Bekhteev Vladimir G. (1878-1971)

Artist Vladimir G. Bekhteev (1878 - 1971) lived a long life, and in it the fate of several creative, vibrant, unexpected and unpredictable. To some extent it shows the metamorphosis of the solo exhibition of graphic works by the artist in the gallery "Art-Divazh" on New Square.

Before becoming one of the best Russian artists of XX century it was an aristocrat, a gentleman, an officer who graduated from the Cavalry School in St. Petersburg and a few years in the Mitavskoy shelf. Before it opened brilliant service opportunities. But in 1901 he was a lieutenant suddenly resigns. Tribal officers' career change to a strange and uncertain, "unworthy" of higher nobility career of the artist. Attends the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, is engaged in the private studio of Professor Tsionglinskiy.

In 1902, Vladimir Bekhteev went to Munich, where he intermittently lives up to the outbreak of World War II. Here, at the time there were a lot of Russian artists who first met with restraint "gallant hussar," but soon his undoubted talent led him to drastically change the attitude. He becomes an active member of the "New Munich Association of Artists", is a circle Kandinsky , A.Yavlenskogo , M.Verevkinoy. His works of this period is clearly peculiar features of Russian avant-garde, though often with a touch of "miriskusnichestva." For example, the thumbnail panel "Golden Apples". Participates in Moscow in the first exhibition of "Jack of Diamonds", appears in the gallery of "Storm" in Berlin, becomes a party to the Munich exhibition "Blue Rider", the principles of which Vladimir Bekhteev always followed initially enthusiastically and joyfully, and then, in the Soviet time, in view of understandable circumstances nostalgic undercurrent. "The Blue Rider" in one form or another has gone through the entire life of the artist. But works of this time, according to the composition of the exposure, save some.

After the Revolution, Vladimir Bekhteev first becomes a humble servant of the People's Commissariat of Education, and then, in 1921, - the chief artist of the First Moscow State Circus. In the hall of the gallery contains a large section of his circus work. This is - gorgeous colorful costumes circus artists, especially clowns, filled with warmth and humor, sketches of circus performances, especially those related to horses. Here, of course, affected his erstwhile cavalry service. In general, Vladimir Bekhteev was an excellent animal painter. Presented compositions performed in cubist style - the memory of the avant-garde, as well as circus posters and placards.

Easel graphic works of Vladimir Behteeva thirties is in the spirit of time. There are scenes and production, such as metro builders and domestic scenes ("At the market"), many of the southern landscape, brought from trips to the Caucasus, on the Georgian Military Road.

But most of all graphical artistic talent manifested itself in illustrating books - "The Phoenician Ship" and "The lights on the mounds" V.Yana, "Roman Lady Byron" E.Meyn, "Maid of Maupin" T.Gote, "Jean Sbogar" Sh.Node, "Daphnis and Chloe" Long. Some pictures are full of truly artistic, virtuosity, immaculate, elegant and free - to the Japanese fairy tales.