In the visual arts, only a few female names are of global importance. Zinaida Serebryakova, whose paintings are priceless stars of modern auctions, is one of them. The basis of its world recognition is constant hard work on the erection of its own universe. It also became a salvation for her, who lived in Russia in the era of revolutionary changes: the ideal world of art was too fragile in the face of social upheaval.
"We are all born with a pencil in their hands ..."
The choice of a life path could not be different: from childhood she was surrounded by drawings and paintings. Serebryakova Zinaida Evgenievna, nee Lansere, was born in 1884 in a family that gave the world outstanding painters, graphic artists, sculptors, illustrators, decorators, architects. Father - sculptor Eugene Lansere, was especially famous for his animalistic small plastique, maternal grandfather - Nikolai Leontyevich Benois - academician of architecture, uncle - Alexander Benois - founder of the legendary association "World of Art".
Having lost her father early, Zinaida lived in the Benoit family. The atmosphere in the huge Petersburg house and in the Neskuchnoe estate near Kharkov was noisy and fun. Zinaida, from childhood, was distinguished by her tenacity and concentration, with the support of which her innate data soon turned into a huge talent visible to everyone.
In the beginning was love
After graduating from high school, Zinaida studied with Ilya Repin in the art school of Princess Tenisheva. Osip Braz - a famous portrait painter of that time - believed that the best method of training was copying paintings of the Hermitage. This was also done by Zinaida Serebryakova. Pictures with names from the great collection helped to master the techniques of the great masters, to understand the essence of their design.
The picturesque surroundings of Neskuchny, its inhabitants - landowners and peasants - themselves asked for a canvas, and the estate of the Benoit family became a favorite place for the young artist on the whole Earth. Moreover, female happiness soon came.
In 1905, she married her cousin, who lived in the neighborhood, Boris Serebryakov. He looked like a Russian hero and was preparing to become a railway engineer. Their honeymoon was held in Paris, where Zinaida got acquainted with classical and modern art masterpieces, and Boris studied the construction of European railways.
The next 14 years they lived together became the happiest period of her life. They had four beautiful children, Boris enthusiastically laid ruts all over Russia, and a new significant name appeared in the Russian art world - Serebryakova Zinaida, whose descriptions of paintings were filled in exhibition catalogs and articles by art critics.
The main masterpiece
Winter in Neskuchny came very early, frost prevented plein airs from continuing. Her husband is on a regular business trip, the peasants are busy with work, and she has no models for work. I had to paint myself, and she was carried away by the detailed image of what she saw every morning, combing her hair in front of the mirror. So explained the appearance of the picture "Behind the Toilet" Zinaida Serebryakova. Paintings, still considered one of the best self-portraits in the history of painting.
In 1910, she first exhibited her work at the 7th exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists, where her three paintings, including “Behind the Toilet,” were purchased by the Council of the Tretyakov Gallery. The freshness of the look, confident craftsmanship, based on the best realistic traditions, made the young artist very popular in the creative environment and among ordinary viewers.
Flowering talent
The recognition of her famous children's portraits contributed to the growing recognition. And in the works dedicated to the peasants from Neskuchny and the villages surrounding him, many saw the influence of Venetsianov, whose traditions were developed in a new way by Zinaida Serebryakova. Paintings dedicated to nude female nature testified to her respect for the geniuses of the Italian Renaissance.
But the main thing throughout her creative life was that which was inherent only to her. This is the ability to express immense surprise and admiration for the perfection of God's world, the beauty of the people (adults and young people) that inhabit it. And this is surprising, given the terrible blows inflicted by her fate.
The colors of the universe go out
A world based on love and family happiness seemed durable, but it turned out to be a house of cards, depicted in one of the artist's paintings. He collapsed under the pressure of historical storms. The fire of the revolution, or perhaps someone’s malice or drunkenness, destroyed the estate in Neskuchny along with the works of its inhabitants - numerous paintings and sketches.
Boris, caught up in the revolutionary events somewhere far from home, for a long time could not give news of himself. He was probably arrested and released in 1919 to meet with his family, when he agreed to continue working in the profession. They met in Kharkov, where she moved with children and mother Zinaida Serebryakova. Pictures of the future, written for them by fate, contained a terrible tragedy: Boris contracted typhoid and died in a few days at the hands of his wife. Only the need to save children did not allow the artist to lose her mind from grief.
Forced emigration
A smile on her self-portraits is almost always there. She is different, but always giving hope. In a terrible time of devastation, she finds work in the museum, sketching archaeological finds - this is enough to not starve to death. Then relatives help move to Petrograd, are involved in the execution of art orders. But the funds are categorically lacking, and when my uncle, Alexandre Benois, offered to go to Paris in 1924 to work, she agreed. This trip lasted more than four decades, Zinaida never returned to Russia.
She managed to transport her two children - son Sasha and daughter Katya - to her soon, and Zhenya and Tanya remained with their sick grandmother in Russia. Soviet power was able to find a threat to itself. The enemies were the great artist and her children, who could meet only after 36 years.
Recognition at sunset
Years spent away from Russia are especially difficult when the very nature of the artist has a Russian essence. Fidelity to the traditions laid down in the young years allowed such a person as the Russian artist Zinaida Serebryakova to be preserved. Her paintings did not become pointless; paints did not begin to dominate the form. Her paintings were not manifestos or slogans of new art. Therefore, among the artistic bohemia of Paris, the work of Serebryakova was imperceptible.
The peak of Serebryakova’s overseas period is considered to be her Moroccan cycle, when for two trips arranged by philanthropists, she completed a job that delighted many former admirers of her talent and attracted the attention of new painting lovers.
At home, the authorities tried not to remember her, although Serebryakova was not seen in political, especially in anti-Soviet activities. The more surprising and pleasant for Zinaida Evgenievna and her children was the tremendous success of the exhibitions of 1965 and 1966 in Leningrad and Kiev.
Admirers of Serebryakova remember the resounding success of the recent exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery, which means that she returned, and returned forever.