Village life in the paintings of Moscow artists, father and son Solomin

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Artistic dynasties in Russia have always been not so rare. They formed and continue to shape the social memory of the era, creating their own fund of artistic heritage. In the dynasties of artists, not only the love of art, but the secrets of craftsmanship are transmitted from generation to generation. Therefore, the successors of dynasties often go much further than their ancestors. Introducing Moscow painters - father and son - Nikolai Konstantinovich and Nikolai Nikolaevich Solomin. You have a unique opportunity to compare not only two talents of craftsmen close in blood, but also technique, manner and style.

Solomin-son

Nikolai Nikolaevich Solomin (born 1940) - Soviet and Russian painter, teacher, professor. Artistic director of the Studio of military artists named after M. B. Grekov in 1989-1997. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1991). Laureate of the State Prize of the RSFSR in the field of architecture (1981). Colonel of the USSR Armed Forces. Since 2001, he has been a corresponding member, and since 2007 - Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts. In addition to many paintings, the artist also credited dioramas: “Organization of the First Council. Gathering on the Talka River "(in the city of Kirov, together with MI Samsonov, in 1988); "Breaking the blockade of Leningrad" (Museum of the Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Hill, in Moscow, together with E. A. Korneev, in 1985-1988.)

Nikolai Solomin Jr. is the son of Nikolai Konstantinovich Solomin, who participated in the interior decoration of the capital hotels Ukraine and Leningradskaya, the construction of which in the middle of the last century was an event of special state importance. It was during this period that Solomin Jr. decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and entered the Moscow State Art Institute named after I. V. I. Surikov, graduating from which in 1969, together with his classmate, later People's Artist of the Russian Federation, V. B. Tautiev got a job in the Studio of military artists named after M. B. Grekov. It was there that Solomin Jr. learned the technique of writing and the manner of battle painters. Later, in his already mature work, he will remain faithful to the adopted realism and academism, received in the studio.

However, despite the fact that Nikolai Nikolaevich Solomin is primarily considered a battle painter, for many years he has given preference to peaceful themes in his work - everyday village painting, as well as village still lifes and landscapes.

Each spectator, who at least once in his life has been in the Russian outback, wandered among endless fields and meadows, sat on the steep bank of the river with a fishing rod in his hands; in whose memory there are still memories of the summer school holidays spent in the village, or of hiking in the forest for mushrooms and berries early in the morning - he will certainly feel the piercing authenticity of Nikolai Solomin's landscapes and genre paintings. And also an unusual feeling of warmth and harmony in the soul, which remains after watching his amazing paintings.

Being the owner of many prestigious awards and prizes, he can rightfully be proud of the most important of them: the wide recognition of his talent among modern connoisseurs of painting. He is deservedly called a classic of modern fine art, his unique painting adorns leading art galleries and private collections, as well as the vaults of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

He is one of those artists who have the right to say about himself:. The same creative business trips from the Greeks allowed them to accumulate colossal material, visit amazing places, and meet extraordinary people throughout Russia. And also in the geography of the artist's travels were Mongolia, Afghanistan, Alaska, China and, of course, Europe.

In addition to commercially successful art projects, which in the modern world is almost the main criterion for the popularity of the author, Nikolai Nikolaevich took place as a teacher of one of the best educational universities in the country. So, in 2005, Solomin became a professor at the Department of Historical and Battle Painting at the Moscow State Art Institute named after I. I. IN AND. Surikov, where he taught for many years.

Artistic talent can be passed down both by inheritance and by apprenticeship. The artist Solomin Jr. calls himself a "hereditary painter" who took all the best from his father. Such is the relay race of talent - from father to son.

Solomin - father

Native Muscovite Nikolai Konstantinovich Solomin (1916 - 1999) - Russian artist, People's Artist of the RSFSR (1983), father of N. N. Solomin.

After graduating from the seven-year school in 1931, he entered the art school in memory of 1905. The first three years Nikolai Solomin worked at the design department, then moved to the easel painting department, which at that time was headed by Nikolai Petrovich Krymov. In 1936, after graduating with honors, Solomin was enrolled in the Moscow State Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov, where he was a student of S. V. Gerasimov, G. G. Ryazhsky, A. A. Debler.

The work of the young artist on his thesis was interrupted by the Great Patriotic War. Nikolai Konstantinovich went to the front as part of the People's Militia, reached Berlin, and was in German captivity. Demobilized from the army in 1948, Solomin defended his diploma and in the same year was admitted to the Union of Artists. Since that time, Nikolai Konstantinovich has become a permanent participant in Moscow, republican and all-Union exhibitions. In 1974 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR, and nine years later he received the title of People's.

Nikolai Konstantinovich Solomin was a prominent representative of the Russian realistic school of painting. For excessive realism, he was even reproached for naturalism. His works are carefully worked out, every smallest detail is written out, so you want to consider them for a long time, delving into the very essence.

The artist painted mainly everyday scenes from village life: harvesting, moments of relaxation, rural holidays. However, this genre was not the only one in his work. Solomin also painted historical canvases and portraits, created pastel still lifes and pencil drawings.

By the way, N. K. Solomina were often quite impressive in size, which was very rare. In general, Soviet painting knows quite a few works in the pastel technique. Nikolai Konstantinovich is a rare exception here.

Personal exhibitions of People's Artist Nikolai Konstantinovich Solomin were held in Moscow in 1976 and 1985, and in 2000 a posthumous exhibition of the artist's paintings took place. Nikolai Solomin's works are in the Tretyakov Gallery and in more than twenty regional museums in Russia.

The village theme has attracted painters at all times, and not only Russian ones. Danish artist Peder Mörk Mönsted was recognized as one of the best realist landscape painters who worked at the turn of the past two eras. In our publication you can see gallery of magnificent countryside landscapes of one of the best and richest artists of the "golden age" of Danish painting and learn a lot of interesting things about him.