October 4, new style marks 115 years since the birth of Russian artist Pavel Fedorovich Chelishchev (1898-1957). As is often the case with immigrants, he gained fame and popularity throughout the world, except the country where he was born

Oct. 4 , new style the 115 years since the birth of Russian artist Pavel Fedorovich Chelischeva (1898-1957). As is often the case with immigrants , he gained fame and popularity all over the world , except for the country of his birth .

write about Paul Chelishchevo easy. Sources differ in everything: in the events of his life and of interpreting them in the dates , facts, estimates of its environment and creativity, religious and philosophical views , in the treatment works. No doubt , art historians have yet to figure out the biography and work of the great Russian artist , evaluate mostly biased and conflicting judgments sources. In recent years, the work of Paul Chelischeva quietly returned home , we hope that the scientific approach to the study of the cultural phenomenon does not take long .

• Paul Chelishchev
  Source : arnoldsche.com
• Paul Chelishchev Self-Portrait. Approx. 1928
  Oil on canvas, sand. 64.5 x 502
  Christies. 05.04.2006 . Lot 68
  Estimate: 15 000-20 000 pounds
  Result: 42,000 pounds ( 73,836 dollars )
  Source : christies.com

Chelishchev Paul was born on September 21, 1898 in the village Dubrovka Kaluga region to the family of the landowner (and in the past - Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences University) Theodore S. Chelischeva is believed to lead the sort of one of the companions of Dmitry Don .

Apparently, the future artist grew enthusiastic , impressionable child, in one of his letters he recalled how a little boy running around with his sister in the woods and prayed trees. Art interested him quite early: preserved pencil portraits of the three sisters of Paul, which he carried out in adolescence. Father and mathematics as he could, maintained and developed an interest in art and artistic talent of his son : invite private teachers and even wrote out for him magazine "World of Art ." In the end, literally seized Chelischeva art , and interested in his different way of creative expression. The biographers of the artist mentioned that at some point he was seriously interested in ballet, but still his main passion was painting. There is even a legend that the teenage Paul's work showed the artist somehow Konstantin Korovin Konstantin , asking him to become a teacher of young talent what Korovin said: " I ​​have nothing to teach him , he was already an artist ».

likely that the biography, which began just as many talented , enthusiastic people skills , and would continue , as it is , admission to the Academy of Fine Arts or the Moscow School of Painting , creative travel and participation in various art associations. If it were not for the revolution ... In the years 1916-1918 Chelishchev still managed to learn in Moscow, but in 1918, also according to legend , the family was evicted from chelishchevykh Dubrovki on the personal orders of Lenin and to escape the persecution of the new government , moved to Kiev .

Paul Chelishchev of the Kiev -Pechersk Lavra . 1918 Paper on board , pastel . 50 x 38,7 Sotheby's. 04.06.2013 . Lot 220 Estimate: 8000-12 000 pounds Source : mutualart.com

Paul Chelishchev Design for the production of " Savonarola ". 1920 Gouache and watercolor . 22,1 x 30,7 Estimate: 10 000-15 000 pounds Result: 39,650 pounds Christie's. 01-02.12.2009 . Lot 457 Source : christies.com

In Kiev, Paul continued his artistic education: From 1918 to 1920 he studied at the icon-painting workshop in Kiev Academy of Arts, he took private lessons from Alexandra Exter and Adolf Adolf Milman . In Kiev, he wrote lyrical landscapes , experimented in the Cubist style , and worked for the theater : in 1919, commissioned by the theater KA Mardzhanashvili executed costumes and sets for the operetta "Geisha" Sidney Jones in the treatment of Ivan Carrillo (setting was not implemented ) . In the same year Chelishchev joined the Volunteer Army , served as a cartographer , traceable to strengthen Syvash Isthmus. Furthermore , some sources report about moving to Odessa in 1920 (where it seems to be working as a theater artist , with something in his design even came to the public) , the other - to move in the same year in Novorossiysk and emigration from there, along with Denikin's army to Constantinople. Just the latest evidence of a fact: in 1920 Chelishchev arrived in Constantinople .

In Constantinople Chelishchev made ​​decorations for the ballet performances of Boris Knyazev and Viktor Zimin. In the works of this period are quite strong influence of Exter , and some sources even compare it to Marc Chagall .

the spring of 1921 with Knyazev Chelishchev moved from Istanbul to Sofia, where he painted several portraits and designed the book "Exodus to the east. Premonitions and achievements . Approval of Eurasians " for Russian -Bulgarian Publishing House .

Paul Chelishchev Baba Babarikha . Costume to Rimsky - Korsakov's "The Golden Cockerel ". 1923 Paper, gouache, silver paint , collage. 20 x 14 Source : russianartsalon.com

the fall of 1921 the company Chelishchev Knyazev settled in Berlin, where in the early 1920s, there was an extensive colony of Russian artists : A. AP Archipenko , K. L. Boguslavskaja , I. Puni , Z. Chagall , Serge C. I. Sharshun , etc. In Berlin, he began to write the first -order portraits, landscapes and still lifes , in addition, he worked on the decorations for the Russian romantic theater under the direction of Boris Romanov, the theater "Blue Bird" , a theater and even on Keniggrettsershtrasse for the Berlin Opera , which staged the opera by Rimsky - Korsakov's "The Golden Cockerel ».

Paul Chelishchev Basket of strawberries . 1925 Oil on canvas. 38,1 x 46,3 Collection Kournikova N. and A. Filkova , Moscow Source : arnoldsche.com

In 1923, together with the company Romanov Chelishchev left Berlin to Paris and finally seriously took up painting ( he had previously worked almost exclusively in the chart - the theater , books , etc.) . It would be an exaggeration to say that Paris met the artist with open arms. But Chelishchev came about by accident : his still life " strawberry basket " very much and was purchased by Gertrude Stein , who in those years had unquestioned authority in Parisian artistic circles . Between the artist and the writer struck up a friendship , Stein patronized him , helped with money and put into the salon , had access to only the most famous and talented representatives of the new art. Gertrude Stein wrote about Chelishchevo : " This young Russian was quite interesting . He wrote , at least , he argued , the color of which was not color, and wrote three heads in one . Picasso has painted three heads in one . After a while the Russian began to write three pieces in one . The works of the Russian ... Chelischeva were the strongest of all its groups , the most mature and the most interesting . " Chelischeva recognized , it has become quite popular artist , since 1925 , participated in the annual salons of artists - in particular, in the Salon d'Automne , and in 1926 exhibited at the first exhibition of Neo-Humanists in the gallery " Drouet ».

In Paris Chelishchev continued and theatrical activities . In 1928 he designed for Sergei Diaghilev's ballet troupe "Ode" by Lomonosov ode to the music of Nicolas Nabokov. Performer 's leading role in this play Serge Lifar recalled that the original Diaghilev ballet commissioned one of his protege, but he does not fit in the timeline and Diaghilev had to take matters into their own hands and personally direct insertion in conditions of severe time pressure and general confusion ( to Moreover, the " Ode" was the first major product of the author's twenty-five forms that order and self- producer, I think, too, did not add .) In the end, the play went too far ahead , even for the sophisticated Parisian public . Chelishchev recalled that he had " opened the door, but no one in it was not included !».

By this time in the merger and processing of realistic and cubic trends are born Chelischeva own artistic style , in general , mid- twenties, was in his work under the sign of neo-humanism ( neo-romanticism ) . He painted many portraits of friends and acquaintances. His more images are not attracted by the idea of human appearance , but its essence. However chelischevskie portraits of the twenties reflect the character models are still in quite a realistic manner . The idea of ​​the prevalence of domestic content of the external shape is transformed with time in the so -called " neon " or " anatomy " of the head, showing the internal structure of a person literally .

Paul Chelishchev Portrait of Charles Ford. Approx. 1934 Paper on cardboard, gouache . 63,7 x 4,5 Source : kournikovagallery.ru

Paul Chelishchev Sybil ( Portrait of Edith Sitwell ) . 1937 Source : theredlist.fr

Gertrude Stein Salon Chelishchev was obliged not only and not so much gaining recognition and popularity as the fact that it was there that he met the two men , each of whom played a very important role in his life and became part of his life - the English poet Edith Sitwell and the famous American poet and writer (and filmmaker and photographer) Charles Henry Ford. With Edith Sitwell Chelishchev met in 1928, and for a long time, it has become one of his closest friends , as well as his patron in the art world ( surpassing this position Gertrude Stein ) Sitwell organized exhibitions , Chelishchev provided financial and moral support. Getting to Know Charles Henry Ford took place in the early 1930s , and in 1934, together they left Paris and settled in New York (later they both moved to Italy , and their relationship ended only with the death of the artist in 1957 ) . Evidence of this friendship (or more precisely , a partnership that has allowed Ford to death Chelischeva become the full owner of a huge number of his works, written in the period of living together and given to him by the artist ) are numerous portraits and sketches , which capture and Charles and Edith Sitwell . By the way , over time, in his portraits appeared , and a third "permanent character " - Charles's sister , actress Ruth Ford .

Paul Chelishchev Portrait of Ruth Ford. 1937 Oil on canvas. 99.5 x 73 Sotheby's. 22.04.2010 . Lot 307 Estimate: 000-150 100 000 dollars Result: 986 500 dollars Source : artinvestment.ru

New York art Chelischeva blossoms in full force. He even tried his hand at new to him, graphics - makes covers of popular magazines View and Vouge, develops wine labels .

In painting, he begins to work freely , without limiting ourselves with a particular style . Psychological portraits and sketches, made in a realistic , even close to the academicism way, side by side in the studio with his " metamorphic landscapes " - the so - called trompe l'oeil paintings in a surreal manner. In these works , the artist blendes many experiments with images of people , animals, grass, leaves , trees and other natural forms , he arranges them into components and then combine in such a way that the human figure, without losing its own characteristics , it is comprehensive, acquires the ability to turn a lifeless : and elements of still life and nature and the world around. By the way , the first -l'oeil paintings , filled with surreal shapes and illusory figures Chelishchev started doing back in 1920 years , almost a decade earlier Dali, Breton, Magritte and all the other surrealists recognized today .

Paul Chelishchev Portrait of my father. 1939 Oil on canvas. 64,2 x 48,7 Christie's. 05.02.2009 . Lot 444 Estimate: 100 000-150 000 pounds Result: 187 250 pounds Source : christies.com

Paul Chelishchev Fata Morgana. 1940 Canvas , oil. 54.5 x 66 Sotheby's. 03.06.2010 . Lot 60 Estimate: 50 000-70 000 euros Result: 624,750 euros Source : webcache.googleusercontent.com

However, between colorful " metamorphic landscapes " and the famous " metaphysical heads" in the works Chelischeva was monochrome and short period. In the works of this time to the forefront shape and volume of the object passed to the main ocher , gray and brown colors. To enhance the textural and achieve new colors in his palette intentionally lean Chelishchev coffee adds to the paint and sand. The formal reason for this change overnight approach to color and texture are called Chelischeva trip to Africa in the late 1920s .

Paul Chelishchev a bowl of fruit . 1920 Oil on canvas. 38,1 x 46,3 Christie's. 27.10.2005 . Lot 84 Estimate: 2 000-3 000 pounds The result : 9,000 pounds Source : christies.com

Paul Chelishchev Portrait Edalzhi Dinsho . 1940 Board, gouache . 73 x 127,6 Christie's. 24.04.2009 . Lot 329 Estimate: 000-120 80 000 dollars Result: 230,500 dollars Source : christies.com

1940s in the work of Chelischeva - time "metaphysical heads" ( Russian sources refer to them as " angelic portraits "), one of his most famous series. In our opinion, the "metaphysical head " - is one of the mysteries of Chelischeva , of which he was a great master . It is believed that they - the result of attempts to portray the essence of the person . If the "essence" - hence, a portrait likeness is not necessary ( it is, incidentally, not " metaphysical head " - a head at all, sometimes a shape resembling a head or , more likely, a pig for a hat ), one would assume that "entity " means a "psychological portrait ", but this genre "head" alien. They write that under the "essence" Chelishchev understand human energy - that is , it turns out, is what separates the living from the dead in representations of non-religious people . Thus, the " metaphysical head" at the initial stage of development of the topic - outline of a human head , which entered the eyes , blood vessels , nerves and sometimes bone of the skull . Anatomical similarities , there is only so far as blood vessels and nerves must necessarily be recognizable: according to the artist , all of them - no more than a way of transmitting energy. Developing this idea further Chelishchev disclaims image "paths" , and begins to write itself energy ( based probably on his contemporary scientific understanding ) - in the form of a complex structure of glowing circles, ellipses and spirals , which penetrate and fill the contours of the head .

Paul Chelishchev Anatomic head . 1946 Paper on board , pencil, watercolor and gouache . 35,7 x 27,9 Christie's. 24.04.2009 . Lot 332 Estimate: 15 000-20 000 dollars Result: $ 25 000 Source : christies.com

Paul Chelishchev The inner landscape VII ( Skull ) . 1949 Paper , pencil, pastel, watercolor 30,5 x 22,2 Sotheby's. 05.11.2009 . Lot 257 Estimate: 15 000-20 000 dollars Result: 40,625 dollars Source : artinvestment.ru

recognition at the official level in New York and throughout the world to come Chelishchev in 1942 : he made his first solo exhibition at MOMA , which had a " resounding success and has become a major artistic event of the year ." At the same time , his painting " Hide and Seek ", along with " Guernica " by Picasso , has become one of the most popular in the museum and one of the most reproducible .

Paul Chelishchev Hide and Seek . 1940-1942 Oil on canvas. 199,3 x 215,3 MOMA , New York Source : moma.org

for his half-century Chelishchev many times faced with the fact that he did not understand , but the fame that has befallen him, bared his loneliness in a huge crowd of enthusiastic fans who are unable to share his ideas , views. In the late 1940s Chelishchev almost gave up society. At this time, it finally loses its figurative painting ( like , the failure of communicating with people and spread to the human figures on the easel .) From the " heads" he gradually comes to abstraction , complex geometric shapes , written almost Photographs - all in order to show how the light rays are refracted in a confined space. This style would later call his "new Rayonism ».

Paul Chelishchev No title. 1954 Pastel on paper . 64 x 47 Private collection, Monaco Source : arnoldsche.com

In 1951 Chelishchev , " hungry for Europe", moved to Italy , a villa in Frascati, near Rome . Several years spent in Italy, finally confirmed his European fame , and in Paris with great success two solo exhibitions .

In 1957 Chelishchev died in Frascati .

After his death, the people closest to him - Charles Ford and his sister Ruth - did their best to not only keeping alive the interest of the public to give to his work , but , on the contrary , in every way to promote it. They do not just staged the exhibition and regularly exhibited work Chelischeva at a public auction , that is taken out of the art market . In 2010, Sotheby's held in New York auction of Chelischeva from the collection of Ruth and Charles Ford , who brought astonishing results: " Portrait of Ruth Ford" was bought almost five times more expensive than the initial evaluation and has become the most expensive work of the artist, sold on the open market .

In Russia the popularization of the artist in the last decade of his great-nephew is busy , the poet K. Cedars . Only in 2006, the first solo exhibition of Paul Chelischeva in Russia organized a gallery "Our artists" . In 2011, this gallery also showed more than 70 works by the artist. Until 17 October 2013 , ie, in those days , "Our artists" shows the exhibition " Chelishchev . Exhibition encore " , largely repeating the exposition in 2011 .

Paul Chelishchev Phenomenon . 1936-1938 Oil on canvas. 202 x 271 The State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow ) Source : tretyakovgallery.ru

Paul Chelishchev Portrait of Patricia Lopez- Wilshaw . 1941 Oil on board . 58,5 x 49 Christie's. 05.02.2008 . Lot 228 Estimate: 40 000-60 000 pounds The result : 276,500 pounds Source : artinvestment.ru

Chelischeva works are in major museums around the world , including London gallery " Tate " and the New York MOMA . One of the program of work of the artist - " Phenomenon " - is the exposure of the Tretyakov Gallery ( picture came in GTG still 1958, but until 1990 was not present ) . Many works Chelischeva dispersed and in private collections .

the auctions of various levels of painting and graphic things Chelischeva appeared about 800 times . For the record the "Portrait of Ruth Ford" , sold April 22, 2010 at Sotheby's auction for 986,500 dollars , in the list of most expensive Chelischeva followed by " Fata Morgana ", for which on June 3 of the same in 2010 , and at the same Sotheby's ( albeit in Paris ) gave 624,750 euros (about 750,000 U.S. dollars) . Troika closes portrait of Patricia Lopez- Wilshaw , who went for 276,500 pounds ( 542,991 dollars) at Christie's May 5, 2008 .

Paul Chelishchev Spiral inner landscape with the hair. 1952 Paper ( blue) , pastel . 50,2 x 32,4 Estimate: 12 000-18 000 dollars Result: 40,625 dollars Sotheby's. 09.10.2013 . Lot 144 Source : sothebys.com

As for recent sales , the day before yesterday, October 9, 2013 , at Sotheby's auction for 40,625 dollars , almost four times higher than the estimate , was sold Pastel Spiral Interior Landscape with Hair (« Spiral inner landscape with hair " ) from the collection of Charles Ford .

Maria Kuznetsova , AI

Sources : kournikovagallery.ru ; moma.org ; artrz.ru ; artrz.ru ; artrz.ru ; artrz.ru ; tate.org.uk ; dommuseum . ru ; kinseyinstitute.org ; en.wikipedia.org ; en.wikipedia.org ; ruckp.org ; prostojournal.ru ; rus.ruvr.ru ; artinvestment.ru ; ru.wikipedia.org ; konstantin-kedrov.ru ; C. Lifar . With Diaghilev . St. Petersburg . : Composer - St. Petersburg , 1994 .