Works by Benois Alexander Nikolaevich. Russian modern
Self-portrait 1896 (paper, ink, pen)
Biography of Alexandre Benois
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich(1870-1960) graphic artist, painter, theater designer, publisher, writer, one of the authors modern image books. Representative of Russian modernity.
A. N. Benois was born in the family of a famous architect and grew up in an atmosphere of reverence for art, however art education not received. He studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1890-94), but at the same time independently studied the history of art and was engaged in drawing and painting (mainly watercolor). He did this so thoroughly that he managed to write a chapter on Russian art for the third volume of "The History of Painting in the 19th Century" by R. Muther, published in 1894.
They immediately started talking about him as a talented art critic who turned the established ideas about development domestic art. In 1897, based on impressions from trips to France, he created the first serious work - a series of watercolors "The Last Walks of Louis XIV", - showing himself in it as an original artist.
Self-portrait 1896 (paper, ink, pen)
Biography of Alexandre Benois
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich(1870-1960) graphic artist, painter, theater artist, publisher, writer, one of the authors of the modern image of the book. Representative of Russian modernity.
A. N. Benois was born into the family of a famous architect and grew up in an atmosphere of reverence for art, but did not receive an art education. He studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1890-94), but at the same time independently studied the history of art and was engaged in drawing and painting (mainly watercolor). He did this so thoroughly that he managed to write a chapter on Russian art for the third volume of "The History of Painting in the 19th Century" by R. Muther, published in 1894.
They immediately started talking about him as a talented art critic who turned over the established ideas about the development of domestic art. In 1897, based on impressions from trips to France, he created the first serious work - a series of watercolors "The Last Walks of Louis XIV", - showing himself in it as an original artist.
Repeated trips to Italy and France and copying artistic treasures there, studying the writings of Saint-Simon, Western literature of the 17th-19th centuries, and interest in ancient engravings formed the foundation of his artistic education. In 1893, Benois acted as a landscape painter, creating watercolors of the environs of St. Petersburg. In 1897-1898 he paints in watercolor and gouache a series of landscape paintings of the Versailles parks, recreating in them the spirit and atmosphere of antiquity.
By the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Benois again returns to the landscapes of Peterhof, Oranienbaum, Pavlovsk. It glorifies the beauty and grandeur of 18th century architecture. Nature interests the artist mainly in its connection with history. Possessing a gift for teaching and erudition, he late XIX V. organized the "World of Art" association, becoming its theorist and inspirer. He worked a lot in book graphics. He often appeared in the press and every week published his "Artistic Letters" (1908-16) in the newspaper "Rech".
He worked no less fruitfully as an art historian: he published in two editions (1901, 1902) the widely known book Russian Painting in the 19th Century, substantially reworking his earlier essay for it; began to publish serial publications "Russian School of Painting" and "History of Painting of All Times and Peoples" (1910-17; the publication was interrupted with the beginning of the revolution) and the magazine " artistic treasures Russia"; created a wonderful "Guide to the Hermitage Art Gallery" (1911).
After the revolution of 1917, Benois took an active part in the work of various organizations, mainly related to the protection of monuments of art and antiquity, and from 1918 he also took up museum work- Became in charge of the Art Gallery of the Hermitage. He developed and successfully implemented a completely new plan for the general, museum expositions, which contributed to the most expressive demonstration of each work.
At the beginning of the XX century. Benois illustrates the works of Pushkin A.S. Acts as a critic and art historian. In the 1910s, people came to the center of the artist's interests. This is his picture "Peter I on a walk in summer garden", where in a multi-figure scene the appearance of past life seen through the eyes of a contemporary.
In the work of Benois the artist, history decisively prevailed. Two topics invariably attracted his attention: "Petersburg XVIII - early XIX century." and "France of Louis XIV". He addressed them primarily in his historical compositions - in two "Versailles series" (1897, 1905-06), in widely famous paintings"Parade under Paul I" (1907), "Exit of Catherine II in the Tsarskoye Selo Palace" (1907), etc., reproducing a long-gone life with deep knowledge and a subtle sense of style. The same themes, in essence, were devoted to his numerous natural landscapes, which he usually performed either in St. Petersburg and its suburbs, or in Versailles (Benoit regularly traveled to France and lived there for a long time). In the history of Russian book graphics the artist entered with his book "ABC in the paintings of Alexander Benois" (1905) and illustrations for "The Queen of Spades" by A. S. Pushkin, performed in two versions (1899, 1910), as well as wonderful illustrations for "The Bronze Horseman", three versions of which devoted almost twenty years of labor (1903-22).
In the same years he took part in the design of " Russian seasons", organized by Diaghilev S.P. in Paris, which included in their program not only opera and ballet performances, but also symphony concerts.
Benois designed the opera "Death of the Gods" by R. Wagner on stage Mariinsky Theater and after that he performed sketches of scenery for N. N. Tcherepnin's ballet "The Pavilion of Armida" (1903), the libretto of which he composed himself. The passion for ballet turned out to be so strong that, on the initiative of Benois and with his direct participation, a private ballet troupe, which began in 1909 triumphal performances in Paris - "Russian Seasons". Benois, who took the post of artistic director in the troupe, performed the design for several performances.
One of his highest achievements was the scenery for I. F. Stravinsky's ballet "Petrushka" (1911). Soon, Benois began working with the Moscow Art Theater, where he successfully designed two performances based on the plays of J.-B. Moliere (1913) and for some time even participated in the management of the theater along with K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
From 1926 he lived in Paris, where he died. The main works of the artist: "The Walk of the King" (1906), "Fantasy on the Versailles theme" (1906), "Italian comedy" (1906), illustrations for the Bronze Horseman by Pushkin A.S. (1903) and others.
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich(1870-1960) graphic artist, painter, theater artist, publisher, writer, one of the authors of the modern image of the book. Representative of Russian modernity.
A. N. Benois was born into the family of a famous architect and grew up in an atmosphere of reverence for art, but did not receive an art education. He studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1890-94), but at the same time independently studied the history of art and was engaged in drawing and painting (mainly watercolor). He did this so thoroughly that he managed to write a chapter on Russian art for the third volume of "The History of Painting in the 19th Century" by R. Muther, published in 1894.
They immediately started talking about him as a talented art critic who turned over the established ideas about the development of domestic art. In 1897, based on impressions from trips to France, he created the first serious work - a series of watercolors "The Last Walks of Louis XIV", - showing himself in it as an original artist.
Repeated trips to Italy and France and copying artistic treasures there, studying the writings of Saint-Simon, Western literature of the 17th-19th centuries, and interest in ancient engravings formed the foundation of his artistic education. In 1893, Benois acted as a landscape painter, creating watercolors of the environs of St. Petersburg. In 1897-1898 he paints in watercolor and gouache a series of landscape paintings of the Versailles parks, recreating in them the spirit and atmosphere of antiquity.
By the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Benois again returns to the landscapes of Peterhof, Oranienbaum, Pavlovsk. It glorifies the beauty and grandeur of 18th century architecture. Nature interests the artist mainly in its connection with history. Possessing a pedagogical gift and erudition, he at the end of the 19th century. organized the "World of Art" association, becoming its theorist and inspirer. He worked a lot in book graphics. He often appeared in the press and every week published his "Artistic Letters" (1908-16) in the newspaper "Rech".
He worked no less fruitfully as an art historian: he published in two editions (1901, 1902) the widely known book Russian Painting in the 19th Century, substantially reworking his earlier essay for it; began to publish serial publications "Russian School of Painting" and "History of Painting of All Times and Peoples" (1910-17; the publication was interrupted with the beginning of the revolution) and the magazine "Art Treasures of Russia"; created a wonderful "Guide to the Hermitage Art Gallery" (1911).
After the revolution of 1917, Benois took an active part in the work of various organizations, mainly related to the protection of monuments of art and antiquity, and from 1918 he also took up museum work - he became in charge of the Hermitage Art Gallery. He developed and successfully implemented a completely new plan for the general exposition of the museum, which contributed to the most expressive demonstration of each work.
At the beginning of the XX century. Benois illustrates the works of Pushkin A.S. Acts as a critic and art historian. In the 1910s, people came to the center of the artist's interests. Such is his painting "Peter I on a walk in the Summer Garden", where in a multi-figured scene the appearance of a past life seen through the eyes of a contemporary is recreated.
In the work of Benois the artist, history decisively prevailed. Two topics invariably attracted his attention: "Petersburg in the 18th - early 19th centuries." and "The France of Louis XIV". He addressed them primarily in his historical compositions - in two "Versailles series" (1897, 1905-06), in the well-known paintings "Parade under Paul I" (1907), "Exit of Catherine II in Tsarskoye Selo Palace" (1907 ) and others, reproducing a long-gone life with deep knowledge and a subtle sense of style. The same themes, in essence, were devoted to his numerous natural landscapes, which he usually performed either in St. Petersburg and its suburbs, or in Versailles (Benoit regularly traveled to France and lived there for a long time). The artist entered the history of Russian book graphics with his book "The Alphabet in the Pictures of Alexander Benois" (1905) and illustrations for "The Queen of Spades" by A. S. Pushkin, performed in two versions (1899, 1910), as well as wonderful illustrations for "The Bronze Horseman" ", to the three variants of which he devoted almost twenty years of work (1903-22).
In the same years, he took part in the design of the "Russian Seasons", organized by Diaghilev S.P. in Paris, which included in their program not only opera and ballet performances, but also symphony concerts.
Benois designed R. Wagner's opera The Death of the Gods on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater and then performed sketches for the scenery for N. N. Tcherepnin's ballet The Pavilion of Armida (1903), the libretto of which he composed himself. The passion for ballet turned out to be so strong that on the initiative of Benois and with his direct participation, a private ballet troupe was organized, which began triumphant performances in Paris in 1909 - "Russian Seasons". Benois, who took the post of artistic director in the troupe, performed the design for several performances.
One of his highest achievements was the scenery for I. F. Stravinsky's ballet "Petrushka" (1911). Soon, Benois began working with the Moscow Art Theater, where he successfully designed two performances based on the plays of J.-B. Moliere (1913) and for some time even participated in the management of the theater along with K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
From 1926 he lived in Paris, where he died. The main works of the artist: "The Walk of the King" (1906), "Fantasy on the Versailles theme" (1906), "Italian comedy" (1906), illustrations for the Bronze Horseman by Pushkin A.S. (1903) and others.
History of graphics
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich (1870-1960)
A. V. Benois was born into the family of a famous architect and grew up in an atmosphere of reverence for art, but did not receive an art education. He studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1890-94), but at the same time independently studied the history of art and was engaged in drawing and painting (mainly watercolor). He did this so thoroughly that he managed to write a chapter on Russian art for the third volume of "The History of Painting in the 19th Century" by R. Muter, published in 1894. They immediately started talking about him as a talented art critic who turned over the established ideas about the development of Russian art. In 1897, based on impressions from trips to France, he created the first serious work - a series of watercolors "The Last Walks of Louis XIV", showing himself in it as an original artist.
| Immediately declaring himself both a practitioner and a theorist of art at the same time, Benois maintained this dual unity in subsequent years, his talent and energy were enough for everything. He actively participated in artistic life- primarily in the activities of the association "World of Art", the ideologist and theorist of which he was, as well as in the publication of the journal "World of Art", which became the basis of this association; often appeared in print and every week published his "Art Letters" (1908-16) in the newspaper "Rech". |
He worked no less fruitfully as an art historian: he published in two editions (1901, 1902) the widely known book Russian Painting in the 19th Century, substantially reworking his earlier essay for it; began to publish serial publications "Russian School of Painting" and "History of Painting of All Times and Peoples" (1910-17; the publication was interrupted with the beginning of the revolution) and the magazine "Art Treasures of Russia"; created a wonderful "Guide to the Hermitage Art Gallery" (1911).
After the revolution of 1917, Benois took an active part in the work of various organizations, mainly related to the protection of monuments of art and antiquity, and from 1918 he also took up museum work - he became in charge of the Hermitage Art Gallery. He developed and successfully implemented a completely new plan for the general exposition of the museum, which contributed to the most expressive demonstration of each work.
| The same themes, in essence, were devoted to his numerous natural landscapes, which he usually performed either in St. Petersburg and its suburbs, or in Versailles (Benoit regularly traveled to France and lived there for a long time). The same themes dominated his book and theatrical works, to which he, like most of the "World of Art", paid no less, if not more, attention than easel art. The artist entered the history of Russian book graphics with his book "The Alphabet in the Pictures of Alexander Benois" (1905) and illustrations for "The Queen of Spades" by A. S. Pushkin, performed in two versions (1899, 1910), as well as wonderful illustrations for "The Bronze Horseman" ", to the three variants of which he devoted almost twenty years of work (1903-22). |  |
One of his highest achievements was the scenery for I. F. Stravinsky's ballet "Petrushka" (1911); this ballet was created on the idea of Bonu himself;) and on the basis of the libretto written by him. Soon after, the artist’s collaboration with the Moscow Art Theater began, where he successfully designed two performances based on the plays by J. B. Molière (1913) and for some time even participated in the management of the theater along with K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.
In 1926, Benois, having made a forced choice between the difficulties of an emigre existence and the increasingly frightening prospect of living in a Soviet country, left for France. There he worked mainly in theaters: first at the Grand Opera in Paris, and after World War II at La Scala in Milan. He worked at the same professional level, but he was no longer able to create anything fundamentally new and interesting, often content with varying the old one (at least eight versions of the legendary ballet "Petrushka" were performed). The main work of the last (since 1934) years was his memoirs, on the pages of which he resurrects in detail and fascinatingly the years of his childhood and youth.
Books about Alexandre Benois and literary works by A. Benois. See >>
A. Benois. "ABC in pictures"
Facsimile reproduction of the 1904 edition.
One of famous books for children - "ABC in pictures" by Russian artist, art historian Alexander Nikolaevich Benois. The refined graphics of Benois are still an unsurpassed example of book illustration. Each page of the "ABC" is an amazing bewitching fairy-tale world.
Books about Alexandre Benois, art criticism and literary works A. Benois:
| Russian school of painting. Alexander Benois Book famous author is a reprint of his work, published in editions in 1904-06. This is the first serious attempt to study Russian painting from the 18th century to the days of the publication of the last issue. The artist and critic acts as an art historian, which is of undoubted interest to the modern reader. |
| Bronze Horseman. A.S. Pushkin. Series "Russian poets". Illustrations by Alexandre Benois A reprint reproduction of an outstanding monument of book art - "The Bronze Horseman" by A.S. Pushkin with illustrations by A.N. Benois, published by the "Committee for the Popularization of Artistic Publications" (St. Petersburg, 1923), in this edition is supplemented by a reproduction of the so-called "censored autograph" - "second white manuscript" of the poem, with notes by Emperor Nicholas I, as well as its canonical text. Attached are selected poems by Russian poets about Petersburg and the Bronze Horseman. |
| Alphabet in pictures. Alexander Benois The elegant "ABC in Pictures" is not a simple children's book. |
| Alexander Benois. My memories (set of 2 books) The book "My memories" by A.N. Benois has become almost a desktop for the intelligentsia and at the same time a bibliographic rarity. |
| Diary 1916-1918. Alexander Benois. Series "Biographies and Memoirs" The diaries of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois (1870-1960) - a painter, art historian, theater decorator and art critic - tell not only about the life of the artist, his family and friends, but also about the events that largely determined the course of history. This book was the first to publish "Dangerous Diaries of 1917-1918" (about three hundred pages), which were kept in the family archive of his friend Stepan Petrovich Yaremich. These diaries supplement the omissions in the edition of "The Russian Way". |
| The history of painting of all times and peoples. In four volumes. Alexander Benois The personality of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois is striking in its scale. For the first time in the history of Russian aesthetic thought, he substantiated national identity and international connections Russian art of modern times. |
| Alexander Benois. Artistic letters. 1930 - 1936 Latest News newspaper, Paris Articles famous artist and figures of Russian culture convey his impressions of the artistic life of France in the 1930s, as well as of events in Russia, information about which reached Paris irregularly. The introductory article talks about the great value literary heritage A.N. Benois. |
| Imperial Hermitage. Electronic publication dedicated to the Hermitage and its collections Two CDs created from text famous work artist and art critic Alexander Benois "Guide to the Picture Gallery of the Imperial Hermitage". Brilliant Russian language, accurate, public characteristics of various European schools of painting and paintings by great artists make the guide indispensable for all categories of users. |
| Alexandre Benois as an art critic. Mark Etkind The book is dedicated to the artistic and critical activity of A.N. Benois, when he, a young and full of strength artist, became not only a reflector and conductor aesthetic ideas, but also a genuine "think tank" of one of the significant trends in Russian culture. During this period, the critic has gone from understanding the task of the artist as creativity "for the sake of the opening day" to a broad idea of artistic culture as a whole, where all areas of a single and precisely this unity of strong art are connected by indissoluble bonds. |
Benois Alexander Nikolaevich - painter, graphic artist, art critic, bright representative art association "World of Art", the author of numerous literary works, covering the work of Russian and foreign masters, a brilliant decorator who worked in theaters in Moscow, St. Petersburg, in many cities of Europe and America. His life was full of work and searching, mistakes and great creative success. An extraordinarily gifted artist, propagandist of art, organizer of numerous exhibitions, museum worker, the most active figure in theater and cinema, A. N. Benois made a huge contribution to the history of Russian artistic culture of the 20th century.
He was born in St. Petersburg on May 3, 1870 in a family of multi-talented artists. The artist's father, Nikolai Leontyevich, is an academician of architecture. A. N. Benois spent his childhood and many years of life in St. Petersburg, in house number 15 on Glinka Street, not far from the Kryukov Canal.
The situation in the house, the environment surrounding Alexander Nikolayevich, contributed to his artistic development. Since childhood, he fell in love with "old Petersburg", the suburbs of the capital. A love for the stage was born in him early, he retained it for the rest of his life. Alexandre Benois was gifted with exceptional musicality and had a rare visual memory. The works created by him in extreme old age, "drawings-memories", indicate the amazing resilience and strength of his life perception.
Benois began to study drawing while still in private kindergarten and all his life he was completely absorbed in art. In the gymnasium, where Alexander Benois studied from 1885 to 1890, he became friends with V. Nouvel, D. Filosofov and K. Somov. Subsequently, all of them, together with S.P. Diaghilev became the organizers of the "World of Art" group and the magazine of the same name, whose main task was to promote foreign and especially Russian art. "World of Art" revealed many forgotten or unnoticed names, drew attention to applied arts, architecture, folk crafts, raised the importance of graphics, decoration and illustration of the book. A. Benois was the soul of the "World of Art" and an indispensable participant in the magazine. He did not graduate from the Academy of Arts, believing that one can become an artist only by continuously working. Exceptional ability to work allowed him to fill in an album with drawings in one day, work in the workshop on the painting he had begun, visit the workshops of the theater, delving into the details of sketches of scenery and costumes, directing and even working out roles with actors. In addition, Benois managed to prepare an article for a magazine or newspaper, write several letters, always interesting thoughts about art and always meaningful,
He also had time for his family. Son Nikolai, daughters Elena and Anna, nephews and their little friends found in "Uncle Shura" a participant in curious undertakings, useful activities and never felt either irritation or fatigue of this busy but tireless person.
At the end of 1896, together with friends, Alexandre Benois first came to Paris and fell in love with this city; here he created the famous "Versailles Series", depicting the beauty of the parks and the walks of the "Sun King" (Louis XIV). Perfectly versed in the events of the past, Benois was able to see through the eyes of a person of the 20th century. An example of this is the painting "Parade under Paul I", which shows a subtle knowledge of history, costumes, architecture, life, and at the same time one feels a touch of humor, almost satire. “No matter what nonsense contemporary artistic writers may talk about me, about my “aestheticism”, my sympathies attracted and now attract me to the simplest and most faithful images of reality,” said Benois.
The artist knew how to appreciate the greatness of the art of the past. This played a particularly important role in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, when capitalist buildings, ugly tenement houses began to threaten the classic appearance of the city. Benois was a consistent defender of the values of antiquity.
In the work of A. N. Benois, special attention is drawn to graphic comments on works of literature. The highest achievement of book graphics was the illustrations for the poem by A. S. Pushkin " Bronze Horseman"; the artist worked on them for more than twenty years. Unique in artistic merit, temperament and strength, only this work alone could give A. Benois the name major artist beginning of the 20th century.
A. Benois was also a famous theatrical figure. He began working with K. S. Stanislavsky, and after the Great October revolution together with A. M. Gorky participated in the organization of the Leningrad Bolshoi drama theater, for which he created a number of brilliant performances. The design of the "Marriage of Figaro", staged in 1926, - latest work Benois in Soviet Russia.
The life of the artist ended in Paris. He worked extensively in Milan in famous theater La Scala. But the memory of his homeland, where he participated in the implementation of the first measures of the Soviet government to organize museums, was a leading employee of the Hermitage and the Russian Museum, took care of the protection of ancient monuments, has always been the most precious thing for A. Benois in his life.
Back in the 1910s, as one of the most active figures and organizers (together with S.P. Diaghilev) of the tour of the Russian ballet in Paris, A. Benois most of all cared that these performances contributed to the world fame of Russian art. All of his last works are devoted to the continuation and variations of the "Russian series", begun in 1907-1910. He constantly returned to the images of Pushkin's poetry that were dear to him: "On the shore of desert waves", "Flood in St. Petersburg in 1824" IN last years life A. Benois again, but in painting, developed these subjects. Working for cinematography, A. Benois turned to the images of F. M. Dostoevsky, to Russian themes. In music, he passionately loved Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov. A. N. Benois died on February 9, 1960.
