KUZNETSOV Pavel Varfolomeevich

1878 — 1968

Russian and Soviet painter, graphic artist.

Kuznetsov was born into an icon painter’s family. He studied at the Painting and Drawing Studio with the Saratov Society of Fine Arts Lovers under V.V. Konovalov and G.P. Salvini-Baracchi (1891–1896). There he met Viktor Borisov-Musatov. In 1897, he entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture where he studied under Abram Arkhipov, Konstantin Korovin, and Valentin Serov. He collaborated with the Moscow symbolist magazines Iskusstvo [“Art”] and Zolotoye runo [“Golden Fleece”], was a member of the Mir iskusstva [“The World of Art”] association and of the Union of Russian Artists. In 1904, he was one of the organizers of the Alaya Roza [“Scarlet Rose”] exhibition, participated in establishing the Golubaya roza [“Blue Rose”] association. In 1906, he visited Paris, studied at private studios, presented his works at the Russian art exhibition, and was elected a life member of the Paris Salon d’Automne (Autumn Salon). In 1911-1913, he travelled in the Volga steppe and Middle Asia. His travels resulted in “Kirghiz Suite”, “Bukhara Series” and other series. The artist’s brushwork discovered a new language which was to become his main style. It was not by accident that his travel sketches “turned” into fragments of a major monumental series.

After the revolution, Kuznetsov participated in publishing the Put osvobozhdeniya [“The Path to Liberation”] magazine, taught, was head of the Fine Arts Section with the People’s Commissariat of Enlightenment (1919–1924). He continued his oriental theme, where the influence of ancient Russian painting is felt, designed two series of lithoprints, “Turkestan” and “Mountains of Bukhara” (1922–1923), travelled in the Crimea, Caucasus (1925–1929), and Armenia (1930). The works created by Kuznetsov in the late 1920s-early 1930s (including the “Portrait of sculptor A.T. Matveyev”, 1928; “Mother”, “Bridge across the river Zanga”, 1930; “Sorting of cotton” and “Pushball”, both of 1931), are the acme of his art.

In 1917–1937 and 1945–1948, he taught at the Higher Art and Technical Studios/Higher Art and Technical Institute (VHUTEMAS/VHUTEIN), the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts, etc., was organizer and chairman of the Chetyre iskusstva [“Four Arts”] association (1924–1931).

 

Prints

All artist`s prints
  • A Man selling FlatbreadA Man selling Flatbread
    1923
  • Ox-driverOx-driver
    1923
  • Women Selling Melons Women Selling Melons
    1923
  • Centre of the TownCentre of the Town
    1923
  • MusicianMusician
    1923
  • A TownA Town
    1923
  • A BoyA Boy
    1923
  • CamelsCamels
    1923
  • FeastFeast
    1923
  • MusicianMusician
    1923
  • StudentsStudents
    1923
  • Pears HarvestPears Harvest
    1923
  • Cattle Drivers with MulesCattle Drivers with Mules
    1923
  • Dairymaid with GoatsDairymaid with Goats
    1923