Soviet Art

Stalin on the Cruiser ‘Molotov’. Soviet Ukrainian painter Victor Puzyrkov (4 October 1918 — 30 October 1999)

Soviet Ukrainian painter Victor Puzyrkov (4 October 1918 — 30 October 1999) – Member of the USSR Union of Artists (1948), People’s Artist of the USSR (1963), the winner of two Stalin Prizes of third degree (1948, 1950), winner of the USSR State Prize, member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union since 1954, the veteran of Great Patriotic War. The artist was born October 4, 1918 in Yekaterinoslav, now Dnepropetrovsk. He graduated from the Dnepropetrovsk Art College. Then he moved to Kiev and entered the Ukrainian (now the Kiev State) Art Institute (1938-1941). In 1946 he graduated from the Kiev State Institute of Arts. His teachers were K. Yeleva, F. Krichevsky, S. Gerasimov, and A. Shovkunenko. Since 1948, he worked as a lecturer, since 1957 – Professor of Kiev State Art Institute. Since 1947 participated in the republic, All Union and International art exhibitions. He became the winner of two Stalin Prizes for his paintings “Black Sea warrior” (1947), and “Stalin on the cruiser “Molotov”. For the paintings “Soldiers” and “In the dugout” he became the winner of the USSR State Prize of Taras Shevchenko (1976). Puzyrkov created mainly paintings on a naval theme. Among his paintings: “Fishing season” (1976), “They Fought for Their Country” (1977), “Surf”, “After the storm”, “Courageous” and others.
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The day off. 1957. Painting by Soviet Russian artist Mikhail Likhachev (1919 – 1997)

Soviet Russian artist Mikhail Likhachev – veteran of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), member of the USSR Union of Artists (1949) and People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1981). The artist worked mainly on thematic relevance genre paintings. Among his major paintings are such works as “Ours have come” (1948) “Toast to the labor heroine” (1949), “Beetroot collectors” (1959), and “Disturbing the 1920s” (1967). In addition, Mikhail is the author of portraits of actor A.P. Chernov (1947), artist N.K. Bykov (1960), actor R.A. Manukovskaya (1962), writer I.V. Sidelnikov (1979), and others. Mikhail Likhachev has participated in Republican and All-Union exhibitions since 1948. He received the diploma of I-st ​​degree in the field of Arts from Committee of the RSFSR Council of Ministers, for the painting “On the native open expanses” (1952). Soviet Russian artist Mikhail Likhachev died February 13, 1997 in Voronezh. His paintings are in the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Voronezh Regional Art Museum, and in private collections. Besides, many works of the master are in the United States.
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Maestro Yuri Temirkanov. Soviet graphic artist David Borovsky (1926–2004)

Soviet graphic artist David Borovsky (1926–2004) was born 12 August 1926 in Moscow, the USSR. In 1943, David Borisovich Borovsky entered the State Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of Ilya Repin of the USSR Art Academy. But three months later he had to leave the institute for front. It was the Great Patriotic war (1941-1945). After the end of the war, Borovsky came back to the institute, the graphics faculty. His teachers were L.I. Rudakov and V.M. Konashevich. In 1952 he graduated from the institute, diploma work – design and illustrations for the book of Maxim Gorky “The Life of Matvei Kozhemyakin”. Borovsky Illustrated books for Goslitizdat, Detgiz, and the publishing house “Art”. And he became known after he had illustrated the novel “Torrents of Spring” by Ivan Turgenev. Soviet graphic artist David Borovsky – participant of All Union and International exhibitions of Soviet art in Poland, German Democratic Republic (GDR), Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria.
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Lenin and Stalin in painting of Soviet artist Pyotr Vasilyev

The life and work of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin is one of the main themes of Soviet art. Work on creating the image of Lenin – the most important stage of the creative biography of many Soviet artists. Pyotr Vasilyev is known for the fact that all his works he devoted to the re-creation of the immortal image of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Tirelessly, for many years he worked on the Leninist theme. Soviet artist Pyotr Vasilyev (1899 – 1975) – a member of the Association of Artists of Red Ukraine, People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1970), Winner of the Stalin Prize of the first degree (1947). He created a series of drawings and paintings devoted to Lenin and Stalin. Besides, he is the author of stamps.
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Portrait of Vasily Shukshin (prominent Russian Soviet writer, actor, director). 1983. State Art museum of Altai. Soviet painter Konstantin Maksimov (1913 – 1994)

Soviet painter Konstantin Maksimov (1913 – 1994) – People’s Artist of the RSFSR, winner of two Stalin Prizes (1950, 1952), a member of the RSFSR Artists’ Union (1943), Professor. Creativity of K. Maximov dedicated to work and everyday life of the Soviet people and its heroic history, Russian nature. The artist embodied his observations and reflections on the contemporary spiritual world in different genres of painting. He created deeply psychological portraits, large themed compositions. They embodied the noble people of the USSR, outstanding scientists, warriors, farmers, and builders. Maksimov – participant of art exhibitions since 1929. Personal exhibitions of the artist took place in Amsterdam and Shanghai in 2001 and 2002. The artworks are in major art museums of Russia: the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, as well as in private collections abroad: Germany, Netherlands, China, Spain, Italy, France and Japan.
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Yuri Gagarin (1934 – 1968). 1972. Copper, bronze. The State Tretyakov Gallery. Soviet sculptor Yuri Chernov

Soviet sculptor Yuri Chernov (1935-2009) – Academician of Russian Academy of Arts (1997, Corresponding Member of 1979), People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1979), Member of the USSR Union of Artists (1960), member of the Academy of Arts of Kyrgyzstan (1998). From 1977 to 1987 – Secretary of the USSR Union of Artists, awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples, “Badge of Honor”. The most famous works – the monument to Yuri Gagarin in Moscow and Orenburg.
Yuri Chernov became an orphan early: in 1939, was arrested and killed his father, in 1944, his mother died. The true parental warmth and care, Yuri and his two brothers found in the family of their aunt Anna (elder sister of mother) and her husband Lev Chernov, who adopted the boys, brought up and led them to an independent way of life. Seeing Yuri’s capacity for modeling, he was sent to study at the Moscow Art School (now – Moscow State Art Lyceum), the sculpture department. Communicating with friends, visiting exhibitions, museums, and especially the Tretyakov Gallery, which was opposite the school in Lavrushinsky Lane, living in the atmosphere of art, friendship, respect for knowledge and work – shaped the identity of the future artist.
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Silence. 1983. Painting by Soviet artist Andrei Mylnikov (22 February, 1919 – 17 May, 2012)

Soviet artist Andrei Mylnikov (22 February, 1919 – 17 May, 2012) – Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Arts, member of the Russian Academy of Arts, People’s Artist of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labor, Professor of St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture of Repin. Andrei Mylnikov: “In my opinion, the birth of a work of art is like the birth of a living organism and goes through the same stages – excitement, love and, of course, the suffering. The product most often born in pain. But, having been born, it can have a very long life. Grains of goodness and beauty, planted by the artist, do not always give instant shoots. The painting, done for a long time, still bear fruit.”
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