Форум по искусству и инвестициям в искусство

He had not received professional education and emerged as an artist under the influence of creativity L. Bakst and Konstantin Somov, and O. Beardsley and G. Klimt.
Perhaps the apotheosis of Fame Kalmakova began in 1908, a personal ban for "obscenity" by Nicholas II in the theater of Faith Komissarjevskaya play "Salome" by Oscar Wilde play, directed by Nicholas Evreinov. Great director and nisprovergatel, by the way, greatly appreciated the artist's talent.
Some critics even called Kalmakova "Russian Beardsley. Indeed, the legendary Englishman and a mysterious wizard from Russia had much in common. More than candid vision of love, play with the myths and fantastic imagination combined both masters. Sam Kalmakov continuously arranged from his life extravaganza. After all, the master, simply conversing with demons, everything had to be not quite as ordinary people.
He dressed, for example, because if he had to go on stage. Like his friend Nicholas Evreinov, appearing in a refined and unusual outfits. Stylish small mustache and goatee made him look like something a thumbnail with the image of Peter I, or whether the heroes of the paintings of Velazquez. Coat has always been sewn on his own a style, a mandatory attribute the suit have also been spats.
And yet it all the time surrounded by rumors and legends. He, of course, loved to create itself. Maybe the rest did not give him a violent blood - his mother was Italian and sang in the opera, the father, the police and state councilor, left his temperamental wife shortly after the birth of his son. The artist himself, however, hinted that his father was an army general, but further surveys have confirmed that Konstantin Kalmakov only served in the Peterhof county police headquarters. They said that had a huge impact on the future masters of governess - German, immersing his pupil in the world of fairy tales of Hoffmann and the Brothers Grimm. Is this not to be found the roots of dark fantasies Kalmakova, which became a kind of banner of Russian Symbolism.
All he had was not so. For example, he never bought the paint, but had prepared their own herbs and plants. Lived alone in a house in a large Peterhof park, where there were very high narrow windows. Guests and friends told me that talking with the devil, but could not draw it. It will outline the hoof, then the tail. And showed the sketches, and visitors became terrified, as if they really suck a wave - the unearthly cold.

In 1920 the artist fled Russia and emigrated to France (in one version, through Constantinople, on the other - through Latvia or Estonia) in 1924 settled in Paris, where in 1926-1947 he lived on the streets of La Rochefoucauld. Emigration Kalmakov led a secluded life, avoiding communication with the community of former compatriots. If in the first years of exile he arranged exhibitions of his works, which did not arouse much interest, at the end of life master was actually buried in oblivion. His only friend was an artist SP Ivanov. Kalmakov died in 1955 at the oldest house city Shell.
In 1964-1970-X collectors Georges Martin du Nord and Kollen Bertrand du Bocage, was discovered on the "flea" market, 40 paintings of the artist, he organized a series of solo exhibitions in Paris and London, newly opened to the public career of the master.
(Victor Leonids. Angel of the abyss. The first book of the "Russian Beardsley.")