In this material we introduce the life and work of the famous Russian artist Arkhipov Abram Efimovich. The artist’s biography, interesting facts from his life, a description of his work style, years of study and recognition of his talent, faith in himself and his people - all these points are described in this material.
The young years of the artist
Abram Efimovich Arkhipov was born into a peasant family, from childhood he felt all the hardships of life. This fact left an indelible mark on the life of the famous master, his entire career is devoted to describing the traditional way of life of peasants, in the paintings the viewer will be able to see firsthand the life, life and hard work of the common people. Arkhipov will remain faithful to this subject all his life. The famous artist was born on August 15, 1862 in the village of Egorovo, Ryazan region. From an early age, his talent in painting was manifested. His parents encouraged him, and in 1877, having accumulated the necessary amount of money, they sent him to Moscow to study.
The period of study and the formation of the artist
A talented young man quickly and successfully studied. This fact is confirmed by the paintings painted by him during his studies. Such canvases of Abram Efimovich Arkhipov include such works: “The Pile Game”, “In the Junk Shop”, “The Drunkard”. Despite the young age, the author's maturity in a professional sense was already guessed. But Arkhipov was not satisfied with his creative experience, he was seized with a desire to develop further, and therefore in 1882 the artist continued his studies at the Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg. In the biography of Arkhipov Abram Efimovich, a new important round appeared. The training of young talent continued until 1883. The result was not long in coming; the painting “Visiting the Sick”, exhibited in 1887, was awarded the Big Silver Medal. The show was held in Moscow. After that, Arkhipov was awarded the title of class artist.
Social issues in the paintings of the master
Since 1890, the creative ideas of Arkhipov Abram Efimovich began to change markedly: the canvases were filled with bright rich colors, they became fresh, picturesque. Along with the depiction of the life of peasants, the author sharply showed social issues. They were especially clearly expressed in the painting Laundresses, which the artist embodied in two versions. The viewer physically feels all that fatigue, all this endless hard work that daily accompanied the life of ordinary people. The pre-revolutionary period enriches the artist's color palette. The trips made by the master between 1896 and up to 1917 along the Volga and the North of Russia turned out to be more than fruitful. But the events of 1917 did not change the theme of the master, as soon as a bright red color appeared on the canvases of the famous creator. The life of the peasants still remained difficult and difficult, but optimism was always present in the paintings, everything breathed freedom, an individual style appeared.
Impressionistic motives
Apart from Zorn’s work, Abram Efimovich Arkhipov was not familiar with the work of the Impressionists. In his works, Arkhipov used bright colors with transitions in intermediate tones. The artist was able to vividly and naturally convey the pictures of the real world, capture all of his mobility, variability, and transmit his own feelings and thoughts through canvases. Arkhipov’s paintings lack a clear outline, the artist replaced it with small contrasting strokes, and the colors on the canvases are divided into primary and derivatives. The artist’s goal is to capture those fleeting impressions that he received during his travels around the country.
