The Serpukhov artists

Old cities possess that, inexplicable charm which influences people besides their will: curve small streets, carved platbands, poppy-heads of churches, old walls - these witnesses of the past, bygone, enter into consciousness since the childhood.

 

The city of Serpukhov is that also. The history echo sounds in names of old streets, within the precincts of an ancient fortress, as if dozed off from historical weariness on the Cathedral mountain. Wide Oka, a silvery tape Plank beds, with bridges reflected in it and cathedrals, hills and hillocks give to a city special picturesqueness, giving rise to sense of beauty, esthetic empathy of the world, desire this world to represent. And, probably, it is not casual so lives much and works in a city of creative people. It is promoted also by a museum with a fine collection of products of old masters. Art life of Serpukhov has remarkable "family tree" which withdraws us in depth of centuries.

In far times, in a flood plain of Oka and Plank beds, there lived a slavic tribe Vyatichi. Vyatichi were engaged not only hunting and fishery, they were able to process iron, to produce from it various products. Vyatichi were good potters. They have laid the foundation for crafts which in a consequence will have development on the Serpukhov earth. "Craft" and "art" throughout many centuries were concepts inseparable. And we can tell that "family tree" of art culture of Serpukhov is more senior the city.

At the prince the Serpukhov Vladimir Andreeviche Hrabrom the art culture has received a new impulse. In a city forge, weaver's, potter's crafts prospered. Jewelers worked. Church utensils, salaries of books, ornaments, testify to possession of difficult jeweler receptions. The products which have reached us of jewelers, embroideresses speak about high art level.

Presence of a white stone promoted development white stone carvings. In monasteries copied books, icons for local temples were written, translators translated books with Greek and Latin. Throughout centuries in Serpukhov the stone building closely connected with tradition of the Moscow architecture was conducted, but features of a decor, the architecturally-spatial decision contain the elements which have allowed researchers to speak about existence of local school of architecture.

Centuries, ideas and esthetic predilections were replaced. Serpukhov in a chain of time hasn't lost the creative potential. And as important there is an occurrence, in this stream, the person bright, creative, persons in which destiny as in a mirror breath of an epoch was reflected, persons who has connected cultural life of a small country town with the big world. Alexander Andreevich Buzovkin was such person. Without exaggeration it is possible to tell that modern art life of Serpukhov has begun with it.

Alexander Andreevich Buzovkin was born in 1866. The village Protasovo in the Tula province was its native land. In a having many children and poor family nobody thought of art. However the desire to draw has appeared already then.

Alexander Andreevicha's first creative steps are connected with an iconography. In 1902 it has arrived in icon-painting a workshop. It was the good school of art craft, but was dreamed of other. In its destiny the meeting with the teacher of drawing of the Tula grammar school M.M.Galkin with which familiarizing with the big art has begun became rotary. In 1906 Buzovkin has left Tula and has moved to Moscow. Life in capital full of deprivations and wanderings hasn't stopped aspiration to receive art education. And in 1907 it has arrived in the Moscow school of painting, sculpturing and architecture which has finished in 1913г. The school was the center of democratic art.

Its direct teachers were A.Arhipov, N.Kasatkin and K.Korovin. In student's years the understanding of all responsibility of the artist, the creator before a society has come. Right after revolutions, Buzovkin has started to work, as the poster artist, in an art workshop of Department of Education at the Moscow Council together with Gerasimov S.Chekryginym and others. Also A.N.Tolstoy in the same place cooperated. As well as many contemporaries, Alexander Andreevich entered into different creative associations - "Vsehudozhnik" and "the Moscow association of artists". When the Union of Artists of the USSR has been created, it became one of its first participants. In 1918 A.A.Buzovkin has moved to Serpukhov where the most part of its creative life has been lived. Actively having joined in public life of a city, supervised throughout forty years over registration of streets and the areas by holidays, worked in National education department at the Executive Committee of the City Soviet of People's Deputies, took active part in creation of an istoriko-art museum and was its first director, created fine art studio, putting thereby bases artly - esthetic formation and youth education in Serpukhov. In village where there was its workshop, has organized collective farm and the national house-club, and at it a theatrical circle.

Creative heritage of the master variously - landscapes, portraits, still-lifes, genre compositions. In Serpukhov the most considerable product "Andrey Rublyov" (1954, Т.Г has been written; a variant - 1957, Serpukhov историко - an art museum.) This picture has got value of a symbol of painting situated near Moscow. Alexander Andreevich Buzovkin gave many forces to pedagogical activity. Has brought up the whole galaxy of pupils, has managed to inhale in them the creative beginning. Possessing surprising feeling of creative and human responsibility, kindness and unselfishness, it not only learned to their skill, not only attached them to the world fine, but also helped them. It felt both pupils, and people knowing it. The senior generation of the Serpukhov artists those who at it didn't study are to some extent connected with a name of Buzovkina, even, tested on itself influence and charm of the person of the master. In a fine art studio at masterful Mosoblhudozhfonda of RSFSR over whom Alexander Andreevich supervised, the youth received thorough preparation on drawing, painting and a composition. The received knowledge and skill have allowed them to work in the Serpukhov branch of an art workshop of Art fund of RSFSR. Throughout many years Abramov V. N, Basov I.N. Goncharov K.K., Dementev E.E., Konopatikov V. S, Duzminov B. E, brothers of Nikolaevy, and many other things made out various establishments and the enterprises, city holidays. Design work didn't prevent to be improved, work as it creatively. Many of them have continued the education in different art High schools and country schools. War hasn't passed by artists of a city, among them there are veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Pupils of Buzovkina - Konstantin Tatarnikov and Leonid Kartashev haven't returned from front.

A.A.Buzovkin was the initiator of the first art exhibitions in a city that is very important for creativity. With opening of a museum which was throughout many years a native home "for people creative, from young to mature, exhibitions were spent in its halls. The first exhibition in which took part both the teacher, and pupils already has in the mid-twenties taken place. The exhibition is a both creative report, and original school of skill. Thanks to exhibitions the collection of department of the modern art of a museum began to replenish. There were also the first collectors, started to collect work of local masters.

Creativity of the Serpukhov artists an inseparable part of art life of Moscow suburbs, Moscow and all country. For the modern fine arts it is characteristic diversity of tendencies, directions, sources. To the full it concerns and Serpukhov. In a city painters, schedules, sculptors, designers, masters decoratively - applied art work. Creation in 1946 of the Moscow Regional Union of Artists (МООСХ) made active art life of Moscow suburbs, and Serpukhov in particular. Many masters had an opportunity to show the works in capital halls at zone and all-Russian exhibitions, became members "МООСХа". As well as in Moscow suburbs, and in Serpukhov - painting traditionally is considered a front view of plastic arts. Painters the most numerous group of the Serpukhov artists. In their products the most typical lines of art situated near Moscow - an emotionality, sensual perception of the world, participation of history, continuation of the best traditions of Russian realistic art, a genre and thematic variety have concentrated.

The narrative beginning, aspiration to the detailed story and display in genre works, lyricism and accuracy following in nature transfers to a landscape, vital truthfulness, social coloring of portraits - are characteristic for masters of the senior generation. These are I.Aristov, A.Mosolova, I.Basova, S.Golubjatnikova's works. E.Dementyev of V.Kovalyova, brothers Е and M.Nikolaevyh and B. and V.Kuzminovyh, V.Konopatikova, Abramova В and others. I.N.Aristov and A.N.Mosolov safely addressed to a historical theme. Works "banner Rescue", Aristov, "In underground printing house", "the City of Serpukhov of XIV century", Moscow tin - are written in the best traditions of Russian realistic painting.

In 60 - 70th years join collective of the Serpukhov artists young generation, the representatives of the different art schools who have brought in an overall picture of art life многоликость, the new stream, new ideas, other creative methods.