N.P. Bogdanov-Belsky is a Russian artist whose works are stored in the most famous museums in the world. His life and work coincided with a turning point in the history of Russia. To date, there are no serious studies of his creative heritage. Even the encyclopedic dictionary “Russian Artists” published in 2000 does not mention the work of this outstanding master.
The painter of the Russian countryside - this is how one can characterize the essence of the artistic style that distinguished N.P. Bogdanov-Belsky. Although he was a successful artist of the upper class, the ruling dynasty and the royal aristocracy often commissioned portraits from him, but he was really fascinated by the theme of simple village life. The son of a laborer from the Smolensk province, even rising to the heights of creative recognition, saw the deep soul of the Russian village and passed it on the canvases of his paintings.
Childhood
He was born on December 8 (20), 1868. Nothing is known about the mother of the future academician, except that she was a laborer and a boss. The church bell ringer became the first teacher. Under his supervision, the boy learned to read and write. Ability to draw began to manifest at an early age - a six-year-old village boy tried to depict his life on paper.
The next stage of training is the Shopotovskoe primary two-year school. Here the talented guy was seen by the founder of the Tatevo public school S. A. Rachinsky. Under his auspices there were 30 schools in which village children studied. A highly educated person, a professor at Moscow University, Rachinsky made significant efforts to improve the lives of peasant children. In the school art workshop, he himself was engaged in painting and drawing with students. Two years of training, which N.P. Bogdanov spent in this educational institution, largely determined his future life.
First picture
The student’s artistic talent was so obvious that in 1881 S. A. Rachinsky sent him to continue his studies with icon-painters. Moreover, he determines the monetary content for his pupil - 25 rubles per month.
The first picture, with which the 16-year-old painter took part in the art exhibition, is “Spruce Forest”. According to the reviews of V. D. Polenov and V. A. Serov, everything in it breathed the natural simplicity and beauty of the Russian landscape. The artistic debut was successful and commercially. The painting was bought by collector Sapozhnikov. Two years later, the young man begins a five-year education at the Moscow Art College (1884–1889).
Completion of education
Already from the age of 18, a young artist begins to earn his living through artwork. His paintings are sold, and this money is enough for food and continuing education. In addition, he still receives content from S. A. Rachinsky, who is closely following the fate of his pupil.
After graduating from the landscape department of the art school, where he studied with the famous artists V. D. Polenov and I. M. Pryanishnikov, in 1894 N. P. Bogdanov continued his education at the school at the Academy of Arts. During this period, I.E. Repin became his teacher. Learning lasts a little over a year. In 1895, a young artist decides to continue his education abroad. In subsequent years, he works and studies in France, Germany, Italy. N.P. Bogdanov graduated from the Imperial Academy of Arts in 1903. At the same time, the artist receives the second part of his surname. Signing a diploma on conferring the title of academician, Emperor Nicholas II with his own hand to the surname Bogdanov through a hyphen made an entry - Belsky. Under this surname, Nikolai Petrovich Bogdanov-Belsky, whose paintings are recognized masterpieces of painting, remained in the history of Russian and world fine art. The Academy of Arts recognized him as its full member at the age of 46 years (1914).
Emigration
The revolutionary events of 1917, the artist could not accept. His relations with the new authorities did not work out, and in 1921 N.P. Bogdanov-Belsky emigrated from Soviet Russia. His new residence became Latvia. He never returned to Russia. The Latvian period of the artist’s life lasted 23 years.
He works enthusiastically. The calm nature of Latgale with its lakes, forests and meadows appealed to the artist. During this period he creates many landscapes and still lifes. But the children's theme is clearly evident in the work of the painter. From under his brush comes a whole series of paintings about children. The little characters in the paintings are very moving and portrayed with great love. As a high reward for creativity and enlightenment - the award of the Order of Three Stars. His exhibitions have been held all over the world with success. The years of emigration became the period of the second flowering of the talent of the great Russian artist.
One picture as a mirror of creativity
A distinctive feature of the work of N.P. Bogdanov-Belsky is almost photographic accuracy in the transfer of details on his canvases. An example is the description of the painting Virtuoso. Bogdanov-Belsky painted on canvas a group of village children who enthusiastically listen to the game of a young balalaika player. Carefully, with filigree meticulousness, the artist prescribes the smallest details of the plain village clothes of his heroes. The expression of children's faces that is fascinated by music, the birch grove, the detachment of a teenager playing the balalaika, Bogdanov-Belsky's painting Virtuoso is full of details that reveal the inner world of her characters. And such a “documentary” approach to the transfer of details can be traced in almost all the works of the great artist.
For years
Incredibly, to date there is no complete catalog of paintings by a recognized master. His works were exported to different countries. Although most of the paintings are well known not only to specialists, but also to a wide audience. However, there are still disputes about the period of writing this or that canvas. It is believed that the already mentioned painting by N. Bogdanov-Belsky "Virtuoso" was painted by the artist in 1891. But a number of researchers of the artist’s work believes that it was created in a later period, approximately in 1912-1913. This is a period of creativity that took place in the village of Ostrovno, near Lake Udomlya. One of the residents of the village, who was born in 1903, Agafya Nilovna Ivanova, was among the children whom the artist depicted in this picture.
And this is only one mystery among a series of white spots that accompany any biography of the painter. The artist Bogdanov-Belsky, whose paintings are known all over the world, is still waiting for his interested biographer.
Last year of life
In 1944, the state of health of the great artist markedly worsened. Because of this, I had to go to Germany, where he was undergoing treatment in one of the Berlin clinics. However, the efforts of German doctors did not bring recovery. The great painter N.P. Bogdanov-Belsky passed away at the age of 77. The death of a Russian artist went almost unnoticed - Germany was losing the war. Berlin was preparing to repel the attacks of the approaching Red Army. This happened on February 19, 1945. His last refuge in exile was the Russian cemetery Tegel on the outskirts of the German capital.
Instead of an afterword
Could the peasant woman from Smolensk province, who was tearing herself from the hard labor of laborers, have supposed that her son would go down in the history of world painting under the name of Bogdanov-Belsky? Nikolai, whose descriptions of paintings nowadays take pride of place in the catalogs of the world's best exhibitions, also could not guess what a brilliant future in art awaits him. Unfortunately, the talent of the great Russian painter was undeservedly devoted to oblivion in his homeland. But the faces of hundreds of characters in his paintings continue to live in exhibitions and on the pages of art photo albums. And it seems that the artist himself is looking into modern life with their eyes. His look from the past is inquisitive. After all, our reality was created by the efforts of the heroes of his paintings, among other things.