RERBERG Fedor Ivanovich

June 21, 1865 (Moscow) — the beginning of October, 1938 (Moscow)

Painter, graphic artist

Fedor Rerberg was born to family of railway engineer; he was brother of the engineer and architect I. I. Rerberg. In 1881 he took private drawing lessons of V. S. Rozanov. In 1885–1892 he studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts, firstly — at the faculty of architecture, then — at the faculty of painting under P. P. Chistyakov, P. M. Shamshin, B. P. Villevalde, K. B. Venig, V. P. Vereshchagin, and V. I. Yakobi. Rerberg followed I. E. Repin’s advice. In 1886 and in 1887 Rerberg was awarded silver medals for his drawing and sketch. In 1888 he graduated from the Academy; he denied participating in competition with gold medal award. In 1892 he was conferred title of non-class (free) artist.

Rerberg lived in Moscow since 1892. He traveled a lot; made trips to the Caucasus (1888), the Crimea (1889), down the Volga River (1890, 1913), to Germany, Austria, France (1899), Italy (1911, 1914). He often went to Moscow region in order to draw sketches. Rerberg painted landscapes, portraits, genre compositions. He worked a lot in watercolor.

Since 1889 Rerberg took part in exhibitions. He was a member of the society Moscow Salon; member and participant of exhibitions of Moscow Society of Art Lovers (1889, 1898–1900; member — since 1898), Moscow Association of Artists (MTKh; 1893–1924, with intervals; founder and board member). The artist took part in the exhibitions of the Society of Travelling Art Exhibitions (TPKhV; 1891–1903, with intervals); the World exhibitions in St. Louis and in New York (1904–1905), in Rome (1911); the exhibition Moscow painters to the War victims (1914–1915); the exhibition of Russian Artists (old and new school, 1915); the 4th State art exhibition in Moscow (1919); the First traveling exhibition of painting and drawing (1925; Moscow, Saratov, Tsaritsyn, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod) and others. The personal exhibition of the artist was held in Moscow in 1910.

Since 1891 Rerberg gave private lessons. In 1906 he founded private school, where he taught not only painting and drawing, but he also delivered lectures about history of art. Rerberg taught at the school till 1931 (in 1929 the Art School of F. I. Rerberg was reorganized into the State courses of painting and drawing at the Baumansky branch of the Department of People’s Education). Rerberg taught at the Technical School under the Association of State Book and Magazine Publishing Houses (OGIZ), at Moscow Textile Institute, at the Courses of academic drawing under the All-Russian co-operative society Vsekokhudozhnik (“Artist”) in 1930s. His students were F. I. Malevich, A. F. Safronova, V. M. Khodasevich, I. F. Rerberg and others.

At the end of 1917 — 1918 Rerberg worked in the Commission for Protection of works of art and antiquities of Mossovet (Moscow Soviet of People’s Deputies). He was a member of the Art Council of the State Historical Museum. Rerberg took part in foundation of the 1st Proletarian Museum (1918). He also headed the art department at the Museum of Labour (since 1920). The artist painted the panel for the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV, 1923) in Moscow. Since 1927 he was a consultant at the decorative paints factory Krasny Khudozhnik (“Red Artist”).

Rerberg wrote several books: Paints and other modern art goods (Moscow, 1905), Artist: choice of profession (Moscow, 1906), Concise course in history of art (Moscow, 1908), Palette of modern artist (Moscow, 1931), Artist about paints (Moscow, 1932), Introduction to perspective (Moscow, 1933), Learn how to paint in watercolors, Learn how to paint in oils (both — Moscow, 1936). Rerberg also worked on his memoirs, wrote stories and tales (not published). In 1935 he was conferred title of the Honoured Art Worker of the RSFSR (Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic) for his creative and teaching activity.

The exhibitions of Rerberg’s works were held in Moscow in 1963–1964.

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