KURDOV Valentin Ivanovich

December 7 (20), 1905 (Mikhailovskoye, Perm province) — November 9, 1989 (Leningrad)

Painter, graphic artist

Valentin Kurdov was born to a family of doctor. In 1921 Kurdov studied in Perm State Free Art Studios; in 1922 — at the faculty of sculpture in the Institute of Art and Practical trainings in Sverdlovsk; in 1923–1926 — at the faculty of painting in the Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS) — the Higher Art Technical Institute (VKhUTEIN) in Leningrad, under the guidance of A. E. Karev, M. V. Matyushin, A. I. Savinov and K. S. Petrov-Vodkin. In 1926–1927 he worked under the guidance of K. S. Malevich in the State Institute of Artistic Culture (GINKhUK).

Kurdov lived in Leningrad. In 1926–1927 he painted about 10 сubistic works: Balalaika, Felt boot, Hanging lamp, Chinese lantern and others.

Since 1927 the artist worked for the children’s department of the State Publishing House (Gosizdat). He illustrated the books: Askyr – a tale of the Sayan sable (1927), Where crayfishes spend the winter (1930), The Forest Newspaper (1952, 1983), The Stories about Hunting (1952), The Forest Tales and Fables (1952, 1969; together with E. I. Charushin), Somersault and other stories (1953) by V. V. Bianki; Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (1934, 1970), The Tales (1936, 1980), The Elephant’s Child (1970) by Rudyard Kipling; The Life of Senior Imteurgin by Teki Odulok (1934); Ivanhoe by Walter Scott (1936);  Budyonny’s Cavalry by A. I. Vvedensky (1930s);  The Kalevala epos (1956, 1978); The First Hunting (1956), The House in Forest (1962) by I. S. Sokolov-Mikitov;  Solstice by I. N. Sladkov (1968) and others. In 1930 Kurdov accompanied V. Bianki on his trip to the North.

Since 1937 Kurdov worked in the experimental workshop of Leningrad Department of the Union of Soviet Artists (LOSSKh). He created a series of easel lithographs: Life of the North People (1933), the Red Army (1933–1940), In the Virgin Lands (1959–1975) and For the Soviet Power (1967). He was also engaged in wood engraving.

During the Great Patriotic War Kurdov stayed in blockaded Leningrad, fought on the Volkhov Front and in the partisan party. In 1939 he was one of the founders and active members of the association Boevoy Karandash (“Fighting Pencil”). He created a series of lithographs On the Roads of War (1942–1944).

Since 1932 Kurdov participated in different exhibitions (Artists of the RSFSR for 15 years in Leningrad). In 1932 he was a founder member of Leningrad Department of the Union of Soviet Artists (LOSSKh). His works were shown at the exhibitions: 15 years of the Red Army RKKA (Workers’–Peasants’ Red Army) in Moscow and Leningrad (1933–1934), the exhibition of Leningrad Artists (1935, 1939, 1948, 1950, 1951), 25 years of the Red Army in Leningrad (1943), the exhibition of the Soviet coloured etching (1937), the All-Union exhibition of the children’s literature and illustration for children’s books (1938), the exhibition of the plates of Leningrad artists (1939), the Exhibition of works of Leningrad artists during the Great Patriotic War (1942), the exhibition of the association Boevoy Karandash (“Fighting pencil”, 1943), the All-Union art exhibitions (1946, 1947, 1955), the exhibitions 30 years of the Soviet Armed Forces (1948) and 40 years of the Soviet Armed Forces (1958) in Moscow, the exhibition Leningrad during the Siege in Perm, Gorky (1943) and other exhibitions.  He participated in many exhibitions of Soviet art abroad, in particular he took part in the Exhibition of Soviet Graphic Art in London (1934, 1945), Sofia (1936), New York (1940), Warsaw (1946), Rome, Milan, Florence (1948).

Kurdov was conferred title of the Honoured Art Worker of RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) in 1957, the People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1976. In 1973 he was awarded the I. E. Repin State Prize of the RSFSR. He wrote the memoirs Memorable Days and Years (St. Petersburg, 1994).

Works by Valentin Kurdov are in many museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and others.