LARIONOV Mikhail Fedorovich

May 22 (June 4) 1881 (Tiraspol) — May 10, 1964 (Fontenay-aux-Roses, near Paris)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer

Mikhail Larionov was born to family of military medical assistant. He spent his childhood in the South of Russia. At middle age the artist often visited these places for creating sketches during summer months. In 1898 Larionov entered Moscow School of painting, sculpture and architecture (MUZhVZ), where he studied till 1910 (with intervals because of three expulsions from the School for his artistic freethinking), under the guidance of K. A. Korovin and V. A. Serov. In 1900 Larionov met N. S. Goncharova at the MUZhVZ, who married him later and became co-author for many his works.

Since early 1900s Larionov took active part in art life; he exhibited his works in Russia as well as in Europe. The artist was under great influence of French painters, that’s why his early period could be called impressionistic. In 1904 Larionov executed such paintings as Rose Bush, Garden, Fishes at Sunset, which were full of cheerfulness, bright colours and rich pictorial textures. Larionov showed these and other works at the exhibitions of the Society of Russian Watercolorists (ORA), the Union of Russian Artists (SRKh), the group Mir Iskusstva (“World of Art”), at Russian section at the Autumn Salon in 1906 in Paris. The artist’s paintings were a great success.

In 1907–1912 the artist left impressionism and became interested in city folklore pictures; he adopted methods of lubok (Russian folk art), and signboard’s and tray’s painting. He painted in primitive style the series Dandies, Hairdressers (1907) and scenes of provincial life. In 1910 Larionov joined the group Bubnovy Valet (“Jack of Diamonds”); at the exhibition of this group the artist showed his painting Bread resembling signboard of a bakery. Even drawings and inscriptions on the fence were a constant inspiration for Larionov’s primitivism.

The painter collaborated with poets-futurists; he illustrated theirs publications (in particular Lipstick by Aleksei Kruchenykh in 1912), executed a series of lithographic cards after his paintings; he was also engaged in graphic art. These cards and books were published in limited edition; nowadays they are of great value.

Larionov left Bubnovy Valet and organized the exhibition Osliniy Khvost (“Donkey’s Tail”) in 1912 where he showed his works from so called soldier’s series which he painted after his service in the army in 1910, in particular A Resting Soldier (1911); he also organized the exhibition Mishen (“Target”; 1913). In 1913 Larionov together with I. M. Zdanevich and M. V. Le-Dantyu organized extravagant futuristic walks through Moscow which became the first happenings; the artist together with Zdanevich published the manifest Why we are colouring.