Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich: biography, sculptures, private life

Famous sculptor, artist Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich - one of their brightest representatives of Russian culture. It was he who managed to revive the images of the Russian fairy tale. Wood as the original material of Russian creativity Konenkov successfully revived in his creations.

Biography

The sculptor was born on July 28 in the old style (July 10 - in a new way). His birthplace was the village of Karakovichi, which is located in the Smolensk province (now the Smolensk region, Elninsky district). The family was well-off, although it was peasant. Mother Konenkov Sergei Timofeevich died when the boy was four years old. After her death, he grew up in the house of his uncle, who noticed the unusual abilities of his nephew early enough.

By decision of his uncle, Sergei was sent to study in the gymnasium. It was located in the city of Roslavl. It was there that the first achievements in painting began to appear. After graduating from the course, he lived in a family of friends of the uncle - landowners Smirnov. During their stay with them, he, along with their son, received knowledge from home teachers. After the final examinations Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich went to Moscow, where he passed the entrance examinations at the school of sculpture and architecture. But after the entrance exams it turned out that he was enrolled in the department of sculpture. Since the young man could not ask anyone for help, he had to combine study and work. He takes on private orders. One of these is the design of the facade. The house belonged to the tea merchant Perlov. Sergei Timofeevich also creates sketches for the design of a bread shop.

In the future Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich, whose biography is very interesting, traveled to such countries as Germany, France, Italy, in 1897. He was subdued by the works of Rodin. In the trip, Konenkov draws and molds a lot. After the trip, he creates his first work - "Rockboy" (in 1898), which subsequently casts in bronze.

Further, Sergei Timofeevich decides to continue his studies. To do this, he chooses the St. Petersburg Higher Art School.

But training has become one of their difficult stages in the life of the sculptor. The source of conflicts in the academy was often himself Konenkov Sergei Timofeevich. Sculptures of a young man were often performed in the spirit of Roden's works, which did not always suit his mentors. And his final work - the statue of "Samson" - caused a storm of emotions and a fierce discussion of professors. Excess of expression, modernist approach to the interpretation of the plot, deviation from the classical proportions - all this led to an ambiguous assessment of Konenkov's work.

The sculptor died in 1971, the cause of this was pneumonia. Sergey Timofeevich was buried in Moscow. Place of burial - Novodevichye cemetery.

Sculptor and Revolution

In 1905, at the time of the beginning of the revolution, Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich was in Moscow. And I took part in it directly. He organized combat squads, fought at barricades.

This activity was reflected in his work. They created a series of portrait paintings "Worker-thriller of 1905 Ivan Churkin", "Slavic", "Peasant", "Nike".

Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich: personal life

Unlike creativity, the sculptor's personal life was not so simple. His first wife was Tatiana Konyaeva. She was a model. Tatiana became a permanent model for his works. Thanks to Konyaev he created the best of his works - "Nike". In the marriage, the couple had two children. However, he did not last long.

After ten years Sergei Timofeevich met another woman named Margarita Vorontsova. In early 1922 they were married. And in 1923 the couple went to America. There they took part in the exhibition of Soviet art. In this country, the works created by Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich enjoy great success. Sculptures, a model for which was his wife Margarita, are especially popular. These works are "A stream of water", "Bacchante", "Butterfly", "Magnolia".

Joint children they were not born. Sergei Timofeyevich did not disclose the details of his personal life, for this reason the relationship between Sergei and Margarita and the period of their residence in America became the source of various speculations and legends.

Creation

Konenkov made of different materials. He created whole series of wooden works. In 1909-1910 in the works of the sculptor come to life images of Russian fairy tales, epics and pagan mythology. "Old men-polovichki", "Lesoviki", "Velikosil", "Stribog", "Eruslan Lazarevich" are made of wood. Their forms Konenkov found and revealed in the very structure of the tree trunk. Also interesting is a series of female sculptures: "Winged" (1913), "Firebird" (1915), "Caryatid" (1918) - all these works were included in this series. The so-called Greek series was performed, with such works as "The Boy" and "Horus". The revolutionary period was marked by the creation of a bas-relief "To the fallen in the struggle for peace and the brotherhood of nations". He owns portrait works of Turgenev, Mayakovsky, Tsiolkovsky.

All works are done by such a wonderful master as Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich. The creativity of this talented person found expression in bronze, wood, stone, bas-reliefs, sculptures and canvases. They reflected the various stages of life and time in which the sculptor existed.

Interesting Facts

In 1935 Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich received an order for the manufacture of the bust of A. Einstein.

In the year of the return of spouses to Moscow from New York (1945), under a personal order of IS Stalin, a steamboat was allocated to transport all the works of the sculptor. Later, many of the gypsum works were made in bronze and stone.

Awards, Prizes

• 1539 - obtaining the status of People's Artist of the USSR.

• 1951 - the presentation of the Stalin Prize (Marfinka and Ninochka).

• 1955 - assignment of the status of the People's Artist of the RSFSR.

• 1964 - receiving the title of Hero of Labor.

• 1955, 1964 - Presentation of the Order of Lenin.

Since 1964, an honorary citizen of the city of Smolensk is none other than Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich. The work of the sculptor is marked by numerous awards, medals and prizes.

Memory

To the centenary of Sergei Timofeevich in 1974, a memorial workshop-museum was opened. Its interior is made according to Sergey Timofeevich's sketches. In Smolensk there is also a sculpture museum bearing his name. In memory of Konkenev in 1973, was issued a postage stamp depicting a portrait of Sergei Timofeevich. Streets in cities such as Moscow, Roslavl, Smolensk, Donetsk, acquired the names in honor of the sculptor.

Such a talented person as Konenkov Sergey Timofeevich, whose brief biography reveals his life before us, became one of the best sculptors and artists of our country.