Adolf Markovich Konstantinopolsky (; 20 April 1923,

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

— 1 December 1993, Kharkiv) was a Soviet and Ukrainian artist of battle scenes. He fought in the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and was awarded the

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the ...

(1945). He earned the title of Merited Artist of Ukraine (1974), and People's Artist of Ukraine (1991). He was Full Professor.

Education

Adolf Konstantonopolsky was born in Kharkiv in the family of a white-collar worker. He studied at the Kharkiv State School of Art (1940–1941) and at the Kharkiv State Academy of Arts (1948–1954); among his professors were Yury V. Balanovsky, G. A. Tomenko, O. P. Lezina. He painted "Days of Mourning" and "People's Mourning" as his graduation assignment under the guidance of S. F. Besedin.

Art exhibitions

Adolf Konstantinopolsky took part in art exhibitions since 1954. One of the first artist's paintings, "Native Soil" was exhibited at a Ukrainian art exhibition in 1957. The painting at once won the recognition of viewers and critics, rightfully becoming one of the best battle painting works of the Ukrainian SSR dedicated to the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front, also known as the Great Patriotic War (term), Great Patriotic War in the Soviet Union and its successor states, and the German–Soviet War in modern Germany and Ukraine, was a Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II ...

. This epic, multi-faceted canvas looks natural and nonchallant. It attracts with its truthfulness and deep meaning. The gaze gradually moves from group to group, from face to face, thus creating the impression that the soldiers are diverse and, at the same time, united in their mood. The artist's works were exhibited at art exhibitions in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

(1962) and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

(1975). As "The Artists of Kharkiv" guide published in 1967 states, "the best of isworks have become an asset of the Ukrainian Soviet fine arts." Adolf Konstantinopolsky many times was a participant in various provincial, Ukrainian, All-Union, and foreign (outside of the Soviet Union) art exhibitions.

Solo exhibitions

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

— 1974, 1983, 1992 and 1998 (retrospective) *

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

— 1975

Teaching arts

Adolf Konstantinopolsky taught arts at Kharkiv State School of Art (1954–1956), and at Kharkiv Art and Industrial School (later renamed into Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts) from 1960.

Achievements

Adolf Konstantinopolsky was a member of the

National Union of Artists of Ukraine The National Union of Artists of Ukraine () is an artist cooperative headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine. This voluntary creative association consists of painters, graphic artists, sculptors, masters of decorative art and art critics. Recognition ...

since 1958. He participated in the creation of: : the panel picture "

October Revolution The October Revolution, also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution (in Historiography in the Soviet Union, Soviet historiography), October coup, Bolshevik coup, or Bolshevik revolution, was the second of Russian Revolution, two r ...

" for the main pavilion of the

Expocenter of Ukraine The Expocenter of Ukraine (VDNG) (), originally known as Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy of Ukrainian SSR () or VDNH of Ukrainian SSR (), is a permanent multi-purpose exhibition complex in the Teremky neighborhood of Kyiv, Ukrai ...

in Kyiv (1958, with O. A. Khmelnitsky, O. P. Atsmanchuk, and M. I. Krivenko as co-authors); : the

diorama A diorama is a replica of a scene, typically a three-dimensional model either full-sized or miniature. Sometimes dioramas are enclosed in a glass showcase at a museum. Dioramas are often built by hobbyists as part of related hobbies like mili ...

" Crossing the Dnieper and Creating a Bridgehead near the Village of

Lyutizh Lyutizh (; - Lyutezh) is a village 30 km to the north of Kyiv in Vyshhorod Raion of Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, with some 2280 inhabitants (2006). It belongs to Petrivtsi rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The village, first mentione ...

on the Approaches to Kyiv." He painted the following paintings: : "Native Soil" (1957); : "The

Soviet Power The political system of the Soviet Union took place in a federal single-party soviet socialist republic framework which was characterized by the superior role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), the only party permitted by the C ...

has been proclaimed! Kharkiv. 1917" (1959-60, with O. A. Khmelnitsky as a co-author); : "Soldiers" (1960); : "At Dawn" (1961); : "Katerina" (after

Taras Shevchenko Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (; ; 9 March 1814 – 10 March 1861) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure, folklorist, and ethnographer. He was a fellow of the Imperial Academy of Arts and a member of the Brotherhood o ...

, 1961); : "

Varangian The Varangians ( ; ; ; , or )Varangian
," Online Etymology Dictionary were

: "Returning from Reconnaissance"; : "The First Spring"; etc. His works are located in: : the

National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War () is a memorial complex commemorating the German-Soviet War located in the southern outskirts of the Pechersk district of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on the picturesque hi ...

, : the

Kharkiv Art Museum The Kharkiv Art Museum () is one of the largest collections of fine and applied arts in Kharkiv, Ukraine, a state museum. The Kharkiv Art Museum is located at 11, Zhon Myronosyts Street. The museum is located in a former millionaire industrialis ...

, :

Ternopil Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia and Podolia. The populatio ...

museum, :

Kryvyi Rih Kryvyi Rih ( ; , ), also known as Krivoy Rog ( ), is a city in central Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Kryvyi Rih Raion and its subordinate Kryvyi Rih urban hromada in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The city is part of the Kryvyi Rih Metropo ...

museum, and : private collections.

Awards

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on May 9, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote military partici ...

(09.05.1945) *

(02.06.1945) *

Order of the Badge of Honour The Order of the Badge of Honour () was a civilian award of the Soviet Union. It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding achievements in sports, production, scientific research and socia ...

(24.11.1960) * Order of the Patiotic War, First Class (06.04.1985)

Memory

A memorial plaque was unveiled to Adolf Konstantinopolsky in Kharkiv, at Kultury Street, 20b, where the artist lived.

References

External links

KONSTANTINOPOLSKY, Adolf Markovich

a
Kharkiv
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Konstantinopolsky, Adolf Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts alumni Ukrainian war artists 1923 births 1993 deaths