring of the artist's paintings is enriched, his possession of pictorial techniques is enhanced.

Glory in Russia Bogdanov-Belsky brings pictures "At the door of the school" and "Verbal account." The artist showered orders: portraits, still lifes, landscapes. He wrote the most famous and influential people of his era. His hands belong to the portraits of Emperor Nicholas II, Grand Dukes, Fedor Chaliapin. But his favorite models are peasant children, lively, sincere and direct.

The Tretyakov Gallery acquired the artist's works, he participates in the exhibitions of the Association of the Wanderers. His paintings travel to Russia, then are exported to Paris and Rome. In 35 years, Nikolai Petrovich Bogdanov-Belsky became an academician of painting, and 10 years later - a member of the Academy of Arts.

After the revolutionary government has come to power, the official art becomes the "left". Begins the persecution of realistic artists, classical art withers and is eradicated. Korovin, Polenov, Vasnetsov, Nesterov-all experienced the hardships of post-revolutionary time. At the invitation of his friend, Bogdanov-Belsky moved to Riga. Here, the artist with new strength is taken to work, actively participates in foreign exhibitions of Russian art. His paintings enjoy success and differ in private collections. Until now, many canvases of Bogdanov-Belsky scattered throughout Western Europe.

In 1941, a 73-year-old artist overtook a new trial: the war. But there was no more strength to fight, too much was passed and suffered. The artist becomes ill, the creative forces leave him. Nikolay Petrovich had an operation in Germany, but she did not help. In 1945, during the bombing, the artist dies. He was buried in the Russian cemetery in Berlin. Paintings of Bogdanov-Belsky still remain in high demand. Some of them can be seen in the Tretyakov Gallery and the Russian Museum, many are in private collections.

"The Future Monk" (1889)

The idea of this painting by Bogdanov-Belsky was prompted by his friend and guardian Rachinsky. It was written in 1889.

In the cramped room of the hut there are two: an elderly monastic wanderer and a dreaming peasant boy. The monk tells him something, and the boy was heard. Before his eyes are pictures of a pious, peaceful future. He listens to the wanderer, but his thoughts are no longer in the room, but somewhere in unknown distances. One day he will also go with the knapsack behind his back to glorify the name of God.

The painting was written for the final exam at the school. With great anxiety, the artist expected his result: after all, he studied in the landscape class, and the canvas presented a genre. Despite the fears, the picture was a success and was bought by a major collector, and then went to the Imperial Palace.

The Virtuoso (1891)

This is one of the first pictures with a peasant boy, written by Bogdanov-Belsky. The virtuoso, it turns out, is a simple boy. Simple, but not really. His play on the balalaika gathered around a circle of children. There are two kids, a girl and an older boy. All of them listen to music, like at a concert of a great artist, they catch every sound. The virtuoso is focused on his game. The artist arranged them on a picturesque clearing in a birch forest. Landscape, dear to every heart, harmoniously frames a group of children and, it seems, he himself hears the game of young talent.

The "oral account" (1896)

In 1896 Bogdanov-Belsky wrote this picture. The writing on it is still often asked to write to children at school. In the role of the teacher, the artist painted his own mentor Rachinsky. Class in a rural school. There is an oral bill. The picture is filled with tension, in all there is a zealous work. The dominant place is occupied by a black slate with a mathematical example. Around the board crowded guys of different ages. An example is not easy, but try to count it in your mind! On each face you can see the hard work of thought. In the foreground, the boy rubs his chin thoughtfully. He is short-cropped, unruly hair pricked with a hedgehog. Compared with the other boys, he is dressed very poorly: a dirty shirt with a torn elbow is strapped with a lace, rough trousers have seen better times. His face is tense: he, the answer, is already close, now will break from the tongue!

We do not know who these boys will become in the future. Maybe they will continue the work of their grandfathers and fathers and will remain plowing the land in the village. Maybe they will leave for the city and "break out into people", and someone will even become a teacher. One thing is for sure: no one of them will turn into a parasite and a quitter, all of them will turn out to be useful.

In 1897, Pavel Tretyakov purchased for his gallery "Verbal account." The picture is still popular now, many stop before it to consider in more detail.

"At the Door of the School" (1897)

Many of Bogdanov-Belsky's paintings depicting rural children are autobiographical. "At the door of the school" - just this. In the picture we see a pure light class of a rural school. Slate with straight lines, neat rows of desks, diligently bent over the books of the head. And the new disciple looks at all this grace. The boy is very poorly dressed. The jacket, made of rags, seems to be right now on it, on its trousers are gaping big holes, bast shoes shabby and dirty. He stands with his back to the viewer and peeps out from behind the door stealthily at all this splendor, not daring to enter. Perhaps, just as once the young shepherd Nikolai stood, not daring to cross the threshold of the school of his benefactor Rachinsky.

"Visitors"

Two kids, a boy and a girl, went into the manor house. Perhaps this young artist's friends came to him to pose. Thin children short-cut and dressed in festive. On the girl a bright red dress in peas, on the boy a shirt with a smart pattern. Variegated clothing echoes the picturesque drapery behind the children's backs. They sit on a luxurious, by their standards, a soft armchair with carved handles and solemnly drink tea from saucers. On the table in front of them there is a cup and a glass, bagels and pieces of sugar. Visiting the master's house is not an easy event. In the faces of the toddles, the awareness of the solemnity of the moment is read, the intense figures evoke tenderness.

Paintings by Bogdanov-Belsky are always bribed with their sincerity and spontaneity. It is a pity that much of the artist's artistic heritage is lost to us: it was left abroad and went to private collections.