ADLIVANKIN Samuil Yakovlevich

July 7(19), 1897 (Tatarsk, Mogilev province) — March 7, 1966 (Moscow)

Painter

He graduated from the K. Kostandi Odessa School of Arts (1912–1917) and continued his education under V. E. Tatlin at Moscow State Free Art Studios.

After graduation, he lived and worked in Moscow. In 1919 on the instructions of the Department of Fine Arts of Narcompros (National commissariat of education), Adlivankin worked in the organization Svomas (the State Free Art Workshop) in Samara. At the same time he was appointed the head of the art section of the provincial committee for mass culture and was responsible for the development of art education and art programs for kids. He was also engaged in clubs decoration and poster design.

Later Adlivankin took a great interest in new art schools and painted in the style of A. M. Rodchenko, L. S. Popova and others. In 1921–1922 he participated in establishment of the New Society of Painters (NOZH) and within this society exhibited his works.

In 1923–1928 Adlivankin made illustrations for Molodaya Gvardia publishing house, for magazines Lapot’ (“Bast Shoe”), Voyennyi Crocodil (“Military Crocodile”) and Bezbozhnik (“Atheist”). He together with V. V. Mayakovsky created political posters and caricatures; created films for the film studio Soyuzdetfilm (Cup of tea, 1927).

In 1931 exhibitions of Adlivankin’s works were held in Moscow: Anti-imperialistic Exhibition and Art of the third, decisive year of the five-year plan.

Since 1932 as a member of Izobrigada (“Group of art workers”), Adlivankin created easel paintings on the subject of everyday life in grotesque manner, continued to illustrate popular magazines, attempted to paint in the technique of monumental and pictorial panel. In 1932–1933 he exhibited his works in Leningrad at the exhibitions Artists of the RSFSR for 15 years and 15 years of the Red Army RKKA (Workers’­­–Peasant’ Red Army).

Original manner and high artistic level of Adlivankin’s painting were formed by principles of the New Society of Painters (NOZh) and group Izobrigada, which was engaged in the creation of new subject matter and figurative structure of painting. He created such famous paintings as Heroes here and there (1932), Young modelers (1932), Dance in the steppe (1934). In his later works, such as Meeting of the Hasan heroes with collective workers of the Far East and Arrival of the settlers in the Amur region, made for the pavilion Far East at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, the influence of socialistic realism is noticeable. However, in the last years of his life Adlivankin deviated from the traditions of the socialist realism and began to create paintings with intimate essence — lyric landscapes, genre scenes.

In 1961 his personal exhibition was held in Moscow.

Works by Samuil Adliviankin are in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow; the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg and in other collections.