14.08.1875 – 20.11.1857

Mstislav Dobuzhinsky – Russian and Lithuanian artist, master of urban landscape, member of the creative association “World of Art”, art critic, memoirist.

Originally from an old Lithuanian family. Father is a lieutenant general, mother is an artist. After studying at the gymnasium, he studied at the Imperial School of the Society for the Promotion of Arts in St. Petersburg, at the Anton Azhbe School in Munich (1899-1901), in Hungary. In 1901 he studied engraving under the direction of Vasily Mate. Since 1902, Mstislav Dobuzhinsky began to participate in exhibitions. He was a member of the “World of Art”. In addition to creating works of art, Dobuzhinsky devoted much time to teaching. The artist was the first director of the Vitebsk Art School, taught at private art schools in St. Petersburg, was a professor at the Academy of Arts in Petrograd.

In 1924, Dobuzhinsky left the USSR and began to collaborate first with the Riga Theater, then with the Baliev’s Bat Theater in Paris, and later with the Lithuanian State Theater.

In 1939, the artist, along with actor Mikhail Chekhov, traveled to the United States to participate in the production of the play. Due to the outbreak of World War II, Dobuzhinsky had to stay in the United States, where he lived the rest of his life. While in the United States, Dobuzhinsky could not adapt to the art market that existed there and constantly sought to communicate with Russian emigration and travel to Europe.

In the work of Mstislav Dobuzhinsky there are several directions. In addition to his favorite theme – the urban landscape, he also engaged in book graphics, created the scenery for theatrical productions, and in each of these areas he achieved significant success.

The artist spent the last years of his life in Europe; He lived for a long time in Paris, Rome, London, traveled to Italy. Shortly before his death, he returned to the United States.

He died in New York at the home of his youngest son. He was buried in the cemetery of Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois in Paris.