Forty (Vasiliev) Grigory Vasilevich (1823-1864)

GV Soroka was born to a serf. Eighteen years of age he was taken to the house of the host (referred to as "islands"), the landlord N. Milukova. Soon discovered the ability to draw and became a disciple of A. Venetsianov , who lived nearby in his estate Safonkovo. Within a few years, then lived in Soroca Safonkovo, doing under the guidance of his mentor, then returned to the "islands" with some reference from it.

Becoming Magpies as an artist was incredibly fast. Its miraculously preserved portrait drawings in 1842 say about the ability to convey the similarities and distinct skills in drawing, painting "Barnyard" (1843) is quite professional, and "The Cabinet of homes in the" Isles ", the estate of N. Milukova" (1844) - one of the most poetic images of the interior of the entire Russian painting.

Creative way the Magpies did not last more than ten years, and we only know about 20 of his works, and their dating is very approximate. They are not equal.

Forty achieved the greatest success in landscape painting. "Wing in" islands "..." (First half of 1840) right in common with the later Russian landscape painters of the late XIX - early XX century. Four landscapes, executed in the village of Tambov province Spassky (owned by relatives Miliukovs) - "View of the dam," "Fishermen", "Lake View Moldino", "View of the estate Spasskoe" (all approx. 1847) - hit the epic scale of perception and images of nature. Another three landscapes painted at home, "islands" - "View of the lake in the estate Moldino" islands "", "Chapel in the Park" and "Type in" islands "" (all of the end of 1840), - on the contrary, differ Chamber, emphasized the intimate character. In addition to the "Study at home in the" Isles ", the estate of N. Milukova" he wrote another an interior painting, "Reflection in the Mirror" (1840) - a complex for spatial decision and the execution flawless.

In portrait painting Magpie was also significantly constrained - then needed a more thorough school than the one he had time to get. Nevertheless, his portrait EN Miliukova (end of 1840) is able to compete with many portraits of his time, and a self-portrait, painted at the same time, touches of drama, hidden under a veneer of restraint.

The fate of the Magpies really was very dramatic. Attempts to freestyle ended without result. Who had to believe in their abilities and feel the creator, the artist continued to depend on the landlord tyranny, and death Venetsianov (1847) robbed him not only a mentor, but also a patron in a heavily established relations with the host. It is known that in the 1850s. He left the homestead and returned to his native village Pokrovsky, there married (1852), he had two sons and then a daughter.

Peasants work Soroka did not know and made a living as an artist, but he wrote no longer picture, and icons (such icons was later found at least a dozen), tried to teach drawing peasant children, but the attempt failed. He began to drink heavily. In 1864, was somehow involved in peasant unrest that began in connection with the abolition of serfdom and the unjust conditions of the purchase of land from the landlords (whether written petition, or incited the villagers to disobey), and was punished for it. The penalty was the last straw that broke the patience - Forty committed suicide.