Arkady Plastov
Encyclopedia
Arkady Alexandrovich Plastov ' onMouseout='HidePop("75250")' href="/topics/Governorate">Governorate
; died 12 May 1972 in Prislonikha, Ulyanovsk Oblast
) was a Russia
n socialist realist
painter.
Plastov was born into a family of icon
painters in the village Prislonikha in the Russian Governorate of Simbirsk. He attended the sculpture department of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
beginning in 1914. In 1917, he returned to his native village, where he occupied himself with painting, drawing from nature.
Starting in 1935, he steps introduces his category painting into the public. According to the strict political-artistic doctrine of the time at that time, which only permits the style of socialist realism in all art kinds, Plastov pictures the life in the Soviet Union, the pervasive building up of socialism. His work is characterized by his knowledge of the life in the villages of the Soviet Union, his love for his native land, strong, live pictures and his skills of painting. As the reaction to the events, which moved the population of the Soviet Union at that time, Plastov showed in his pictures, how the village life had changed by the collectivization. As models of the Protagonists of his works Plastov chose characters of his homeland village. The outbreak of World War II
inspired new motives for the work of Plastov. He depictured suffering of the Soviet people, work of the women, old people and children on the kolkhoz
fields during the war. After the war Plastov kept the motives of the village life.
A characteristic for Plastov's works is painting “Spring” (Весна) from the year 1954. It shows a young naked woman undressing a girl before a wood hut - probably a Banya
(the Russian counterpart to the Finnish Sauna). It snows and in the background there are snow covered pastures. “Spring” is considered as turning point in the Soviet history of art. For the first time since introduction of socialist realism a work of art shows a completely unpolitical everyday life scene in the official area of the Soviet Union. Neither actual as typical for the past statesmanship - which Physis of the Protagonisten of the work idealizes, nor leaves itself a political message, as for instance in Plastov's earlier works that glorified the collectivization. The artistic turn, just one year after Stalin death , reflects the political relaxation in the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev
, the so called Khrushchev Thaw
.
Governorate
A governorate is an administrative division of a country. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states, provinces, or colonies, the term governorate is often used in translation from non-English-speaking administrations.The...
; died 12 May 1972 in Prislonikha, Ulyanovsk Oblast
Ulyanovsk Oblast
Ulyanovsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the city of Ulyanovsk...
) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n socialist realist
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
painter.
Plastov was born into a family of icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
painters in the village Prislonikha in the Russian Governorate of Simbirsk. He attended the sculpture department of the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
The Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture was one of the largest educational institutions in Russia. The school was formed by the 1865 merger of a private art college, established in Moscow in 1832, and the Palace School of Architecture, established in 1749 by Dmitry Ukhtomsky. By...
beginning in 1914. In 1917, he returned to his native village, where he occupied himself with painting, drawing from nature.
Starting in 1935, he steps introduces his category painting into the public. According to the strict political-artistic doctrine of the time at that time, which only permits the style of socialist realism in all art kinds, Plastov pictures the life in the Soviet Union, the pervasive building up of socialism. His work is characterized by his knowledge of the life in the villages of the Soviet Union, his love for his native land, strong, live pictures and his skills of painting. As the reaction to the events, which moved the population of the Soviet Union at that time, Plastov showed in his pictures, how the village life had changed by the collectivization. As models of the Protagonists of his works Plastov chose characters of his homeland village. The outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
inspired new motives for the work of Plastov. He depictured suffering of the Soviet people, work of the women, old people and children on the kolkhoz
Kolkhoz
A kolkhoz , plural kolkhozy, was a form of collective farming in the Soviet Union that existed along with state farms . The word is a contraction of коллекти́вное хозя́йство, or "collective farm", while sovkhoz is a contraction of советское хозяйство...
fields during the war. After the war Plastov kept the motives of the village life.
A characteristic for Plastov's works is painting “Spring” (Весна) from the year 1954. It shows a young naked woman undressing a girl before a wood hut - probably a Banya
Banya (sauna)
Banya in Russian can refer to any kind of steam bath, but usually to the Russian type of sauna. In Bulgarian, banya usually refers to a bath and bathing...
(the Russian counterpart to the Finnish Sauna). It snows and in the background there are snow covered pastures. “Spring” is considered as turning point in the Soviet history of art. For the first time since introduction of socialist realism a work of art shows a completely unpolitical everyday life scene in the official area of the Soviet Union. Neither actual as typical for the past statesmanship - which Physis of the Protagonisten of the work idealizes, nor leaves itself a political message, as for instance in Plastov's earlier works that glorified the collectivization. The artistic turn, just one year after Stalin death , reflects the political relaxation in the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, the so called Khrushchev Thaw
Khrushchev Thaw
The Khrushchev Thaw refers to the period from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s, when repression and censorship in the Soviet Union were partially reversed and millions of Soviet political prisoners were released from Gulag labor camps, due to Nikita Khrushchev's policies of de-Stalinization and...
.