Shleina Nikolai Pavlovich (1873-1952)

Kostroma Shleina Nikolai Pavlovich was born in middle class family November 20, 1873 in a house on Lenin Street (former Eleninskaya). His father, Paul Petrovich, having served 15 years in the Army, shortly before the birth of his son resigned and was listed as a retired non-commissioned officer in the reserve infantry battalion. Mother, Agnes V., a native of County Nerekhta - uneducated and very pious woman. The family of moderate means donate most of his two-storey house for rent and lived mainly on funds received from tenants. The life they were prudent, to which a child and tried to teach his son.

Primary education was Nicholas Shleina E.N.Filipovoy in a private school, then parents sent him to a technical school. He studied the young man directly. Father even Mathematician hired him. However, a secondary school art teacher Raphael S. Sorokin said Nikolai ability to fine art. It was he who recommended her father Nicholas to send his son to study in Moscow for the artist. His father wanted his son to a different fate, he wanted his son to get financial education to become a clerk or the owner of any workshop. Still, the teacher listened to the advice and let his boy of fifteen to study in Moscow.

Moscow met a young man surly. In a letter to his mother Nicholas writes: "I live in a damp apartment that which never dry out the wall, and I sleep on the floor." The first attempt to enter the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, Nicholas turned to failure. "From the drawing exam I could not resist, with all the sciences stand it, but drawing has ruined me, I have not received," - he writes home. He asks his father: "If you love me, then ... I beg you, do not take me to the fire, give me a chance to get rid of the ridicule of the people around you, believe me, that I will make efforts to engage and become hard. " Father Nicholas warned that the financial aid will be poor. In the second year, in June 1889, Shleina passed exams in art school. "The exam I passed both the sciences and in painting," - he says happily home. To enter the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture was not easy: it was filed one hundred twenty statements, and took only eighteen.

Study Shleina the school from the first day was a success. Already in the second month of learning it from the original class is transferred to the parent class. Parental care of the house is small. It is barely enough to eat. In 1892, Nicholas Shleina still a student performs the drawing "Hands." It is believed if the artist is able to write a brush, it is an academic painter. For the "hand", he received the award of Pavel Tretyakov and free from tuition fees. His first earnings Shleina receives from private lessons. Teacher Shleina KA Savitsky allows Nicholas in his spare time in the evenings, to have private lessons: to prepare students for admission to the Moscow Art School.

In a letter to parents Shleina writes: "I eat pickled cucumber, radish and bread." Another tells parents that began to draw a new production of the Workshop Savitsky. Did the circuit, and the colors do not. Therefore forced to sit and write. Shleina asks parents to send some money. The policy work of "Unknown", written later - a prototype that time of life Shleina. It was inspired by the personal experiences of the artist. On the canvas in the foreground sits a young man with a wallet. On the table in front of him a cup of tea and nothing more. The host with suspicion and contempt looking at him, waiting for the young man will warm and left his establishment. Painting School Board has been awarded a large silver medal, and the author was awarded the title of class artist. This work was exhibited at the 28th traveling exhibition in St. Petersburg and attracted the attention of art lovers. (Now a sketch of the "Unknown" is exhibited in the Nobility at the exhibition organized by Professor KSU A.I.Buzinym.) In a letter to his mother Shleina writes, "Levitan himself came up to me and said that he was very pleased to meet me and that thing he is my love. He also said that when he saw her Repin, so jumped in front of the picture, she says, the best in the exhibition of the genre ... It was nice to hear, and I could not believe my ears. "

In 1898 he graduated from the school and received the title of class artist. "Now he graduated from high school and can work independently - wrote to his mother. - Two paintings accepted for the exhibition of the Association of Artists of Moscow, which opens in St. Petersburg. "

The following year, after the school invites a young artist in his studio portrait VASerov. On the recommendation of Serov Shleina began to paint portraits of high society in Moscow and St. Petersburg and wealthy patrons. Now he writes to his mother, which is earnings and may itself acquire their clothes and materials for the job. Then the material Shleina his feet. Painting Shleina "Patron", which was first exhibited at the fair in Nobility (from a private collection A.I.Buzina), inspired by new ideas and feelings of the artist. Maecenas at intermission suited to the ballerina. Bows. His hat is removed. Previously, the artist painted peasant life. Now, going to the theater, socializing with wealthy audience form a new world of the artist.

After graduating from college Shleina decided to continue his art education and in 1901 he entered the Petrograd Academy of Fine Arts in the studio of Professor V.E.Makovskogo. He recommends Shleina early to come up with a picture of "The Immortal" for the contest. (Sketch of the thesis and sketches are exhibited in the Nobility.) The painting is booked for a gold medal and the highest prize - a trip abroad. To gather material for a picture Shleina repeatedly went to the fire.

The Academy of Arts opened higher educational courses. He finishes the course and receive a certificate which entitles him to all cities of Russia to teach drawing and calligraphy in high schools and colleges. Shleina wrote to his mother: "I accidentally went to the course. I would like in our city Kostroma open a private school. " Brilliantly graduated from the academy, N.P.Shlein had the opportunity to stay there to teach, but he went to the fire. In 1904, Kostroma Shleina opens art classes drawing, painting and sculpting, teaching in real school, gymnasium.

The school was placed in her father's house Shleina. In 1908 Shleina sketches of a new home with a turret. And in 1910, near the old house Shleina built a new house on the draft of the Shleina. In the new house Shleina lives and deals with graduate students. A primary school classes were in the old house. School Shleina considered one of the leading schools of Russia. Already by 1924, it had three main courses, after which students received the title of an art teacher.

It drove him to learn from Siberia and the Urals. Shleina was a demanding teacher. If you saw a mediocre student, expelled from school. He raised up a galaxy of famous artists. His students M.S.Kolesov - Honored Artist, VA Kutilin - honored art E.G.Chemodurov - winner of the State Prize, I.A.Kozlov - Honored Worker of Culture. Shuvalov, who was also a disciple Shleina, said that Shleina discipline specific requirements. But he did not miss any school hours.