KRAVCHENKO Alexey Ilyich

1889 — 1940

Russian and Soviet artist, master of easel and book graphic art.

Kravchenko was born into a peasant family. He studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1904–1905, 1907–1910), where his teachers were Sergey Ivanov, Konstantin Korovin and Valentin Serov. When due to 1905 events, the Moscow school closed, he continued his studies at Simon Hollosy’s school in Munich (1906). During his student years, one of his landscapes earned him the Isaak Levitan award, later he was praised by Iliya Repin, and enjoyed early success at exhibitions and among collectors. Kravchenko was a member of Tovarishcestvo peredvizhnikov [“The Union of Travelling Artists”] (from 1915) and one of the initiators of the Chetyre iskusstva [“Four Arts”] group (from 1925) which brought together major painters, graphic artists, sculptors, and architects under the slogan of the synthesis of arts. In 1918, first Soviet People’s Commissar of Enlightenment Anatoly Lunacharsky sent him to Saratov to manage the local Art Museum (1918–1921). There he also worked as a stage designer and designer of the so called agitprop mass revolutionary festivities (a portmanteau term from the “Department for Agitation and Propaganda”). In 1919, he started working in xylography and from 1921, mainly used this technique becoming one of the founders of the Soviet school of prints. His recognition as a master of graphic art was marked by the Grand Prix award from the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris (1925).

Apart from producing big thematic prints, Kravchenko worked in petty forms of graphic art — he cut book plates (ex-libris of A.A. Sidorov), publisher's marks, etc. In 1921, he moved to Moscow and began teaching at the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts (professor, 1935–1940). At different times, he visited Italy, India, France, and the USA.

 

Prints

All artist`s prints
  • In the portIn the port
    1919
  • BoatsBoats
    1919
  • BathingBathing
    1919
  • ShipbuildersShipbuilders
    1921
  • Boats on the pierBoats on the pier
    1921
  • Luthier Stradivari in his WorkshopLuthier Stradivari in his Workshop
    1926
  • Scene in the fieldScene in the field
    1928
  • At the Factory Entrance. Factory DaycareAt the Factory Entrance. Factory Daycare
    1928
  • Mother and Child. The Future of the Socialist CountryMother and Child. The Future of the Socialist Country
    1928
  • Bai on a CamelBai on a Camel
    1928
  • Liberation of  Women of the East. Burning of the VeilLiberation of Women of the East. Burning of the Veil
    1928
  • Stefan Zweig. Short Stories.  Cover.Stefan Zweig. Short Stories. Cover.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Legend of Twin Sisters. Illustration.Stefan Zweig. Legend of Twin Sisters. Illustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Legend of Twin Sisters. Illustration.Stefan Zweig. Legend of Twin Sisters. Illustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Fear. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Fear. llustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Fear. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Fear. llustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Mendel the Book Dealer. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Mendel the Book Dealer. llustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Letter from an Unknown Woman. llustration..Stefan Zweig. Letter from an Unknown Woman. llustration..
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Letter from an Unknown Woman. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Letter from an Unknown Woman. llustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Moonlit Street. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Moonlit Street. llustration.
    1934
  • Stefan Zweig. Amock. llustration.Stefan Zweig. Amock. llustration.
    1934
  • Industrial landscape Industrial landscape
    1930’s.
  • In the shop floor In the shop floor
    1930's