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Ilya Sergeyevich Glazunov (; 10 June 1930 – 9 July 2017) was a Soviet and Russian artist from
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. He was the founder of the
Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture where he also served as a rector up until his death. He held the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.
Ilya Glazunov's paintings primarily feature historic or religious themes. His works include ''Russia the Eternal'', ''The 20th Century Mystery'', ''The Ruining of the Temple on Easter Night'', and illustrations to the works of
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. () was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist and journalist. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in both Russian literature, Russian and world literature, and many of his works are consider ...
.
Biography
Ilya Glazunov was born in Leningrad (now
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
) to Sergey Fyodorovich Glazunov and Olga Konstantinovna Glazunova (née Flug).
. His father was a historian. As a child, Glazunov attended a children's school of arts, and later a secondary art school in the historical district of
Petrogradskaya Storona.
During
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 ...
, he survived the
Siege of Leningrad
The siege of Leningrad was a Siege, military blockade undertaken by the Axis powers against the city of Leningrad (present-day Saint Petersburg) in the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front of World War II from 1941 t ...
. His father, mother and other relatives died in it. In 1942, the then-eleven-year-old was transported from besieged
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
along the
Road of Life
The Road of Life () was the set of ice road transport routes across Lake Ladoga to Leningrad during the Second World War. They were the only Soviet winter surface routes into the city while it was besieged by the German Army Group North und ...
. He stayed in the village of Greblo in the
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( ; , ; ), also known simply as Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century. The city lies along the V ...
region. In 1944, he returned to Leningrad and studied in the
Leningrad Secondary Art School. From 1951 to 1957, he studied art at the
Leningrad Repin Institute of Arts under the direction of
Professor Boris Ioganson.
In 1956, he married Nina Vinogradova-Benois. He painted the image of Nina in many of his works. Nina Aleksandrovna was a descendant of the
Benois family, a familiar name in art history. Her uncle was the artistic director of the
La Scala
La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
Opera for 30 years. On 24 May 1986, Nina Vinogradova-Benois committed suicide, just a few days before the opening of the exhibition of her husband in
Manege. Their children, Ivan and Vera, have both become artists.
Glazunov's success at the International Competition of Young Artists in Prague prompted the opening of his first single exhibition in Moscow in 1957. Soon after in the 1960s, he traveled to Italy for the first time to paint the portraits of many famous actors and actress, including
Gina Lollobrigida and
Anita Ekberg. He also painted portraits of many political leaders, including
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Given name, ''née'' Nehru; 19 November 1917 – 31 October 1984) was an Indian politician and stateswoman who served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 un ...
,
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev (19 December 190610 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1964 until Death and state funeral of Leonid Brezhnev, his death in 1982 as w ...
,
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (; 3 September 1900 – 31 August 1986), often referred to by his initials UKK, was a Finnish politician who served as the eighth and longest-serving president of Finland from 1956 to 1982. He also served as Prime Minister ...
,
Yury Luzhkov and
Andrei Gromyko. In 1978, Glazunov started teaching in the Moscow University of Art. In 1987 he founded the
Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
During the 1970s, he stood against the general plan for restoration of Moscow that threatened to ruin part of the historic centre of Moscow. Together with
Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov he gathered signatures of prominent scientific and cultural figures under a letter of protest that was sent to the
Politburo
A politburo () or political bureau is the highest organ of the central committee in communist parties. The term is also sometimes used to refer to similar organs in socialist and Islamist parties, such as the UK Labour Party's NEC or the Poli ...
. The project was made public, then heavily criticized and, as a result, was cancelled. This also led to the creation of the civil committee that monitored other reconstruction plans. Glazunov was one of the main advocates behind the restoration of the
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (, ) is a Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskva River, a few hundred metres southwest of the Kremlin. With an overall height of , it is the ...
and one of the co-founders of the All-Russian Society for Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (VOOPIiK).
Glazunov died from heart failure on 9 July 2017 at the age of 87. He was buried at the
Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery () is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist site.
History
The cemetery was designed by Ivan Mashkov and inaugurated ...
on July 11.
Works
* ''The Great Experiment.'' Glazunov's epic canvas on Russia in the 20th century.
* '' "Legend of the Grand Inquisitor" Triptych ''
Illustrations for F. Dostoyevsky's novel ''
The Brothers Karamazov'':
* ''Grand Inquisitor.'' Left portion of the
Triptych
A triptych ( ) is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided into three sections, or three carved panels that are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all m ...
.
* ''Golgotha.'' Central portion of the Triptych.
* Dostoyevsky. ''Night.'' Right portion of the Triptych.
Honors
A
minor planet
According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
,
3616 Glazunov, discovered by
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
astronomer
Lyudmila Zhuravleva
Lyudmila Vasilyevna Zhuravleva (, ; born 22 May 1946) is a Soviet Union, Soviet, Russian and Ukraine, Ukrainian astronomer, who worked at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory in Nauchnij, where she discovered 213 minor planets. She also serves a ...
in 1984, is named after him.
*
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" () is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree 442. Until the re-establishment of the Order of St. Andrew in 1998, it was the highest order of ...
;
**1st class (10 June 2010) - for outstanding contribution to the development of national art, many years of creative and educational activities
**2nd class (11 October 2005) - for outstanding achievements in the field of domestic art and education
**3rd class (9 June 2000) - for outstanding contribution to the development of national art
Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 29 мая 1995 года № 533 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации работников акционерных обществ, предприятий и организаций»
/ref>
**4th class (29 May 1995) - for services to the state, achievements in work and significant contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between nations
* Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour () was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science, culture, literature, the arts, education, sports ...
(1985)
* People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...
(1980)
* Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1973)
* State Prize of the Russian Federation
The State Prize of the Russian Federation, officially translated in Russia as Russian Federation National Award, is a state honorary prize established in 1992 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2004 the rules for selection of laureates ...
(1997) - for the restoration of the Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Kremlin Wall along with the K ...
* "For Service to Moscow" insignia - for his great services in the arts and arts education
* Order of St. Andrei Rublev, 1st class (Russian Orthodox Church, 4 December 2010) - for outstanding contribution to the development of Russian art in the 80th anniversary of his birth
* Honorary member of the Historical and Patriotic Association "Russian Banner" (1989)
* Perpetual rector of the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
* Member of the Academy of Management in Education and Culture (1997)
* "The most outstanding artist of the 20th century" in a poll of polls (1999)
* UNESCO Gold Medal - for "outstanding contribution to world culture"
* Member of the Russian Academy of Arts (2000)
References
External links
About The Ilya Glazunov Art Gallery
(In English)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glazunov, Ilya
1930 births
2017 deaths
Painters from Saint Petersburg
Nobility from the Russian Empire
20th-century Russian painters
21st-century Russian painters
Russian male painters
Soviet painters
Slavophiles
Russian nationalists
Repin Institute of Arts alumni
Full Members of the Russian Academy of Arts
People's Artists of the USSR (visual arts)
State Prize of the Russian Federation laureates
Full Cavaliers of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
20th-century Russian male artists
21st-century Russian male artists