KUPRIN Alexander Vasilievich

March 23, 1880 (Borisoglebsk, Tambov Province) — March 18, 1960 (Moscow)

Painter, graphic artist

Kuprin was born to a family of district school teacher. In 1893 the family moved to Voronezh, where the young artist entered the gymnasium. In 1896–1901 Kuprin studied under L.G. Soloviev and M.I. Ponomarev at Voronezh School of Painting and Drawing under the Society of Art Lovers. In 1902 he moved to St. Petersburg, where he continued his education at the L. E. Dmitriev-Kavkazskiy private school. Since 1904 Kuprin lived in Moscow, where he attended lessons at the K. F. Yuon and I. O. Dudin School of Painting and Drawing, and then (since 1906) he studied at Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under A. E. Arkhipov, L. O. Pasternak and K. A. Korovin. He was not allowed to defend the degree work because of disagreements in the methods of teaching with the director of the School.

In 1909 Kuprin participated in the exhibition Zolotoe Runo (“Golden Fleece”), in 1910 — in the exhibition of the group Bubnovy Valet (“Jack of Diamonds”), which was held at the Levisson house on the Bolshaya Dmitrovka in Moscow. Since 1912 Kuprin was a member of the group Bubnovy Valet and an active participant of its exhibitions. In 1913–1914 he travelled around Italy and France.

After the Revolution, he was engaged in festive decoration of Moscow streets. In 1918–1920 he worked as a Korovin’s assistant at his studio. In 1920 Kuprin was sent on a trip to Nizhny Novgorod and Sormovsk by the order of the Department of Fine Arts of the National commissariat of education (Narkompros), where he headed free art studios. In 1922 Kuprin returned to Moscow. He taught at the Higher State Artistic and Technical Workshops (VKhUTEMAS); in 1922–1925 he was a professor of the faculty of theatrical and decorative art and the faculty of ceramics. In 1928–1932 he was a professor at Moscow Textile Institute. In 1946–1952 Kuprin headed the Department of Painting at Moscow Higher State Art Technical Institute (VKhUTEIN).

In 1925 Kuprin joined the art association Moscow Painters. In 1926–1930 and in 1934–1940 he often visited the Crimea, where he painted a lot. In late 1920s — 1930s he visited the factory named after Petrovsky in Dnepropetrovsk, Moscow factories (in particular factory Hammer and Sickle), oil fields in Azerbaijan, Donbass coal fields; he created a series of industrial landscapes.

In 1934 the first personal exhibition of the artist was organized by the All-Russian cooperative society Khudozhnik (“Artist”). Evening of Kuprin was held in 1940 and was dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the master and the 40th anniversary of his creative activity. In 1954 he was elected a member correspondent of the USSR Academy of Arts; since 1956 he was conferred the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. In 1957 joined exhibition of Kuprin’s and sculptor G. I. Motovilov’s works was held in Moscow.

Kuprin’s creative biography could be divided into 2 phases (and so could be divided biographies of his Bubnovy Valet associates). The flourishing period fell on 1914–1922. Kuprin was one of the most consistent representatives of so-called Moscow Cezannism. The sense of the subtle harmony of color, severity and restraint of forms distinguishes Kuprin from other members of the group Bubnovy Valet (in comparison, for example, with Konchalovsky and Mashkov). An influence of cubism was noticeable in his works of this time. The second phase (since mid 1920s) was characterized by realistic manner of painting.

Kuprin was one of the most significant representatives of masters of the industrial landscape, which was a prevailing theme in his artworks throughout his life.

Works by Alexander Kuprin are in many museum collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts and a number of regional museums.