Boris Kustodiev is a famous Russian artist. His works are saturated with optimism, they feel love for Russia, its people, traditions. The last ten years of his life, the artist was confined to a wheelchair. Despite this, he continued to write.
early years
Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev was born on March 7, 1878 in the noisy, multinational Astrakhan. His father taught at school. He died when Boris was about two years old. Mother raised four children alone on a tiny pension. To provide a family, she gave music lessons and embroidered to order. Kustodiev then transferred the atmosphere of love that reigned in the house to his family. And the ability not to lose heart in the most difficult situations was subsequently very useful to him.
Boris began to get involved in drawing as a teenager. At 15, he began to take painting lessons from the artist Pavel Vlasov. Two years later, Boris successfully entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.
In the northern capital, Kustodiev lived on a grand scale, on a student scale. He often went to concerts, exhibitions, attended discussions about art. At the same time, Boris began to search for his theme in painting. This was not easy for him.
In the second year, Kustodiev came to the workshop of Ilya Repin. The famous artist immediately invited him to write together a large-scale commissioned painting "The meeting of the State Council." In the process, it turned out that Boris was by nature a wonderful portrait painter. This genre subsequently took a special place in his work.
Creation
Even after graduating from the Academy of Arts, Kustodiev did not stop studying. He wrote a lot and traveled the world. The artist visited Italy, Germany, France. Nevertheless, travels in Russian cities and villages were nicer to him. These trips will not be in vain and will be reflected in his work.
In 1906, Kustodiev painted a series of paintings "Fairs". Since then, popular Russia has settled on its canvases, with its merchants, harmonists, merchants, snowy winters and blooming summers. To paint pictures, the artist used a juicy palette, transforming ordinary moments of life into something bright, sunny. Critics compared his "folk" works with Russian fairy tales.
In 1909, the first signs of a spinal cord tumor were discovered in Kustodiev. Seven years later, his legs were amputated. Because of this, he spent a lot of time in four walls. Kustodiev continued to paint, but did so from memory. It was these works that became the most striking and famous. Then were written "Tradeswoman at tea" and "Beauty."
The last years of his life, the artist actively collaborated with theaters as a decorator. He really liked this work. He even temporarily left his favorite painting.
