OSMERKIN Alexander Alexandrovich

December 6, 1892 (Elisavetgrad, Kherson province) — June 25, 1953 (Pleskovo, near Moscow)

Painter, graphic artist, scene designer

Osmerkin was born to a family of land surveyor. He finished technical school in Elisavetgrad. In 1910 he moved to St. Petersburg, studied at the Drawing School under the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. In 1911–1913 Osmerkin moved to Moscow and attended the private studio of I. I. Mashkov (till 1915). In 1913 he exposed his works at the exhibition of the group Bubnovy Valet (“Jack of Diamonds”).

In 1915 Osmerkin was called up for military service. After demobilization in 1917–1918 he together with leading artists of Bubnovy Valet participated in the exhibitions of the society Mir Iskusstva (“World of Art”). Since autumn of 1918 Osmerkin was P. P. Konchalovsky’s assistant at the State Free Art Studios in Moscow. In 1920 Osmerkin became professor of the Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS), in 1927 — the Higher Art technical Institute (VKhUTEIN).

In 1920 Osmerkin became a member of the society Mir Iskusstva, in 1924 — the society Moscow painters. In 1926 he together with A. A. Kuprin and Konchalovsky joined the society Bytie (“Being”). In 1927 Osmerkin was one of the founders of the Society of Moscow artists.

From 1932 till 1937 Osmerkin lectured at Leningrad Institute of painting, sculpture and architecture. From 1937 till 1947 he was professor of Moscow Art Institute. Osmerkin worked as a scene-designer, collaborated with Moscow Chamber Opera Theatre and the Bolshoi Drama Theatre in Leningrad. During the Great Patriotic War Osmerkin was evacuated to Kazan.

Osmerkin was one of the leading painters of the first half of the 20th century. The masters of the group Bubnovy Valet influenced on Osmerkin’s career of an artist. His genre painting was also characteristic to the group Bubnovy Valet: portrait, still life, landscape. P. Cezanne, French art movements fauvism and cubism had impact on Osmerkin’s art (early works of 1910s). His painting was characterized by strictness, restraint, natural simplicity and less decorativeness than in his teacher I. I. Mashkov’s works.

In mid 1920s Osmerkin left cubism and Cezannism for realistic painting. Late works of the artist were painted in impressionistic manner. His landscapes and still lifes of 1940s–1950s were painted with special lyricism and drama.

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