Gurkin Grigory Ivanovich (1872-1937)

Like many Russian artists, Grigory Ivanovich Gurkin was a singer of their homeland. However, should significant clarification, for mountain Altai, Altai, southern Siberia - edge beauty which the artist devoted his talent and vocation - the definition of "small" does not fit.

Birthplace of the landscape in the small village of Ulala (now the city of Altay) in the family of a saddler. The teenager learned to paint in the workshop "icon-painters" Telgerova and Nikiforov. Along with the icons of the young H. Gurkin became interested in depicting the wonderful nature of Gorny Altai and copying reproductions of income before so distant suburbs magazine Niva.

In 1897, he, thanks to the efforts of good people, razglyadevshy in his first samples of undoubted talent, is in St. Petersburg. The Vice-President of the Academy of Arts of Count II Tolstoy contributed acquaintance gifted with Altaian luminary domestic landscape painting II Shishkin , in the workshop which began to polish his skills GI Gurkin. After the death of the artist Shishkin worked under the direction of Professor of the Academy of AA Kiseleva .

Most of the more than five thousand works of the painter, executed in oil, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, pen, written in the genre of landscape (among them - the best paintings of the artist "Khan-Altai", "Lake of mountain spirits," Dena-Der "," Crown Katun " "Pine Askat").

During the Soviet era GI Gurkin was involved in the political events that have engulfed the outlying areas of Russia. Spent five years in exile in Mongolia and Tuva (1821-1925). Yet the main activity for him remained creativity. Since 1925, he did a lot for the development of fine arts in the areas of southern Siberia.

The life and work of the painter was tragically cut short: it is not just a "delusion" the first post-revolutionary years. In 1937, he was arrested and died in custody. Numerous works of GI Gurkin in most museums in Siberia - the best memory of a remarkable artist Altai.