Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov

Self portrait. Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov (9 August 1902 – 15 May 1990)

Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov (9 August 1902 – 15 May 1990) was a member of the creative team Kukryniksy. People’s Artist of the USSR (1958), member of the USSR Academy of Arts (1947), Laureate of Lenin (1965), five of Stalin (1942, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1951), the USSR State Prize (1975), Hero of Socialist Labor (1972). Works by Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov were exhibited at many art exhibitions in Russia and abroad. They are in the collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Art Museum in Tula, in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and other foreign museums and private collections.

Autumn trees

Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov was born in the village of Shchelkunova, Tula region. He studied in the factory art studio under the direction of GM Shegal, then entered the Higher Art and Technical Studios (VHUTEMAS), where from 1921 to 1928 he was taught by AA Osmerkin, AV Shevchenko, in graduate school – by P. Konchalovsky.

Flowers in a jug. Soviet artist Porphyry Krylov

Already in the 1920s Krylov, with equal interest painted portraits, landscapes, still lifes and modern genre. The motifs of his paintings are simple, but in this simplicity Krylov opened the substantive subtle beauty that is the beauty of all things, which can be seen by a thoughtful look. He complicates and emphasizes the contrast and color in the picture and at the same time combines them with intensive dense painting.

On the large genre paintings he worked with his inseparable companions MV Kupriyanov and NA Sokolov. Together they made famous creative team Kukryniksy. Caricature, book illustration, historical paintings and landscapes – all genres of creative artists were marked by brilliant successes. Artistic skills of Kukryniksy was noted by critics back in the 1930s. The key to their triumph was a unity of views and taste, as well as a great personal friendship.

However, the artist created a lot of talented independent works. He traveled a lot, and painted in the open air. His favorite places were the Oka River, Polenovo, Kostroma, the Academic summer residence, Abramtsevo, and Koktebel. The artist’s landscapes are evidence of his deep sense of nature. Beautiful sketches were painted in Bulgaria, Italy, France.

PN Krylov, died May 15, 1990. He was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery. His son – Andrey also became an artist.