Conquerors of Space. 1961. Pencil, tempera. Soviet artist Alexander Deineka (May 8, 1899 – June 12, 1969)

Soviet artist Alexander Deineka was born on May 8, 1899 in Kursk, in the family of a railroad worker. Even as a child, the boy displayed an interest in art and technology. He studied at the Kursk railway school and simultaneously at a small art studio. In 1915-1917 he received his art education at the Kharkov Art College. October events determined the fate of the painter – he is to become a singer of the revolution and a new life. While studying at the Higher Artistic and Technical Workshops (Vkhutemas), Deineka meets one of the most ambitious and iconic figures in the history of Soviet art – poet Mayakovsky. These meetings will have a huge impact on the artist. Figuratively, Deineka became Mayakovsky in painting. Both – the poet and the artist chose similar themes for their works, and their inspiration is the same – a sincere belief in the revolution and the Soviet power. And the love of the proletariat, the admiration of physical strength and physical health of a person. They both devoted much work to satire, advertising and propaganda posters, considering it their duty for society. Besides, one of the best paintings of Deineka received the same name as the famous poem of Mayakovsky – “Left March” (1941).
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Hello, Sun. 1961. Murmansk Regional Art Museum. Soviet artist Andrey Yakovlev (1934 – 2012)

Soviet artist Andrey Yakovlev
In Soviet and contemporary Russian painting, few people can be on a par with Yakovlev on devotion to the North, the Arctic, although the artist has lived almost all his life in Leningrad – St. Petersburg. Andrey Yakovlev (1934 – 2012) was People’s Artist of Russia (2006), and laureate of the State Prize of the RSFSR of Ilya Repin. He is the author of picturesque episodes in the life of the Russian North and the Arctic, created in 1960-80s, “Spitsbergen”, “Chukotka”, “Taimyr”. Yakovlev graduated from the Moscow Art Institute of Surikov (1953-1956) and the Leningrad Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1956-1960). Since 1963, he traveled to the Russian North and the polar regions (Kola Peninsula, Chukotka, and Taimyr). In 1964 and 1968 he published his book “Seven inches of the pole” and “Kakomei.” Works by Yakovlev are in Murmansk Regional Art Museum, which houses one of the largest collections of paintings by Yakovlev. Assembly of his paintings are also available in the Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery and the provincial museums of Russia.
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Return from the demonstration (They have seen Stalin), 1949. Oil on canvas. Painting by Soviet artist Dmitry Mochalsky (1908-1988)

Soviet artist Dmitry Mochalsky (1908-1988) – People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1969), People’s Artist of the USSR (1980), laureate of RSFSR State Prize of Repin (1967) – for the painting “New settlers”, “Newlyweds of virgin soil”, “Red Corner,” “External students” from the series “People of virgin lands”. Dmitry Mochalsky was born 2 February 1908 in St. Petersburg. He graduated from the Moscow Art school named in memory of 1905 and the Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of Academy of Arts in Leningrad (1936), among his teachers was Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin. He was a member of the USSR Academy of Arts (1973), chairman of the Moscow Union of Artists from 1961 to 1963, taught at Moscow Art institute of Surikov from 1937 and until the end of life (professor since 1950).
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Soviet artist Vladimir Ilyukhin (October 21, 1923 – November 16, 2007). Moksha woman in an orange dress. 1981. Oil on canvas

Soviet artist Vladimir Ilyukhin (October 21, 1923 – November 16, 2007) – a veteran of Great Patriotic War (1942-1945), who reached Berlin, was awarded the Order of “Red Star”, order of “Great Patriotic War of I degree”, the medal “For Service in Battle”. Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR (1947), Honored Artist of Mordovian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1956), Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1980), winner of the State Prize MASSR (1983), People’s Artist of MASSR (1983), People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1988). Ilyukhin – the master of portrait and landscape painting. He was a Member of national, regional, national and all-Union art exhibitions. His works are kept in the Mordovian and Russian museums, private domestic and foreign collections.
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Fresh day. 1958. Oil on canvas. The State Tretyakov gallery. Painting by Soviet artist Vladimir Gavrilov (May 31, 1923 – July 17, 1970)

Soviet artist Vladimir Gavrilov (May 31, 1923 – July 17, 1970) was one of the most talented representatives of the generation of artists whose work has defined the characteristic features of Soviet art 1950-60-ies. Thin colorist and master of landscape composition, the artist developed in his works the traditions of Russian realistic school. After high school, he was drafted into the army and sent to the Studio of military artists of MB Grekov. In 1951 he graduated from Moscow State Art Institute. of Surikov. Among his teachers were Igor Grabar, B. Johanson, SV Gerasimov, A. Osmerkin, D. Mochalsky, Yevgeny Kibrik and others. In the period of study at the institute Gavrilov has created the painting “AN Radishchev “(1950), which became part of the golden fund of Soviet art.
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Lenin and Stalin. Architects of communism. Soviet artist Yevgeny Kibrik (1906-1978)

Soviet artist Yevgeny Kibrik (1906-1978) – the winner of the Stalin Prize third degree (1948), Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Arts (1949), academician (1962), People’s Artist of the USSR (1967). He was awarded the Order of Red Banner of Labor (1956) and the Order of Lenin (1976). Yevgeny Kibrik was born Hertz Adolfovich Kibrik on February 18, 1906 in Voznesensk of Nikolayev region, into a wealthy Jewish family. In 1922 he moved to Odessa, where he studied in art school, faculty of painting, workshop of Frayerman. Since the end of 1922 he worked in the newspaper of Odessa Regional Committee of the Komsomol “Young Guard”.
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Soviet artists Tkachev Brothers. During the years of collectivization. Oil. 1980

Talented Soviet artists Tkachev Brothers – Alexei and Sergei were born in the village of Chuchunovka of Bryansk region; Sergey in 1922, Alexei in 1925. People’s Artists of the USSR Alexei and Sergei Tkachev – has been working as a unique tandem since 1952. Natives of a large peasant family had to fight for their dream – to go through war and poverty. However, the ordeal only tempered character, and the theme of heroism of a common man has become central in the work of the brothers. Alongside with heroism, the theme of Russian village in the focus of the artists. Heroes of their paintings – real people, contemporaries, family, friends, neighbors in the village where they grew up. At the same time, the artists seek to create typical images, which embody the national character. Through the prism of rural life, exacerbating the effects and characteristics of the characters, Tkachev convey the “truth of time,” the drama of their country. Brothers Tkachev said: “Without the Soviet power we would become shepherds”. Their paintings are stored in many museums, including – the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum and more than a hundred museums in Russia and the CIS countries, the US museums, Italy, China, as well as in private collections in twelve foreign countries.
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