Samokhvalov Alexander

August 8, 1894 (Bezhetsk Tver province) - August 20, 1971 (Leningrad)

painter, graphic artist, sculptor, stage designer, artist arts and crafts.

In early 1910-s attended classes at a private school YS Goldblat in St. Petersburg. In 1914-1918 he studied at the Higher Art School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture at IAH at VA Belyaev and G. Zaleman, in 1920-1923 - in Petrograd at VHUTEMAS K. ; S. Petrov-Vodkin, D. Kardovsky, AA Rylova, VE Savinskoye. In 1921 as part of the expedition of the Institute of History of Material Culture made a journey to Samarkand.

lived in Leningrad. Since 1917 he participated in exhibitions. He was a member of association "World of Art" (from 1917), "The community of artists (from 1922)," The combination of new trends in art "(from 1922)," Fire-color "(from 1924)," Circle of Artists "(1926-1930 ), "October" (1930). Engaged book graphics, cooperated with the publishing house "Raduga", Detgiz. In 1932, painted "Girl in a T-shirt" which won a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris (1937) and became the programmatic work of Soviet art 1930. He created paintings and graphic series "Metrostroevki" (1934-1937), "Sportwoman" (1935).

Since mid-1930's he worked as a stage designer. He performed the design performances of "Bride" by Alexander Ostrovsky in the State Bolshoi Drama Theater in Leningrad (1935), "Ardent Heart" Ostrovsky, "Glass of Water" by E. Scribe in the Academic Drama Theater. Pushkin in Leningrad (both - 1943) and others.

in 1930 collaborated with the State Porcelain Factory im. MV Lomonosov Moscow State University (Leningrad Porcelain Factory im. MV Lomonosov Moscow State University), to create models of sculptures and drawings painted porcelain.

In 1940 in Leningrad, was the first personal exhibition Samokhvalova (together with GM Manizer), followed by exhibitions in 1963 and 1964 in Moscow. In 1948-1951 he taught at the Leningrad Higher School of Industrial Art. In 1967 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. In 1977 were published memoirs Samokhvalova "My career».

retrospective exhibition of the artist was held in 1974 in the State Russian Museum.

Samokhvalov - a master of Soviet art, has created his own recognizable style in painting, drawing, decorative and applied arts. In his works combined traits of expressionism with the ideological program of socialist realism, very accurately expressed "the spirit of 1930". His works are imbued with joy of life and optimism, the main characters canvases - of eager young creators of a new life - athletes, metrostroevtsy, factory workers. The works of the artist distinguishes monumentality, the freedom of painting style, the brightness of color.

Creativity Samokhvalova represented in major museum collections in Russia and private collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, State Russian Museum, Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin and others.