Painting. Russian artists. Petr Konchalovsky (1876-1956)

Petr Petrovich Konchalovsky was born in Slavyansk, Ukraine. He studied in Paris at the Academy of Arts in 1897-9 and then at the Academy of Arts, St. Petersburg in 1899. In 1908 Konchalovsky visited France. He exhibited his works at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Independents, Paris. In 1909 Konchalovsky participated in the third Golden Fleece exhibition in Moscow. In 1910 he was a founder-member of the avant-garde exhibiting society Jack of Diamond and remained its leader until 1915.
Konchalovsky's mature works demonstrate his knowledge of Fauvism. The Bullfight Enthusiast, of 1910, with modelling in red, white and blue, is typical, as is the striking Portrait of Yakulov, of 1910. In 1912 Konchalovsky gave up the stylistic crudity of Cezanne's work and early cubism; this influence culminated in the Violonist Romaskov, of 1918, in which the dynamism of line and rhythm of brushstroke evoke the animation of the violinist as he plays. After the 1917 Revolution Konchalovsky became professor at Svomat (Free Art Studios) from 1918 to 1921, and at VKHU-TEMAS (High Artistic and Technical Workshops) from 1926 to 1929. In the 1920s Konchalovsky turned to Naturalism. He produced poetic, sundrenched landscapes in the late 1920s. In the 1930s and 1940s Konchalovsky painted delicate still-lifes with intriguing colour harmonies: pastel pinks and pale citrus yellows are combined with glowing purples and dull greens. His Lilac series, of 1933, is characteristic of the late period. In 1946 for his portraits of Soviet heroes during World War II Konchalovsky was awarded the Order of Red Banner and the title People's Artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

Literature: Book "Russian art" A.P. Minyar-Belorucheva