21.02.1876 – 02.02.1956

February 21, 1876 in the city of Slavyansk, Kharkov region, the artist Peter Konchalovsky was born. Education in the art of painting, he began to receive even in the drawing school in Kharkov. Subsequently, Peter attended the evening courses of the SPSU, he studied at the Paris Academy of R. Julian and until 1905 at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts.

The flowering of Konchalovsky’s art came at the beginning of the twentieth century, when artistic traditions were rapidly changing and revised. Konchalovsky became one of the founders of the society “Jack of Diamonds” and his chairman subsequently. This association aspired to the embodiment of living, natural, tangible forms on canvas. These artists turned to non-professional and folk painting. In his early works Konchalovsky tries to make every thing as strong and dense, while the color is called upon to submit the thing itself, to give it mass and form. Early still lifes are executed in the spirit of Fauvism and Cubism. The same applies to the image of a person. It is shown powerfully and seamlessly – “Potret Matador”, “Family Portrait”, “Portrait of the Artist G. B. Yakulov.”

The world view, and, consequently, the creative manner of the artist was significantly corrected by the revolution. After this event Konchalovsky increasingly writes realistic images. In his painting firmly affirmed the motive of love of life. In his works there is a subtlety of color transitions and contrasts.

A trip to the Caucasus, undertaken by the artist in 1927, inspired him to create several canvases dedicated to the work of Lermontov.

Work on paintings Konchalovsky combined with work in theatrical design and illustrations. He took part in the design of the opera “The merchant Kalashnikov” A. G. Rubinshtein. Also, the artist actively engaged in teaching. Since 1918, he worked in the “Free Art Workshops” in Moscow, and from 1926 he became a teacher in VHUTIN. In 1946, Konchalovsky received the title of People’s Artist of the RSFSR, and a year later became a full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR.

Petr Konchalovsky died on February 2, 1956 in Moscow.