Nivinsky Ignaty (1881-1933)

Set in 1922 on the stage of the third Moscow Art Theater comedy-Carlo Gozzi tale "Princess Turandot" has become one of the symbols of a new theatrical era. Unusual decorations, many have contributed to the success of the best work Vakhtangov, did I. Nivinsky.

He built on the stage of the conditional, it is a fantastic theater "China" of the inclined planes of color, vivid characters hanging on the cloth and incomprehensible, but plasticity tion inclined rod. The director wanted, according Nivinsky, "make the scenery to play, to take part in the action of the play, but did not serve him only as a background." The artist has embodied this idea brilliantly.

Meanwhile Nivinsky was not a theater artist par excellence. After graduating in 1898 SHPU, he spent several years teaching in the same pattern.
working in the studio of architect I. Zholtovsky (with whom he traveled to Italy), tries himself in the architecture and moves to the monumental painting. Friendship with Zholtovsky, work in its buildings, the Italian artist impressions incline to the classical tradition, to the Venetian paintings of the XVI century.

In the years 1906-11. he directs the decoration of halls under construction in Moscow Museum of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Fine Arts. Pushkin). He writes and oil paintings ("Venus", "St. Sebastian," "House with a red roof," all 1916 "Gursuf. Mosque", 1917), and in 1911 he began to study the technique of etching, caught in the end the main in his work. In the etching series Nivinsky mostly romantic. In sheets "Italian Suite" (1912) significantly noticeable effect etchings of Piranesi Italian and English master F. Brengvina with their picturesque touch, sharp angles and lush chiaroscuro. More intimate small plates "Crimean suite" (1916-17). And in the "Caucasian Capriccio" (1923-25), with their distinct field joint time-noprostranstvennyh motifs and colorful linings, dies giving out some fragments, apparently striving to overcome the classic style frames gravure technology. By sharp, almost poster-installation artist and uses the latest in its series of color etchings - "Zahesi" (1927).