Soviet artist Andrei Ivanovich Plotnov 1916-1997

Soviet artist Andrei Ivanovich Plotnov
Born July 21, 1916 in the village of Verkhne-Pavlovka of Lipetsk region, Andrei Ivanovich Plotnov grew up in a peasant family. He studied at the Moscow Art College (1933-1936). In 1936, on the recommendation of the famous Soviet artist Igor Grabar, he entered the painting faculty of the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts. Plotnov – participant of art exhibitions since 1939.
Since the first days of the Great Patriotic War, he left the institute’s 5th year for the national militia. Evacuated to Samarkand in 1942, the same year he graduated from the institute, the workshop of Professor G.M. Shegal. His thesis work was “MV Frunze and Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev under Ufa”.
Member of the Moscow organization of the USSR Union of Artists from 1943, the same year he went to the front and entered the art studio of the NKVD of the USSR, under the leadership of P.P. Sokolov-Skalya. During the period of 1943-1944 he often goes to the front lines, draws portraits of soldiers and officers who have distinguished themselves in battles, as well as individual events of combat life. During the war, the artist created more than 20 political posters, demobilized from the army in 1947.

The result of creative trips to Italy (1956), Syria and Lebanon (1957), England (1961), Brazil (1962), Japan and India (1963), Germany (1968), and Spain (1977) became series of paintings devoted to these countries.
Meanwhile, in 1968, on his initiative and active participation, in his homeland in Dankov appeared a national art gallery. Besides, Andrei Ivanovich Plotnov is an Honorary citizen of the city of Dankov (1969), and Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1970).

Plotnov is the author of several works on historical and revolutionary themes, and portraits of astronauts. Among his main works: “The storming of Sevastopol” (co-author PP Sokolov-Skala, 1957), “Aurora” (1960), “Virgin land builders settle” (1965), Richard Zorge (1965), “Winter Palace taken” (1967), Kulikovo Field (1971), Portrait of E. Petushkova (1971), World of Nations (1972), Portrait of V. Tereshkova (1975), Portrait of N.E. Berzarin, First Commandant of Berlin ( 1975), and the triptych “Yuri Gagarin” (1976).

His personal exhibitions took place in Moscow (1993), and in native Dankov (1976, 1991).
Andrey Ivanovich died on May 13, 1997 (Moscow). His works are in the Museum of Fine Arts of Karelia, Dankov Picture Gallery, and the regional art museums of the former USSR.

Soviet artist Andrei Ivanovich Plotnov