Serebryakova, Zinaida Evgenievna. Zinaida Serebryakova: what it's like to be one of a family of geniuses

Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova(November 28 (December 10) 1884, p. Neskuchnoe (in different time belonged to the Kursk and Kharkov provinces), Russian empire- September 19, 1967, Paris, France)- Russian artist, member of the World of Art society, who emigrated to Paris after the revolution. Representative of neoclassicism.

Features of the work of the artist Zinaida Serebryakova: simplicity and grace of lines, restraint, plasticity, clarity. Zinaida Serebryakova wrote during the emergence of many avant-garde movements, but none of them captured her. Her work stands apart. Especially notable in Serebryakova’s legacy are numerous self-portraits, portraits of children, nudes, as well as scenes of folk life, which in her execution acquire a mythological quality and move from the everyday level to the existential.

Famous paintings Zinaida Serebryakova: “Behind the toilet. Self-portrait", "Bather",
“At Breakfast”, “House of Cards”, “Whitening the Canvas”.

Zinaida Serebryakova was destined to live two destinies. In the first, she is a descendant of an artistic family, a happy, beloved and loving wife, mother of adored children and a talented artist who entered Russian painting with her self-portrait in front of a mirror, in which happiness, love, contentment, freshness and joy of life seem to be concentrated. The second fate is a widow, separated from her children, struggling to earn a piece of bread, unable to find a place in a foreign land and having lost her homeland, torn by anxiety and consumed by hopeless melancholy.

Happy life of Zinaida Serebryakova

Compared to her sociable, cheerful brothers and sisters, Zina seemed wild and withdrawn. It seems that she was the only one who took after her father’s personality, and not her cheerful, friendly mother’s family. She studied at the gymnasium, went with her mother to art exhibitions and theater premieres, she painted, of course - it couldn’t be otherwise in this family. The only thing that worried the mother was the girl’s poor health. Of all the children, she grew up the sickest.

At eighteen, Zinusha, as her family called her, went with her mother to Italy to restore her health. Soon they were joined by Alexander Benois, for Zina - “Uncle Shura”. And he arranged magnificent artistic and cultural excursions for the ladies! On the way back, we went through Vienna specifically to visit museums. In St. Petersburg, Zinaida, following the advice of “Uncle Shura,” visited the workshop of Osip Braz, a famous portrait painter and academician Imperial Academy arts She had no passion for the ceremonial portrait, so beloved by Braz, so Serebryakova subsequently did not say anything good about this stage of her training. But I considered the time spent in the Hermitage, where I visited almost every day, to be very important.

In addition to the joy of painting, the girl’s life was illuminated by another great joy - love. The family spent the summer in Neskuchny, where their relatives, the Serebryakovs, lived on a neighboring estate. Zina had known Boris, her cousin, since childhood; over time, friendship grew into love. The young couple decided to get married, but they did not succeed right away. The parents were for it, but the church was against it because of the relationship of the lovers. However, 300 rubles and an appeal to a third priest, after two refusals, allowed him to solve the problem. In 1905 they got married. Very a beautiful couple! Tall, stately, perky, in love, a little idealistic. It seems they had a lot to do happy life. And they had it, but not for as long as they dreamed.

Soon after the wedding, the young couple left for Paris. Zinaida was awaiting the birth of her first child and improved her painting skills at the Academy de la Grande Chaumière (again, on the advice of Benoit). She enthusiastically admired the paintings of Monet and Manet, Sisley, was delighted with Degas - and carried her love for the latter throughout her life, entering into a dialogue with him through a series of her ballerinas (, , ,).

From her very marriage until the revolution, Zinaida Serebryakova was happier than ever. Their life was simple, calm and joyful. In winter they lived in St. Petersburg, in warm weather - in Neskuchny. IN social entertainment They didn’t particularly participate; Zinaida’s interests revolved around her children, her beloved husband and painting. Even when walking with her children, she always took the album with her.

In 1910, at the exhibition of the Union of Russian Artists in St. Petersburg, Zinaida Serebryakova amazed not only the public, but also her relatives, including “Uncle Shura.” Her self-portrait “Behind the Toilet” created a sensation. Such freshness, such sincerity and the joy of youth emanated from the picture that no one was left in doubt: a new artist. Her style was defined as neoclassicism.

By 1913, the Serebryakovs already had four children: older boys Zhenya and Sasha and girls Tata and Katya. Zinaida loved the estate in Neskuchny very much, she even preferred to give birth to her children there, despite her mother’s concerns. In Neskuchny she led a simple life, wore wide skirts and light blouses and painted in every free minute - children, husband, peasants, landscapes.

Zinaida and Boris got along well with the peasants. If Boris discovered that someone had stolen a wheel or a pickling tub from the owner’s yard, he would gently reprimand the culprit: “Why didn’t you ask, I would have given it to you anyway”. And when the fatal salvo thundered from the Aurora, Zinaida, smiling, was sincerely happy for the peasants on the estate: “Well “Nikitishna, congratulations, now you are not just a peasant, now you are a citizen!”.

And a volley rang out

In Kharkov, Zinaida got a job at an archaeological institute, made sketches archaeological finds and languished with the desire to get out of this mess into which her recently happy life had turned. “Pathetic, helpless and lonely. She says that life is over and lives only with her past,” is how contemporaries describe their impressions of meeting her. However, she does not have the opportunity to completely immerse herself in melancholy - she needs to feed her children and mother. The help of the peasants was a great help: they sometimes brought lard, cereals, carrots - from the latter they brewed tea and warmed themselves with it.

Only in December 1920 was it possible to leave for Petrograd. It gets a little easier. Children go to school, Serebryakova’s paintings participate in exhibitions, and she is sometimes commissioned for portraits. But life still passes on the edge of survival. It is surprising that no matter how difficult her life was, her paintings are mostly bright and joyful, although she created the early ones out of an excess of joy, and in the later ones she ran away from the difficult reality.

Alexander Benois got his niece a free pass to Mariinskii Opera House. Her daughter Tatyana studies there, and Zinaida paints her lovely ballerinas there. In 1923, her works participated in an exhibition of Russian artists taking place in the United States. She earned $500, but it couldn’t fill the gaps in the family budget. Zinaida decides to go to Paris to improve her financial position.

The cage slammed shut

Contrary to Benoit’s assurances, golden rain did not fall on Serebriakova in Paris. Firstly, there was avant-garde in fashion, the values ​​of which she did not share at all, adhering to the classical approach to painting, and secondly, Serebryakova was very awkward in her affairs and did not know how to “turn around” at all - echoes of the life of a happy woman living with her family and her art. How different this Paris, populated by emigrants, was from the city to which she went after her wedding with her husband and mother, pregnant with her eldest son!

Artist Konstantin Somov, who repeatedly helped Zinaida Serebryakova in Paris, said: “She’s so pathetic, unhappy, inept, everyone hurts her.”. Unsociable in life, she left no direct followers in her work. Contemporaries mention the difficult character of the artist. But we must take into account the circumstances of her life. She failed to earn money in a year as planned. “Nobody understands that starting without a penny is incredibly difficult. But time goes by, and I keep fighting in the same place.”, she writes to her mother in despair. She misses her children very much. Soon Katya manages to be discharged, and in 1927 Sasha also arrives. And then the iron curtain falls.

Serebryakova does not dare to return because her two children are in Paris, and she does not risk taking them to the USSR, where they could be declared “enemies of the people.” In Paris, she cannot fully integrate into her new life, because half of her heart remains there - with Zhenya, Tanya and her mother, whom the government refuses to let go abroad.

At the slightest opportunity, Serebryakova sends them money, but this is not always possible. In 1933, her mother dies of hunger in the Soviet Union.

The brightest event of this “life after life” for Zinaida Serebryakova was, perhaps, trips to Morocco. The Belgian Baron Brower saw her paintings at one of the exhibitions and offered to pay for the trip so that he could take back any of the paintings he liked. In 1928 and 1932, Zinaida traveled around Morocco. Subsequently, she will write to her daughter Tatyana: “In general, 34 years of life here have been nothing but vanity, nothing but nervousness and despair... But how can an artist create without “joyful excitement”? It’s just that one month spent in Morocco in 1928, and then a month and a half there, captivated me completely with its immediate living beauty...”

Only during the Khrushchev Thaw, in 1960, Tatyana, and a few years later her son Evgeniy, were able to come to their mother. And six years later - to organize her exhibition in Moscow. The success was deafening! But Serebryakova herself did not dare to come to the USSR. And age made itself felt, and not everyone is able to return to where she was once very happy, knowing that those places no longer exist.

Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova is a famous Russian artist. appeared a prominent representative association of artists "". She is also known as one of the first Russian women to go down in the history of Russian painting.

Zinaida Serebryakova (before her marriage - Lansere) was born on December 12, 1884 in the village of Neskuchnoye in the Kharkov province. Since childhood, she has been surrounded by creativity and art. The fact is that Zinaida Evgenievna was born into a family that was famous for its real talents in various types creativity. Her grandfather was the famous architect Nikolai Benois (1813-1898). Zinaida's father (1848-1886) was also a famous sculptor. Zinaida also had a sister, Alexandra Benois, who was engaged in graphics, a brother, Nikolai, an architect, and a brother, Evgeniy, a graphic artist and painter. It is worth noting that the line of talented sculptors and artists did not end with Zinaida Serebryakova. Daughter Evgenia became an architect and restorer, son Alexander became a famous designer and artist, daughter Tatyana became an Honored Artist of the RSFSR, daughter Ekaterina became an artist.

Zinaida Lansere graduated from the women's gymnasium and art school. Was a student famous painter Osip Emmanuilovich Braz (1873-1936). She also studied at the Parisian Académie de la Grande Chaumière. In 1905 she married railway engineer Boris Serebryakov.

The art of the artist who glorified Russian painting is very soulful and warm. With the help of her creativity, she tried to convey to the viewer the beauty of the Russian land and Russian culture. She also traveled a lot. In 1924 she went to Paris and for a long time I couldn't see my children. The first time after separation she met her daughter only 36 years later in 1960, when the Khrushchev thaw began. She died in Paris on September 19, 1967. Currently, her paintings are in collections of such major museums, like: Odessa Art Museum, Russian Museum, State Tretyakov Gallery.

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Zinaida Serebryakova paintings

Self-portrait dressed as Pierrot

Self-portrait of Zinaida Serebryakova in a white blouse

Self-portrait with daughters

Ballerinas in the restroom

Whitening canvas

Brittany. The town of Pon-l Abbe. Port

Bakery from Lepik Street

In the dressing room

Girl with black braids

Girl with a candle

Elena Braslavskaya

At breakfast

Behind the toilet. Self-portrait

Zinaida Serebryakova (1884-1967), nee Zinaida Evgenievna Lansere, is one of the biggest female names in Russia. She was a bright representative of symbolism and art deco, a member of the World of Art association, and also simply a woman with a strong character who endured all the hardships of two wars and revolutions.

There was nothing unexpected in the talent of the future great artist, which was discovered at a young age; she inherited it as a representative of the Benois-Lancer creative dynasty: famous architect Nikolai Benois was her grandfather, her father, Eugene Lanceray, was a sculptor, and her mother was a graphic artist.

At the age of 16, Zinaida graduated from a women's gymnasium and entered the art school of Princess Tenisheva. Later, her education was carried out by the talented portrait painter Osip Braz. And in 1905-1906, Serebryakova studied painting at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris.

Long years The artist spent time in exile, but her style was formed in her youth, in St. Petersburg. Zinaida was in love with Russia with all her soul, and the difficult trials that befell the country tormented her much more than separation from her homeland.

TO early period Her works include the paintings “Peasant Girl” (1906) and “Orchard in Bloom. Not boring" (1908), which are filled with love for simplicity and natural beauty the surrounding world and the Russian land. These works were made with the firm hand of a master, which indicates the very early formation of professional artistic skills girls - at that time she was a little over 20 years old.

However, the artist’s skill did not push her to create complex masterpieces, filled with sophisticated techniques and replete with details. On the contrary, Zinaida’s paintings are distinguished by their simplicity and pleasant lightness in depicting reality. She almost never turned to a cold range of colors; her works were dominated by light pastel shades of a warm palette.

Serebryakova’s fame was first brought to her by her own self-portrait, painted in 1909 – it is called “Behind the Toilet”. It was this work that became the most recognizable in the artist’s work. The painting shows a young girl looking in the mirror while combing her long brown hair.

The expressive features of her face force the viewer to linger on the canvas for a long time. Her image simultaneously combines the aristocracy of a representative of a famous family and the simplicity of an ordinary Russian girl, in whose soul passions sometimes boil, and in whose eyes slyness and laughter are hidden. The strap of a light blouse is carelessly lowered from one shoulder, toiletries, knitting and jewelry lie in disarray on the table - the author of the picture does not seek to embellish himself and is not afraid to appear funny in the eyes of the viewer. AND appearance The beauty depicted in the self-portrait and her surroundings speak of the energy and cheerfulness of the heroine.

It should be noted that Serebryakova often “dabbled” in portraying herself. One cannot blame her for this inclination - what modern girl miss the chance to take your own photo? Zinaida always had everything at hand necessary tools to perpetuate your image at different times, in different moods, in different clothes, with family and friends. In total, there are at least 15 self-portraits of Serebryakova. Among them, for example, “Self-Portrait in Red” (1921) and “Self-Portrait”, painted in 1946.

It should be noted that the artist did not hesitate to let the viewer not only into her room, but also into her family. It was typical for her to depict her life. Family members very often ended up on the canvas.

One more no less famous work Zinaida, related to domestic genre portraits - “At Breakfast” (1914). On it, the artist skillfully depicted the warm atmosphere of home comfort and peace. The viewer unwittingly ends up visiting the Serebryakova family during lunch.

Her children - Zhenya, Sasha and Tanya - are sitting at a table covered with a white tablecloth, on which plates of food are placed. Genuinely sincere emotions are written on their gentle faces - boredom, curiosity, surprise. The boys are dressed in similar blue shirts, and Tanya is wearing a house dress with nice lace at the collar and on the shoulders. In the corner of the picture you can also notice the presence of an adult - a grandmother, whose hands are carefully pouring soup for one of the children. Judging by the table set, the family lives in abundance, but does not strive for excess.

The period from 1914 to 1917 is considered to be the heyday of Serebryakova’s creativity. At this time, she was especially interested in Russian motifs and themes folk life, peasant life and culture. Love for the motherland is rethought by the artist - probably due to the darkening colors of the First World War, which affected the destinies of many Russian people. Serebryakova emphasizes the unity of the people, their identity and the beauty of the working person. The artist’s tender feelings for her homeland are perfectly conveyed by the paintings “Harvest” (1915), “Peasants. Lunch" (1914) and "Whitening the Canvas" (1917).

The revolution and the events that followed it turned out to be a series of events for Serebryakova dramatic events. Her husband died of typhus, and Zinaida was left alone with four children and a sick mother in her arms. She had to fight hunger and a lack of the basic necessities of life. The issue of selling works became acute.

During that period, Zinaida wrote her most tragic picture - “House of Cards” (1919). And again the main characters were the artist’s children. The house of cards that Katya is building under the strict guidance of her brothers and sister is, of course, a metaphor. It reflects the instability and fragility of life in Russia at that time. Even children forget happy games and they begin to build a house out of cards with all seriousness, fearing its collapse at any moment.

Speaking about the artist’s work, it is necessary to note her love for the portrait genre. Perhaps no other direction of painting in the work of this artist can compare with her passion for depicting the faces of others.

She painted not only members of her family, but also acquaintances, including quite famous and wealthy people - among them, for example, poetess Anna Akhmatova, ballerina Alexandra Danilova, art critic Sergei Ernst and Princess Yusupova.

Portraits by Serebryakova are characterized by a partial or complete absence of background - the artist very rarely painted it in detail. She focused all her attention on the characters in her works. She managed to convey the individuality of everyone and “introduce” the viewer to their individual characteristics.

Nude occupies an important place in Serebryakova’s work. It’s amazing how a woman is able to depict the beautiful curves of girls’ bodies with such ardent passion. But the fact is undeniable: Zinaida was just as successful in working in the nude style as portraits and genre sketches on the topic peasant life. Beautiful young girls were depicted by her in a variety of poses - standing, sitting, imposingly stretched out on the bed. Serebryakova skillfully emphasized the advantages of her models, and she drew out their feminine curves with special admiration.

In 1924, Serebryakova went to Paris, from where she received an order to create a large decorative panel. Separation from her family, albeit temporary, greatly worried Zinaida. But the trip was necessary, as it made it possible to feed the children. And the heavy forebodings did not deceive: the artist was unable to return to her homeland. For many years she was separated from her two children and mother. True, Sasha and Katya managed to be transported to France almost immediately.

During this time, the artist visited a huge number of countries - not only European, but also African. The Moroccan series of Serebryakova’s work deserves special attention. Some of them are made with pastels, the rest with oil paint.

Life made an indelible impression on Zinaida local people and its customs. In her letter to her brother Eugene, she talks about how much she was amazed that local residents spent a huge amount of time every day sitting in a circle and watching dances, magic tricks and taming snakes.

However, not even the brightest performance allowed Zinaida to forget her longing for her homeland. Only with the onset of the thaw did the country again become “favorable” to Serebryakova. IN last years life she again gained popularity in her homeland and in the union republics. Her works were especially valued, more and more proposals for exhibitions were received, even a series of stamps with her paintings were published, but the artist was never able to return completely. Before last days she lived in Paris, which once accepted her in difficult times.

From April 5, 2017 to July 30, 2017, a large-scale monographic exhibition will be held in the Engineering Building of the Tretyakov Gallery.

Zinaida Serebryakova: what it's like to be one of a family of geniuses

Reproduction of Zinaida Serebryakova’s self-portrait “Behind the Toilet”

On December 12, 1884, in a village in the Kharkov province, a girl was born who was to become the famous artist Zinaida Serebryakova. Then her name was simply Zina Lansere.

Yes, the outstanding Russian artist was Lanceray on her father’s side and Benois on her mother’s side. In other words, this flower did not bloom in the desert: the entire Lanceret-Benoit-Serebryakov dynasty was distinguished talented people. Incredibly, all the people we write about below are relatives to each other!

Zinaida Serebryakova

The newborn was inevitably destined to become a woman brilliant fate- after all, the genes of Lanceray and Benoit merged in her - but it turned out that her fate was also difficult.

After high school, Zinaida entered an art school founded by a woman, Princess Tenisheva. She became a student of the outstanding portrait painter Osip Braz. She continued her studies at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris. In general, Zina was not a genius, but a very good student of very good teachers. In the interval between Braz and Paris, Zina married student Boris Serebryakov, and this was the overcoming of the first great difficulty in her life. Boris was Zina's cousin. Everyone was against such a closely related union; the couple was predicted to give birth to freaks, but in the end, for better or worse, love won.

So, Zina began her painting training as Lanceray, and finished as Serebryakova. And soon she became “that same” Serebryakova. Her one and only painting, the self-portrait “Behind the Toilet,” exhibited in 1910, completely broke, as they say now, the entire world of painting, art criticism and simply art lovers. Serebryakova did not go in there - she burst in. And for a long time she became one of the best among artists who paint female portraits. Perhaps because she looked at women not with an appraising male gaze, but with a kindred female gaze, and this perspective was new for painting. In 1916, she took part in the painting of the Kazan Station - a project of her uncle, Alexander Benois. Of course he draws female images: humanized India, Japan, Turkey and Siam. And in 1917 a revolution occurs.

There are no colors. Zinaida has to switch to pencil, to charcoal - she cannot do without drawing at all. Hunger, cold, typhus. Her husband dies of typhus, leaving Zinaida with four children in her arms. In 1920 he managed to move to Petrograd to his grandfather’s apartment. It was densified, that is, more residents were moved in, turning the housing into a communal apartment. Zinaida liked the residents - Moscow Art Theater artists. She began to draw a lot on the topic of theater.

In 1924, Serebryakova received a large order in Paris, went there... and then the Iron Curtain fell in the USSR. By some miracle, they manage to transport their daughter Ekaterina and son Alexander to France, to their mother, but two more children with their grandmother remain in Russia. All the artist can do is send them the money she earns. The breakup depresses her. At the same time, the artist lives on a non-citizen passport; she will become a French citizen only after the war. To distract herself, Serebryakova travels around northern Africa, working a lot on images local residents and, especially, residents. In France he writes a series of paintings with fishermen of Brittany. She is generally attracted to light, as others are attracted to color or texture. The light of sun glare on the sea, the light licking and burning the streets of the cities of Morocco, the light on faces. If there is no light in Serebryakova’s painting - like in “House of Cards”, like in the portrait of Katya’s daughter with dolls - it means that the people in the painting are feeling bad.

Only after almost forty years of separation, during the thaw period, daughter Tatyana, now an artist herself - a theater artist, at the Moscow Art Theater - finally visits her mother. In the USSR, they suddenly remember Serebryakova, organize large exhibitions, print albums... and, as if they had just waited for that - to see their second daughter again, to be recognized again in their homeland - Serebryakova dies. However, she is already 87 years old, so nothing surprising.

Evgeniy Lansere

Zinaida Serebryakova's father was not of very bohemian origin: the son of a state councilor, the grandson of a major in the Napoleonic army. Evgeniy was a keen animal sculptor, after traveling around Central Asia, Caucasus, North Africa became interested in ethnicity. Unlike his daughter, Evgeniy did not receive an art education - he was a lawyer by diploma - he did sculpting on his own. And yet, as a sculptor, he represented Russia several times, visiting one after another World Exhibitions - in London, Vienna, Paris, Antwerp.

Evgeniy Aleksandrovich died when his daughter Zina was one and a half years old, so he did not have time to pass on anything to her except his genes and surname. Zina was much more influenced by her mother and her mother’s relatives.

Evgeny Lansere Jr.

The eldest son of Evgeniy Lansere, brother of Zinaida Serebryakova, was also an outstanding artist, Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR and laureate Stalin Prize second degree. After high school, he was a student at the St. Petersburg Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, then, like his sister, he improved his skills at French art academies. In 1905 he left for Far East, where he began to publish an illustrated magazine political satire"Hell Mail" But things didn’t work out with the magazine – it only survived three issues. He continued to draw and search for himself, and became one of the founders of the legendary “Ancient Theater” in St. Petersburg, but this endeavor did not last long. Finally, in 1912, he settled down and went to work artistic director porcelain factory, and also led glass engraving workshops. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, he again abandoned his established life and went to the Caucasian front as a military correspondent (at that time artists were still in favor of modern photographers). Then, of course, he was already married.

The revolution found him in Dagestan. There he settled with his family for three years and became an art teacher at a women's gymnasium. At some point, he begins to collaborate with Denikin as a propagandist, so it is not surprising that when Dagestan came under Soviet rule, Evgeniy and his family moved first to the White Guard Rostov, then to Tbilisi. He eventually becomes a Soviet citizen. Collaborates with the Museum of Ethnography, then becomes a teacher at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts.

In 1934 he moved to Moscow; neoclassicism is in fashion, it is encouraged by the government, and Lansere, who has always gravitated precisely towards classic style, succeeds. He continues to work on the painting of the Kazan Station, which his uncle was involved in even before the revolution. During the war, he also actively worked, restoring the theater named after. Vakhtangov, carries out other government orders. But his health was undermined, his morale too, by the departure of his sister and nephews, and the arrest of his brother on charges of espionage for France. It's getting worse every day. In 1945, he completed the registration of the Kazan station through force, being deeply ill - the government urged him on, and it was impossible to refuse. In 1946, the elderly artist died. His son and grandson, all Eugene, also became artists.

Nikolay Lansere

Another brother of Zinaida Serebryakova was an architect - not a great one, but very successful. The flow of orders did not dry out. He worked actively both under the Tsar and under the Soviet regime, decorating government dachas and meeting rooms in the Kremlin. In 1931, the already middle-aged architect was arrested and convicted of spying for France (espionage is one of the most “fashionable” articles of that time). In places of detention, he continued to be involved in architectural work, including the design of premises in the Kremlin, the facade of the OGPU, government dachas and much more. Nikolai Evgenievich’s health became worse and worse, and in 1942 he died during transfer. He was rehabilitated only after Stalin's death. His son Nikolai and daughter Natalia, grandchildren from Nikolai, Alexey and also Nikolai, also became architects. The last two are still alive, as is Natalia’s daughter, also Natasha, an art historian by profession.

Nikolai Benois

The son of a peasant from near Paris, who managed to make a career at the Russian court, and a German woman also of not at all noble origin, Nikolai Leontievich (why Leontievich? And you try to form a patronymic from Louis!) great importance gave labor. He worked hard and raised his children to be hard-working. Yes, and he was also an architect, and since 1850 - the chief architect of Peterhof, and an actual state councilor.

Nikolai Leontievich received an excellent education, thanks to his godmother, Empress Maria Feodorovna, and managed to use good start for high flight. In general, Zinaida had someone to grow into so stubborn. He graduated from the Academy of Arts with a Big Gold Medal. And then you already know. Three of Benoit's children and four nephews became famous in the field of art. Another nephew, Alexander, became a military man, rose to the rank of major general, and was a hero of the First World War. He was unlucky enough to emigrate to Germany in 1920. He died there in 1944. In Germany, he made money by making and selling postcards.

Alexey and Yuliy Benois

Cousins, nephews of Nikolai Benois, both of them were, of course, architects. Alexey became famous thanks to his work in Tashkent and Almaty. He died in 1902 at a venerable age, like most Benois. Julius worked in St. Petersburg, after the revolution he worked at the Ministry of Food of the RSFSR and died in 1929. And for the better, I didn’t see one of my sons executed. But he managed to survive the death of another son at the front. The remaining children and grandchildren, fortunately, were mostly long-lived in a completely family spirit.

Alexander and Albert Benois

Two more nephews of Nikolai, best friends and watercolor artists. To avoid confusion with his own cousin, Alexander took the pseudonym Konsky. Albert, of course, was also an architect. Unlike the self-taught Alexander, he received a specialized education, but this did not stop him from taking his cousin’s work as seriously as his own. After the revolution, Alexander remained in his homeland and died in 1928. Albert emigrated at the same time as Zinaida to Paris, stayed there and lived there until 1936. That is, he also died. In general, both did this in old age, but the French part of the Benoit family sees the eight-year difference as a direct connection with the fact of emigration. Albert's children from the talented pianist Maria Benoit, Albert and Camilla, also became artists. Albert Albertovich lived surprisingly little for this family; he died in 1930 in Shanghai. Camilla survived her father's centenary. The son of Alexander “Konsky” Benoit was also named Albert, in honor best friend. He became a painter and architect, like his namesake, moved to France back in 1910 and remained there. He was mainly engaged in temple architecture. He lived a long time.

Alexander and Leonty Benois

The children of Nikolai Leontievich, Zinaida’s uncle, Alexander and Leonty, despite big difference aged (14 years), were friendly. Leonty, like his father, became a famous architect, editor of the magazine “Zodchiy”, teacher - he introduced a number of improvements in education for architects. Two of his three sons became officers. One of them died during Civil War, the second was arrested, but managed to escape through Finland to France. All four of Leonty's daughters were interested in art, but only the youngest, Nadezhda, became an artist. But the twin grandchildren from Catherine’s daughter became architects, as did her granddaughter Mariana. Another daughter of Catherine, Galya, became a mosaic artist, following in the footsteps of her uncle, the outstanding mosaic artist Vladimir Frolov.

Leonty himself was also arrested in 1921 on suspicion of espionage along with his daughters Nina and Katya, but was soon released. He became an Honored Artist of the RSFSR in 1927, a year before his death - on his seventieth birthday.

Alexander Nikolaevich was a Russian artist, art historian, art critic, founder and main ideologist of the World of Art association. In 1926, he was sent on a foreign business trip to France, from where he decided not to return. In Paris he collaborated with Diaghilev, worked as theater artist and set designer. Lived until 1960.

Nadezhda and Nikolai Benois

Cousins ​​to Zinaida and each other, children of our previous heroes, Nadezhda and Nikolai, of course, were artists, and theatrical ones at that.

Nadezhda Leontyevna received an art education (of course), in 1920 she married a foreign journalist, emigrant, Baron Jonah Ustinov and went with him to London. There she successfully worked as a theater artist, set designer and book illustrator. She lived happily ever after. Her son, Pyotr Ustinov, was an actor, director and playwright, winner of Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and other awards, and lived to be 83 years old. Peter's son Igor became famous sculptor– he is still alive and creating. Nadezhda's works as an artist are exhibited in the Tate Gallery itself, in addition to other museums.

Nikolay Alexandrovich Benois was five years younger than Nadezhda, but they, like everyone else in this large family, were in good relations. And he got it - of course! - art education. After the revolution he collaborated as a theater artist with new government, but in 1924, at the invitation of the National Opera, he went to Paris and stayed there. In 1925 he moved permanently to Italy, collaborated with La Scala; He received citizenship only in 1937. With the development of cinema, I became an artist and so did cinema. During the thaw, he began to collaborate again with Soviet power, created the scenery for Bolshoi Theater. He lived happily to a ripe old age. Nikolai's sister Elena was also an artist, although she did not receive much fame.

Evgeny, Alexander, Tatyana and Ekaterina Serebryakov

Reproduction of Zinaida Serebryakova’s painting “The Serebryakovs Zhenya, Sasha, Tanya and Katya ( House of cards, 1919)”

All of Zinaida Serebryakova’s children made a career in art - if that’s how we can talk about art.

Evgeny Serebryakov became an architect and restorer. After the war he helped restore Peterhof. The death of his father, separation from his mother - nothing could break him; he lived a long, creative life in Leningrad, typical of the Benois and Lanceray dynasties.

Alexander Serebryakov became an interior designer (at that time it was called a designer or an artist), he was never left without work and also lived a long, creative life, only in Paris.

Tatyana Serebryakova (married Nikolaeva) became, like her aunt Nadezhda and a number of other relatives, a theater artist. And she lived a long, creative life, but in Moscow. Her eldest son Ivan also became an artist, like his mother and father; he is still alive, over 70 years old. It became especially famous in connection with the design of the Dostoevskaya station - the design of Nikolaev was considered so gloomy that a wave of suicides was feared. But in the end they left it as it was. He also designed, together with his wife, artist Marina Dedova-Dzedushinskaya, Borovitskaya and Otradnoye. Artists and their daughters, Anastasia and Elizaveta. The second paints icons.

Ekaterina Serebryakova became an artist and did everything to preserve the legacy of her great mother. As is customary in the Benois family, she collaborated a lot with her brother Alexander on his orders. She lived a long, creative life, dying last year at the age of 101.

We are happy to say that we did not list in this article all those who became artists, art critics and simply good people Serebryakova's relatives and add that we wish them all to live... well, you understand. As has always been the case in their family.

Text: Lilith Mazikina

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(1884-1967) Russian painter, graphic artist

Zinaida Serebryakova was born into a family where everyone was involved in art. The artist’s great-grandfather A. Kavos and her grandfather N. Benois were famous architects. Father, E. Lanceray, was engaged in sculpture, his works are kept in leading museums in the country and the world. Mother, E. Lanseray (née Benoit), studied painting with P. Chistyakov, from whom all the famous painters of Russia in the seventies and eighties of the 19th century studied. True, she did not become a professional; she considered herself an amateur artist. Brother, E. Lanceray, became a painter, graphic artist, and member of the World of Art society. Zinaida Serebryakova's uncle, A. Benois, was considered a recognized authority in the history of art and was himself an extraordinary painter.

Zinaida was born on the Neskuchnoye estate, which belonged to her father. After him sudden death, the artist’s mother and her children moved to St. Petersburg and settled in the house of her father N. Benois. From that time on, Zinaida Serebryakova grew up in an atmosphere of admiration for art. The girl’s drawing abilities were noticed early; the artist herself wrote that she had been drawing for as long as she could remember.

Since 1901, Serebryakova attended the school of the philanthropist Princess M. Tenisheva, where I. Repin taught. Particular influence on its formation creative manner was influenced by a trip to Italy with his mother and sisters.

Returning to Russia, Zinaida continued to take lessons and studied in 1903-1905. in the private art studio of O. Braz, a painter and graphic artist who was part of the World of Art group. In 1905, she went to France, where she entered the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, which was led by the artists Simon and Dochesne. Soon she was joined by her cousin B. Serebryakov. She studied drawing techniques a lot, and while traveling around the country she constantly made various sketches.

The artist’s first works were sketches made on the Neskuchnoye family estate, located near Kharkov, where she was born and subsequently constantly spent her summers. The artist’s archive contains many drawings and watercolors: she painted almost everything she saw: peasants during agricultural and household work, animals, birds, flowers. Hers are also interesting landscape sketches. It is believed that the artist was particularly influenced by the work of A. Venetsianov, his images of Russian peasants.

Over time it turned out that most creative heritage Zinaida Serebryakova's works consist of portraits of volunteer sitters - friends and relatives, as well as self-portraits. In the latter genre, different states of her life are consistently recorded: from a joyful worldview to quiet sadness caused by the complex vicissitudes of life. She will gradually move away from carefully describing the things surrounding her autobiographical heroine, focusing more on conveying her own internal state. Researchers noted that close people do not age in Serebryakova’s paintings (portraits of Katya), because, having once seen their individuality, Zinaida Serebryakova reflects it on her canvases.

In 1905, Zinaida married her cousin B. Serebryakov, who received an engineering degree in 1908. The father had to seek special permission from church authorities for the marriage. It turned out to be successful, although family life Serebryakova's relationship did not last long. During the revolutionary years, B. Serebryakov died, and his wife had to raise four children alone. They all showed themselves in artistic field. Alexander worked a lot for cinema and theater, painted in watercolors, painting the interiors of private palaces in France and England, Katya became a painter.

The daughter was able to keep her mother’s last apartment, where most of Zinaida Serebryakova’s works created in exile are located. Even the artist’s grandson, the son of her daughter Tatyana, Ivan Nikolaev, is known for his works in the field monumental art: in particular, he designed the Moscow metro station “Borovitskaya”.

Since 1909, Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova began to exhibit constantly; she participated in the seventh exhibition of the “Union of Russian Artists” (1910) and the exhibition “Modern female portrait", held in the editorial office of the magazine "Apollo" in St. Petersburg. At the same time, professional fame came to her, and the Tretyakov Gallery acquired “Self-Portrait” (1910) and one of the peasant compositions. Researchers note that created in 1914-1917. the paintings are already monumental canvases in which the life of the peasants is consistently revealed.

Since 1911, Zinaida Serebryakova has been a regular exhibitor at exhibitions of the World of Art society. She travels a lot: around Crimea in summer months(1911-13), for Italy and Switzerland (1914).

In 1914, A. Benois, at the request of the architect A. Shchusev, the author of the Kazan station project, headed the work on monumental paintings of the station; he attracted M. Dobuzhinsky, N. Lanceray, N. Roerich and Zinaida Serebryakova to the work, who made whole line sketches and drawings of panels on the themes “India”, “Siam”, “Turkey”, “Japan”. Carrying out her plan, she spent many hours in libraries, studying the art and history of the countries of the East.

In 1917, Zinaida Serebryakova was nominated as an academician along with A. Ostroumova-Lebedeva and other women artists, but due to revolutionary events the elections did not take place.

In the first post-revolutionary years, Serebryakova lived in Neskuchny with her family, where she survived the death of her husband from typhus and a fire in which her paintings almost burned down. In 1919, she worked in Kharkov, participated in the 1st exhibition of the arts department of the Kharkov Council, and in next year moved to Petrograd, where she continued to work in museums. For several months, Zinaida Serebryakova worked as an artist at the Archaeological Museum, decorating the halls, showing amazing willpower and courage. After all, the salary was so meager that it was only enough for a pound of butter. There was no heating in the halls, and my fingers were swollen from hunger and cold. Benoit repeatedly sold her works to private collections and sent money to the artist. The artist’s mother helped run the household.

Despite difficult living conditions, Serebryakova continued to work: she bought paints at flea markets from young ladies who had once worked fine arts, and now who were selling their property to feed themselves, wrote scenes from the life of ballet dancers and city landscapes.

Zinaida Serebryakova strived for her children to receive an education. Daughter Tanya studied at the Petrograd Choreographic School, and the artist often painted directly in the theater, creating a whole series of paintings, dedicated to dance(pastels 1922-1923). Even at the end of it creative path Serebryakova remained faithful to the hobbies of her youth; her lyrical sketch-portrait is interesting famous ballerina Yvette Chauvire (1962).

Children have always remained Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova’s favorite subject; she painted them in any situation: at the table, while playing, reading, when they were sleeping or getting dressed. The artist could make a sketch during a conversation, and then create a portrait based on it. Her sketch of the younger S. Prokofiev (son of the composer) in 1927 is amazing: the figure, made in bluish-golden tones, is inscribed in red-brown furniture, which becomes a kind of frame .

The artist’s works were presented at exhibitions of members of the House of Arts and the World of Art (in 1922 and 1924). In particular, Serebryakova presented 16 portraits made in pastel for the 1922 exhibition. In the same year, a monograph about the artist was published by critic N. Ernst.

It is curious that almost all her life Zinaida Serebryakova painted nudes, not only seeking greater self-expression, but also expressing her life credo. She always believed in man, in his beauty. Therefore, her paintings, written in different techniques(oil, sanguine and pastel), so rich in color transitions. The artist always carefully verified the compositional location of nature on the canvas, while simultaneously achieving a particularly decorative effect on the image. A kind of prelude to the “nude” were the portraits of “Bath Girls”, which the novice artist worked on.

The evolution of her creative style in her self-portraits is also noticeable: sometimes, in the absence of another nature, she had to paint herself. From the naive coquetry of a girl, only exploring the world, she comes to the image of her mother, filling her own image with soft lyrical and partly sad tones.

In 1924, Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova went to Paris to organize an exhibition; A. Benois assumed that she would be able to earn extra money and financially support her family. The artist believed that she was leaving for a short time, so she took only her son Alexander with her. In 1928, her daughter Katya came to visit her. The family was cut in half: another son and daughter remained with the artist’s mother. Moreover, after graduating from the architectural institute and leaving to work in Vladivostok, son Evgeniy was taken on active duty. military service and could not enter into correspondence with his mother. Tatyana visited her loved ones only after the war; she became the custodian of Serebryakova’s archive and the organizer of her exhibitions in Russia. Later she began to travel to her mother with her brother.

Zinaida Serebryakova's time was distributed between creativity for herself and commissioned works. She remained the head of the family, she had to earn money, but she could not help but write to Serebryakova. Ekaterina recalled that her mother always carried a pencil, pastels and watercolors with her, and constantly made sketches during walks.

In the twenties, Zinaida Serebryakova participated in a number of exhibitions held throughout to the globe: works were exhibited in America (1923-1924) and Japan (1926-27). Initially they were not in demand, although the artist usually exhibited up to a dozen works. But one of the buyers, Baron Brower, not only ordered portraits of his family members, but also financed Serebryakova’s trip to Morocco in 1928 and 1932. A. Benois described the portraits and still lifes of his niece as follows: “Such freshness, simplicity, accuracy, liveliness, so much light!” In a month and a half, Zinaida Serebryakova wrote 60 sketches in pastels, masterfully conveying Various types of people. Later, she painted decorative panels for the mansion of Baron Brower near Brussels (the interior design was carried out by her son Alexander). The panel reflects the motifs of the four seasons.

Although the material success of Serebryakova’s Moroccan exhibition turned out to be small, the owners of private galleries nevertheless decided to exhibit the artist’s works: in the Parisian Charpentier Gallery (in 1927, 1930/31, 1932, 1938), in the Parisian galleries of V. Hirschman and Bernheim (1929). From 1927 to 1938, five personal exhibitions of the artist took place.

Fame brought orders, although not much, because Serebryakova did not like to paint ceremonial or cabinet portraits. This is, in particular, the portrait of G. Girshman (1925), created in Paris, the wife of a famous entrepreneur, captured at one time by V. Serov. But the portrait of Zinaida Serebryakova is more intimate. In it, pomp is combined with special sophistication; we see, first of all, an elegant secular beauty, and not an arrogant owner of a mansion, as in Serov’s painting.

Serebryakova always tried to talk about a person, his interests, tastes, habits. She carefully recorded inner world portrayed, trying to convey a certain state of mind. Therefore, the poses of her heroes are natural and relaxed; it seems that people took a break from their work for a while to pose for the artist (“Portrait of Mikhail Grinberg”, 1936).

Zinaida Evgenievna Serebryakova constantly participated in joint projects, at which it was presented Russian art(in Paris, in Brussels in 1928), in exhibitions of Russian artists in Berlin and Belgrade (1930), in a joint exhibition with D. Bouchen in Brussels and Antwerp (1931), in exhibitions of Russian art in Paris and Riga ( 1932), Prague (1935).

In the spring of 1932, Zinaida Serebryakova again worked in Morocco at the suggestion of Brower and A. Leboeuf. The Charpantier Gallery presented 63 works by the artist, 40 of which were created in Morocco. Several nudes can be considered unique, because Serebryakova became the first European artist who managed to persuade Moroccan women to pose nude.

She took every opportunity to go on location. At the invitation of her relatives, Zinaida Serebryakova visited London several times, traveled several times to Brittany, from where she brought amazing sketches of Breton women, and landscape sketches of the south of France were also preserved. Serebryakova also painted views of Italy, where she visited in 1929 and 1932, and she managed to visit Belgium and Switzerland.

Still lifes became an important component of her work. When she painted self-portraits, she simply had fun, trying to depict every little detail on the toilet. Later, independent compositions began to be formed from components, individual objects. They continued to reflect the diversity of life and talk about the beauty of nature (“Painting with grapes,” 1934; “Still life with vegetables,” 1936).

After the war it spread widely abstract art. Zinaida Serebryakova has always gravitated towards realistic manner letters and could not count on the sale of her paintings, nevertheless, in 1954, a personal exhibition of the artist took place in her own studio in Paris, and in 1965-66. - personal retrospective exhibition in Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv and Novosibirsk.

Zinaida Serebryakova was very demanding about her work; she even called the painting “Bather” (1911), stored in the Russian Museum, a sketch, although the painting has big size and very meaningful in terms of artistic design.

She worked in a variety of techniques: she used oil, pastel, tempera, and graphite pencil. Only death could stop the tireless creative search, which the artist led throughout her life. Serebryakova is buried in the Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois cemetery near Paris.