BOGDANOV-BELSKY Nikolay Petrovich

November 26, 1868 (Shitikovo, Smolensk province) — February 19, 1945 (Berlin)

Painter, graphic artist

Bogdanov-Belsky was born to a peasant family. His real surname was Bogdanov; he took the name of district, where the artist came from, as a second part of his surname — Belsky.

The artist received his primary education at the two-year non-classical secondary school in the village of Shopotovo, and then at the public school in the village of Tatevo. Professor of Moscow University S.A. Rachinsky noticed abilities of the future artist, and due to his initiative and means, Bogdanov-Belsky was sent to study under the guidance of icon painter of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra hieromonach Simeon. In 1884 Bogdanov-Belsky entered Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture (MUZhVZ), studied under V. D. Polenov, V. E. Makovsky and I. M. Pryshnikov. In 1889 he was awarded silver medal and was conferred the title of the class artist for the painting Future monk. In 1894–1895 the artist continued his education at the Higher Art Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under the Imperial Academy of Arts at the I. E. Repin studio. In 1895 Bogdanov-Belsky moved to Paris, where he studied painting at the F. Cormon studio and drawing at the F. Colarossi School for 2 years.

Since 1897 Bogdanov-Belsky lived in St. Petersburg (Petrograd). In 1888–1889, 1891 he took trips to Constantinople and Mount Athos, in 1893 — to the Crimea. After 1896 he regularly went to the village of Tatevo in Smolensk province in order to paint in his own studio.

Since 1890 (until 1918, with interruptions) Bogdanov-Belsky participated in the exhibitions of the Society of Travelling Art Exhibitions (TPKhV, since 1895 — member of the Society); since 1893 — in exhibitions of Moscow Society of Art Lovers. In 1903 he was conferred a title of academician. In 1905 he travelled around Europe; he visited Munich, Berlin, Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Vienna. From 1907 till 1920 Bogdanov-Belsky worked at the cottage for academicians artists in Vyshnevolotsk district of Tver province. In 1910 he became member of the A. I. Kuindzhi Society of Artists; later in 1913–1918 he was chairman of the Society. In 1914 he was elected a member of the Academy of Arts.

After the revolution, Bogdanov-Belsky participated in the First State Independent Art Exhibition in Petrograd in 1919. In 1921 the first personal exhibition of the artist was held in Petrograd. In the same year, he emigrated and settled in Riga. In 1921–1922 the second personal exhibition of the artist was held at the State Museum of Art in Riga. Bogdanov-Belsky exposed his works at the exhibitions of Russian art in the USA and Canada (1924–1925), Copenhagen (1927), Prague (1928), Oslo (1928), the International Exhibition of Modern Painting in Pittsburgh (1925). In 1941 he exposed his works at the 1st exhibition of visual arts in Soviet Latvia.

Bogdanov-Belsky was buried at the Orthodox cemetery in Berlin.

The artist primarily worked as genre painter, but he also painted a number of landscapes and portraits during his life. The style of artist’s genre painting formed in 1890s. Restrained colors, clarity of composition, attention to details were characteristic for his paintings. Bogdanov-Belsky’s most famous works were dedicated to public education: Mental arithmetic, Composition, Sunday reading and others. During emigration, the subject matter of his works changed a little: the artist continued to create paintings, dedicated to peasant children; features of impressionism appeared in his art manner.
In 1968–1969 the retrospective exhibition of Bogdanov-Belsky’s works was held in Kalinin (now — Tver), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the artist.

Works by Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky are in many museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, and a number of regional museums.