Solomatkin Leonid Ivanovich (1837-1883)

LI Solomatkin born into a poor peasant family. Early lost his parents, he lived among strangers, and the humiliation suffered reproaches. With thirteen years of age began to work - and the driver was, and herdsman, and Chumak (merchant-carrier). Toured half Russian, he watched and destruction of villages and urban poverty, and inhumanity of human relations. All this is then reflected in his work.   youth drew a lot, making sketches of the street-rope walkers, acrobats, organ grinders with hungry and frozen monkeys, beggars and vagrants.

When Solomatkin accidentally heard about the existence of a Moscow art school, which takes people of all classes - would be a talent - he went at once to the old capital. Here he took his drawings under his arm, he went to the apartment NA Ramazanov known patronage of young talent. Seeing the work of talented young men and permeated with sympathy for his plight, Ramazanov Solomatkin sheltered at home.

In MUZHV-MUZHVZ future artist did in 1855 and studied there for five years. During this time he acquired professional skills, using lessons AN Mokritski.

In 1861 Solomatkin went to St. Petersburg, where he entered volnoprihodyaschim student at the Academy. However, he was engaged for long, though, and presented to the Academic exhibition 1861 painting "The Hunter" and in 1862 for his work "Name Deacon" was a small silver medal.

The most successful was written by him in 1864 painting "Slavilschiki-policemen." Genre scene depicting ostentatious piety of the policemen who came to the merchant's house "glorify Christ" and to get tips, transmitted by the artist with a sense of humor. The sharp picture composition is combined with a surprisingly warm, rich flavor, reminiscent of a motley coloring people's images (this is typical for most work Solomatkin). The film was awarded a silver medal and a great many times repeated by the author.

However, the success did not Solomatkin happy. He constantly needed to have lived from hand to mouth, huddled in shelters and all the more reluctant to go to academic classes, which are all left in 1866, having received the title of artist third degree. In the works "At the drinking house" (1867), "The Inn" (1870), "Beano", "For pension" (both 1878), and other artist has depicted the world of the poor and homeless, desperate and devoid of hope. Sam lived all his life in poverty, he was well aware of their fellows. This sensitive artist, continuing in the tradition of Russian painting P. Fedotov , ended his days in a hospital for the poor.