Vladimir Lebedev

[SergeiSK]

Leningradets Vladimir Lebedev (1891-1967) believed that it has formed for the spiritual atmosphere of the twenties. However, cubism - so popular in the formative years of the artist Lebedev-plastic method - was not for his worldview. His formal methods master used to "collect and organize the element of Russian art, the expression of the greedy and impatient in apprenticeship".
 
Lebedev painted since childhood, enthusiastically and passionately. Interestingly, a strong draftsman, he had not received systematic education. In the years 1910-1911 attended the workshop FA Rubo at the Academy of Arts, then worked in the studio M. Bernstein. In 1910 the artist has collaborated with various satirical magazines.

At the end of 1910 Lebedev was carried away Cubism, which became his school master professional culture. A striking example of Cubist experiments - lists a series of "washerwomen" or "presser" (1920-1925), in which the author consistently addresses various formal problem: he was interested in how the rhythmic organization of the composition, the interaction of simple shapes, with different texture, tone and color.

In early 1920 Lebedev worked in the poster department of the Petrograd slots growth. " Poster clarity moved to a children's book illustration, which the artist worked, since 1921. The exhibition includes sketches of illustrations for the "elephant" by R. Kipling (1921), works by S. Marshak, "The Circus" (1925), "How did planer jointer" (1927) and others, which are classic examples of children's books 1920's.
 
In the first half of 1920 in the works Lebedev appeared attraction to work in series, variations in family reasons. Many of the drawings that show mostly street life postrevolutionary pores (Series Panel Revolution "(1922)," New life "(1924)," NEP "(1925)), were published in satirical magazines. The artist could, like Mikhail Zoshchenko catch the style of the new Soviet life, with its peculiar way of life and caricatured characters. In works from the series "NEP", performed lampblack, there is "excess" for the genre of domestic pattern artistic expression. Drawing has become more beautiful and airy. Acute observation satirist replaced a little ironic admiration.

In the second half of 1920 Lebedev asked for such a traditional art motif as plastic female body. Since 1926, he began systematically to draw from nature female model, an image which varies in sheets from the series "Ballerina," "guitarist" in hundreds of pictures of models depicting one or two figures. Drawings made in different techniques, demonstrate a mature mastery of the artist.

At the turn of 1920-1930-x in the work Lebedev there has been a rejection of the graphics in favor of painting, that does not happen without the influence of the changing requirements of time. In 1930, he worked on portraits and still lifes.

In 1931, some works Lebedev harsh criticism in the press and five years later he, along with the VM Konashevich, became the object of serious attacks in the article "the artist as shit" (Pravda, 1936, March 1). An article was the signal for persecution of Leningrad artists of children's books, was part of a broader ideological campaign directed against a number of artists of Leningrad.

In subsequent years, Lebedev actively engaged in painting and illustrating children's books. However, more recent works the artist did not go in comparison with the masterpieces of the 1920's: the pioneering work of that time were unable to find embodiment in art 1930-1950's.

is now in the Tretyakov Gallery opened the exhibition "I - the artist of the twenties." Drawings Vladimir Lebedev program "Tretyakov Gallery opens its reservists.
The exhibition features about 80 works from the collection Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and a private collection, created by the artist in the brightest period of his work, in the 1920's, many of which are exhibited for the first time.
(The State Tretyakov Gallery)