Layers Arkady (1893-1972)

During the life of AA Plastov was recognized as a classic of Soviet art. His works were even in school textbooks. But we are deeply mistaken if we perceive Plastova as the official artist. Yes, he wrote custom paintings depicting Lenin in flood, the entry in the farm and collective farm holidays. Yes, not all of its great heritage equivalent. However, the best of his paintings became classics not Soviet but Russian art of XX century.

Layers - a great artist peasant Russia. She looks at us with his paintings and portraits. It will remain so for eternity, which portrayed her formation.

He was the son and grandson of the village bookworm local icon painter. He graduated from theological school and seminary. From his youth dreamed of becoming a painter.
in 1914 was able to enter the Moscow School of Painting, but it was only in the sculpture department. In parallel, he studied painting.
 in 1917-25 years. Strata lived in his native village, as "competent", was engaged in a variety of public affairs. Only in the second half of 1920. he was able to return to professional art work.

In 1931, at Plastova house burned down, killing almost all created by that time. The artist almost forty years, and he was almost in the position of a beginner. But forty years of tireless work - and a number of his works nearer to 10,000. Some portraits - a few hundred. This is mainly portraits of villagers.

In its own way is just as unique series like "Disappearing Russia" P. Korin . After all, that Russia should have disappeared in the flames of socialist construction.

Reservoir - a natural realist. Modernist pride, searching for something totally new and unseen were completely strange to him. He lived in the world and admired its beauty. Like many Russian realist artists, Plastov convinced that the main thing for an artist - to see the beauty and be very sincere. No need to write beautifully, it is necessary to write the truth, and it will be more beautiful than any fantasy. Every nuance, every detail in his paintings, the artist repeatedly tested in working with nature. Unfeigned, the complete absence of what is called "manner", distinguished Plastova even from those great masters, the heir to the picturesque principles which it was - A. Arkhipov , F. A Malyavina , K. Korovin .

Recovery becomes aware of itself the successor of the entire national artistic traditions. In the coloring of Russian nature, he sees charming paint our old icons. These paints are living in his paintings: a golden wheat fields, the green grass in red, pink and blue peasant clothes. In place of the holy ascetics intercede Russian peasants whose labor and mournful, and holy, whose life for Plastova - embodied the harmony of nature and man.