Sculpture and artist Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin: biography, features of creativity and interesting facts

The second half of the 19th century in our country was marked by the creation of magnificent works of fine art, sponsored by I. Repin, I. Kramskoy, V. Perov, I. Aivazovsky and many other Russian artists. Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich in his youth also pleased the fans of painting with his works, characterized by dynamism and realism. However, the real fame came to him thanks to his monumental sculptural works, which still decorate Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia.

Childhood

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich was born in the village of Platonovo (Smolensk province). His father came from a peasant class, but thanks to a business grasp he managed to become a small landowner. The mother and grandfather - Dmitry Andreevich were engaged in education of the son. They taught him to play the piano, the harp and the guitar. In addition, the boy began to visit the local icon painter to learn the basics of his craft.

When the Mikeshin family moved to the nearest district town of Roslavl, Misha entered the parish school, then - to the 3-class district school, and then - to the gymnasium.

During his studies he showed himself as an exemplary student. In addition, at the insistence of his mother, the boy was also engaged in drawing and music. However, he did not succeed in completing the gymnasium due to a scandalous incident. Shortly before the final exams, he entered the "secret order of misogynists", organized by classmates. Once members of this boyish "organization" gathered in the house of Mikeshin. Mikhail did not know that one of his comrades brought vodka with him and poured it into glasses, where there was water for the rite of initiation. As a result, the boys became intoxicated and fought. This became known to the leadership of the gymnasium, which excluded the entire company with a "wolf ticket".

Studying in St. Petersburg

There was no question of continuing education. In order not to sit around, Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin got a job as a draftsman at the construction of the Moscow-Warsaw highway. However, he did not leave painting lessons and took drawing lessons from the local artist A. Rokachevsky.

The head of the construction of the highway A. Vonljarsky noticed the outstanding abilities of the young man and assisted him in traveling to the Northern capital and entering the Academy of Arts. Mikeshin quickly overcame the initial stage of training and began studying in the class of battle painting under the direction of B. Villevalde. Success came to the artist after the first year of training. In particular, his picture "Leib Hussars at the watering hole" liked the Emperor Nicholas I, who bought it for his collection.

Moreover, the young artist was invited to the palace as a teacher of painting of the Grand Duchesses, and afterwards he accompanied the younger son of the Tsar - Nikolai Nikolayevich - on trips to Poland, Crimea, Ukraine, Transcaucasia and the Caucasus.

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich: biography (1858-1896)

After graduating from the Academy of Arts with a large gold medal, the artist became interested in monumental sculpture. He was lucky, and the following year he won a competition for projects to create a monument, which was to be installed in Novgorod. The next 3 years he was busy working on this monument, which made him famous throughout the country.

Immediately followed by several proposals for the creation of monuments for installation in different cities of the country. Most of them fell in favor of citizens, and also received high praise from specialists.

In 1869 Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich became an academician.

The glory of the best monumentalist of the country firmly entrenched behind him did not prevent the sculptor from seeking other spheres of expression. In particular, in 1876-1878 he began to publish the magazine "The Bee", where he published his cartoons and memories.

M. Mikeshin died in St. Petersburg in 1896.

Interesting Facts

Information about a person can be given not only by his biography. Mikhail Mikeshin was a man with diverse interests. In many ways they were formed in childhood, thanks to the parents. In particular, the sculptor's love for portraying battle scenes was associated with a collection of weapons that his father repulsed from the French in 1812, when he fought in the militia, and later in the partisan brigade of AS Figner. These sabers and small guns Misha often took without demand, to play "in the war" with his peers.

Biography Mikeshin contains other interesting facts:

• In the first year of training at the academy, he earned his living by creating sketches of labels for goods.
• As a student, Mikeshin came every summer to the Smolensk estate of Vonyolarsky, where he painted the walls of the church of St. Alexander Nevsky.
• Today in Smolensk you can see 2 large granite vases made according to Mikeshin's drawings for the Vonljarsky estate.
• Skulptor owns sketches of decks of playing cards on historical themes ordered by the Imperial Card Factory.
• Mikeshin was an enthusiast of the Esperanto language and in 1892 founded the first society of Espero.
• The artist was famous among the Petersburg intelligentsia and people of art as a witty cartoonist.

Monument in honor of the Millennium of Russia

This is his most famous creation, Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin created on the occasion of the 10th century anniversary of the vocation of the Varangians to Russia. The monument to the millennium of Russia is a large-scale work depicting great saints, princes, princes, as well as military leaders and other outstanding personalities who glorified Russia.

The sculptural composition consists of three tiers, symbolizing the unity and interconnection of Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationalism. The monument was inaugurated in Veliky Novgorod in 1862. In the work on the monument Mikeshin was assisted by I. Schroeder and V. Hartmann.

For the creation of the sculptural composition "Millennium of Russia" Mikeshin was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree, and also granted an annual life pension of 1,200 rubles.

Monument to Catherine II in the Northern Capital

Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin also created a monument in honor of the centennial of the accession to the throne of the most famous female ruler of the Russian Empire. Monument to Catherine the Great was installed in St. Petersburg's Alexandria Square in 1873. He represents the majestic bronze figure of the empress in a beautifully draped mantle, full-length, with a scepter and laurel wreath in his hands. At her feet lies a crown, and on her chest is depicted the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the upper tier of the pedestal of the monument the sculptor placed 9 figures of the most famous figures of the Catherine's epoch.

Monument to Bogdan Khmelnitsky

This monument, authored by Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin, has been one of the symbols of the Ukrainian capital for more than 120 years. It was installed in honor of the great hetman of the Zaporozhye army, which is one of the initiators of the entry of a significant part of the lands of the Dnieper and Little Russia into the Russian kingdom. The grand opening of the monument was timed to the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. He depicts Bogdan Khmelnitsky sitting on a soaped hot stallion. With one hand, the hetman tames his horse, and in the second he holds a mace pointing to the northeast.

It is interesting that according to the original project of the sculptor the stallion of Bogdan Khmelnitsky confronted the nobleman, the Jesuit and the Jewish tenant from the rock, in front of which were the figures of Little Russian, Chervonorossa, Great Russian and Belarusian, who listened to the song of the blind kobza player.

Monument to M. Yu. Lermontov

Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich, whose sculptures were highly appreciated by his contemporaries, is the author of a monument erected in St. Petersburg, in the square in front of the main building of the Nikolayev Cavalry School. The creation of this monument was given to the famous master with great difficulty, as he became the object of criticism because of the choice of the stone for the pedestal, as well as the "inappropriate" clothing in which the bronze figure of the seated Lermontov was dressed.

Monument to Ataman Ermak in Novocherkassk

The creations that Mikeshin Mikhail Osipovich created can be seen not only in the capital and in St. Petersburg. For example, on the Cathedral Square of Novocherkassk there is a monument to Ataman Ermak. The sculpture is mounted on a massive granite block. Ermak in his right hand holds the crown, which symbolizes the conquest of Siberia for the Russian Tsar, and in the left holds the marching banner.

Now you know what works Mikhail Osipovich Mikeshin created. A brief biography of a famous sculptor and artist is also known to you. She is an example of how a young man from the outback became famous and reached the heights of the profession thanks to talent and diligence.