Русский ремесленник

Fyodor Kaurtsev is remembered with a smoothly shaved head and a white shirt. This was an excellent connoisseur of the old school of Palekh icon painting, a superb miniaturist. Icons of his ancestors were submitted to the German poet Goethe, as one of the best examples of ancient painting.
Nikolai Prav largely succeeded in portrait art of miniature. In his old age suffered because of poor eyesight. I went looking for mushrooms with binoculars, looking from afar forest gifts. He died the last of the representatives of the old generation.
They led lives very modestly, almost ascetic. Never boasted of its achievements, in contrast to the art of today's shoots. Were always open, friendly and very attentive to those who came to him for advice. Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, remembering to work with Vakurova in the Arts Council, says that when in the hands of Ivan Petrovich hit a bad job, he did silently simply swept aside without making sharp observations can pique the artist. Successful as the product of long and carefully considered.

I remember a typical case of utter indifference came in Palekh artists to old indigenous paleshanam, his mentors. A few miles from the village, the village Novoselki died in old age artist Ivan A. Anikin. The money for the funeral in his family was not enough, and Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov addressed in the workshop to colleagues asking for help. Most of Palekh, of course, responded. But the head of the local board of the Union of Artists at the time Kochupalov cynically said that the man he did not know and as if the question of money and seem to be misplaced.
During my studies in the 70-ies in Palekh Palekh Art School of Indigenous students were unity. Management school was moving towards the newcomers. Apparently, the reason was that the management and head teacher were people for Palekha strangers. Best student work after viewing shamefully withdrawn in the so-called Foundation Training College. In fact, further results of our work sold at its discretion, a group of teachers headed by the director and head teacher. So they raised their financial status. When someone tried to rebel, he just said that we should not climb into other people's business ... As a result, students were left without visible results of their achievements, the samples, which were badly needed in future work.
It is no secret and that students are actively recruiting agencies was conducted in secret informer, informers. Educational process was organized poorly. Emphasis was placed on the study of the realistic school of painting.
It should be noted two teachers Palekh of the time: Nikolai Fedorovich Vikhrev and Yury Zhegalov. Both came from the ancient Palekh families of their own lives with the ancient art. Because NF Vikhreva, inveterate photographer, Palekh inherited many old pictures of the village, its famous residents, artists. The elder brother Nikolai Fedorovich, Efim Fedorovich, went on a literary path and created a number of historical essays about the founders of Gangs of ancient paintings. Acquainted with Palekh and artists Romain Rolland, Maxim Gorky, Valentin Kataev, Boris Pilnyak, the Norwegian Knut Hamsun, and many other writers of the time. Yury Zhegalov representative of iconographic glorious dynasty. A man of very fine spiritual qualities and the Vulnerable. He taught painting and drawing.
Special disciplines, such as technology and art of Palekh Palekh composition were in the hands of people maloponimayuschih and inexperienced. Everything boiled down to a blind sample-copy originals. So, coming to art studios, had to re-conceive the professional secrets, and even then not all have succeeded. Many end up in teams where there was no strong masters, and all operating activities amounted to fulfill the production plan and socialist obligations, participation in the communist Saturday.
I remember a typical case. After serving in the army, I, survival rates for the fifth year of Penza Art School, came to work in the workshops. It was evening. Almost all artists of the brigade, which I have identified, had gone home. There remained a couple of people in our room and the woman, call her Natasha L. in a room adjacent to our workshop. While working, I listened to the Voice of America. Broadcasting a latest news. Suddenly, Natasha L., almost running swept through our room and after a few minutes the door opened again, and appeared on the threshold then director Alexander Kovalev. He was clearly nervous at the platoon. Running up to my desk, he almost shouted:
- Yuri! Immediately turn off that radio station. You must only listen to what our Soviet radio broadcasts!
- I'll listen to what I consider necessary, - I replied calmly. A few minutes Kovalev with inexplicable face silently shuffled his feet around the table, and then withdrew.
Later my colleagues said it was the handiwork of the aforementioned Natasha L. It is with a student has mastered the bench this second profitable profession, and received, probably some dividends from the security services. After this incident, I was blacklisted unreliable. Paradoxically, by forbidding us to listen to American radio, the works of Palekh artists mainly bought American, unwittingly stuffing his pockets with dollars all the same director and his lieutenants. The staff is mainly kept within the boundaries of earnings from 80 to 200 of Soviet rubles. Who worked purposefully to the big salary and brought to the artistic council works on a large sum, he is simply half the items were returned, saying their artistic shortcomings and errors kept his earnings in the same definite boundaries.
Usually, once every two weeks in the red corner, or Lenin's room after the work was carried lectures visiting political information. Forced to team leaders to ensure full attendance of artists. As usual, I ignored such gatherings, and remained in the workplace, while continuing to paint. From a distance they could hear someone opening the door of the room one by one and checking whether all the workers went to politchas, close to our door. Door wings opened, and the voice of the main artist Roman Belousov:
- Yuri! And you, why not on the political class?
- I listen to this nonsense once a Soviet, I'd porisuyu - was my answer.
- Duck, are you against the Soviet regime is that it?! - In treacherous insinuatingly Belousov said.
- Aha! - I said sincerely. The door closed, and heard the rumbling of dissatisfaction chief overseer.
At the height of summer hay-farm work party district committee requires all Palekh production managers to form teams and send them to the labor front. Not escaped this fate and the artists of Palekh. I added a condition to the Director, that will go only when I had the opportunity to form a very labor platoon. Naturally, it got the most ardent dissidents and democrats our art workshops. At that time the company bought the Czechoslovak mower, which greatly facilitated our task. Nature, where we were "parachuted", was gorgeous. Clear brook with fish of the pool, picturesque villages in the distance, flowering herbs, birds singing in the sky blue sky and asked to be on a plane boxes or canvas.
- Who wants to mow? - I asked.
-Give me try this mower, - said gay and capable artist Kostya Kozhokin.
- And I'll cook your ear - in tones proclaimed Alexander Demidov. Everyone knew that he was indeed in that area fairly succeeded, and he gladly instructed to make a fire and feed the "weary of Soviet workers. Two or three of us went from fantasies to the river to check the fish inlets. Two were sent to the nearest village for "fire-water". Others lay down on the meadow, substituting white bellies under the morning sun. Such a life is usually continued for two weeks. But our team at will for almost a month enjoyed a heavenly rest after the long winter seat of his works. The name of the group was born as a matter of - "Euphoria". What was still much to be desired in our circumstances? Good campaign supporters, where you can freely discuss any topics, not looking back. Hot and fresh flavor of the ear under the goblet of good wine, a lot of impressions and new zadumok under the influence of the picturesque surrounding landscapes. When it was midday heat, all with a cheerful enthusiasm rushed into crystal-clear, cold spring pool.
News of our free life quickly got up to other artists. Many began to ask to take them into the ranks of our campaign, formed a small part of the wish to rest from hard labor miniature. Many had to refuse, because we were afraid of entering into "paradise" malicious demons and informers from the directorate. Feared and watched. A driver who drove us from the daily Palekha a truck, and was "Judas." Previously, he worked as a driver in the district Komsomol committee, and probably was on nadressirovan peaching. Director of the workshops, he reported that we do nothing but deal with only fishing and wine-tasting.
However, the result of our mowing all impressed. Kostya Kozhokin one, on the Czechoslovak mower, piled so much grass that would be enough to share with an excess of several potential teams. Most of the hay, unfortunately, remained unharvested on the wickedness of the same director Kovalev. He quit to devote our vehicles. But his machinations have already stirred the least. We were full of new creative ideas, and rested, were ready to meet again during the winter months stubborn desire to comprehend the mysteries of the ancient art of Palekh.
Team Palekh art workshops 70-80-ies was divided into those who drove the plan and those who engaged in creative work, developing and retaining the accumulated experience of the older generation. There was also a third part - a member of Palekh branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR. It should be mentioned briefly about all three.
Those who worked for wages and no longer wanted to see and know, with the hostility and secret envy of other people's successes have looked in the direction of colleagues who think about each of its work and tried to follow the strict traditions of art, achieving a certain goal for each student works . These works have always stood for artistic advice to his serious approach to the disclosure of the topic, literate color and compositional decisions. Of course, had to sacrifice their material prosperity, housework, and family. In order not to fall into poverty, creating a small work of art breaks and traveled to Moscow, where in most cases been able to sell them. But here the director with his cronies in the number of our brother, the artist displayed boundless energy in creating obstacles for our lives.
By the time of departure of the bus to Moscow to the local bus moved up the above figures reinforced the representative of the police and going to the artists who demanded to open suitcases, bags for inspection of their contents in order to convict the man in the mythical crime of smuggling of their own artworks for sale. Now that the Soviet lawlessness seen with a smile, but then it smelled of criminal prosecution. Artist Blacklist and continue to pursue already in production, being subjected to all kinds of disciplinary provocations, until that time did not shake hands with the director or chief artist or ten - fifteen minutes late for work and stuff ...
Very good recall performance in our collective representative of the district KGB Nuzhdina. This eccentric Throwing aside all restraint stated that he knew someone in the night long the lights go out in the windows, that is, who is preparing, in his opinion, work for private sale. At these words, he angrily shook his finger at the crowd. The hall swept contemptuous roar. Several people shouted:
- Get out of here!
Director and the Administration tried to somehow support the brazen Cheka, but the gesture was slurred threats.
Palekh branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR at the time was also riven by rivalry between the two groups. One head, who arrived in Palekh from distant villages Stavropol Kochupalov, the other Turns - comes from a semi-thief Town Yuzhi that thirty kilometers from Palekh. Both of these people have suffered unduly inflated with vanity and ambition, and that these had average professional abilities. The struggle was for control of most of entering the studio of public contracts, as well as the possibility of priority for obtaining titles and other trinkets. So they were able to keep secret from other masters of the upcoming procurement of works in the local and other museums, which then allocated significant funds. Turns to the same assumed the role of an omniscient man, come upon all the secrets of our art, and began to teach the staff to new approaches in art. As a result of his "cavalry" of sermons, many young quite confused in his works, the other in the soul simply sent him away and went for advice to work together with all Nikolai Ivanovich Golikov, who simply and clearly explains the essence and objectives of Palekh school. Turns and Kochupalov virtually in the team did not work and appeared only in front of the artistic council, where hundreds were laid on the table works, and where they could profit from others' compositional and color ideas, new themes. Both of these leaders, sensing thematic revolutionary conjuncture, quickly slap Bolshevik cycle of work, won the Lenin Young Communist League and the title of "Honored", alternately replacing each other in the Chair, SC (Union of Artists). This bad example is still infects much of the immorality of its artists.
Communist rule collapsed and the whole party and Komsomol activists of former workshops over to the representatives of the church structures. Instead Leninist Party cards and icons quickly smoothed its flexible neck crosses, but the hands are accustomed to in unison to walk up to the communist Sabbaths, were samoosenyat their communist body through the cross. Lacquered miniatures, which they owe their carefree existence, suddenly became obsolete. Party organizer and secretaries komyacheek, various small campaigners magical wave of a sudden become the icon painters. The last leader as much dressed in a cassock.
On the revival of Palekh icon painting school now says at every corner. Take it seriously, of course, should not be. No revival, and there can not be. Typically, this path rushed Unsuccessful miniaturists who did not understand the visual language of Palekh. To whom work was closed and mysterious door. Create your own composition, color, disclosure of the topic, the observance of traditional painting techniques, rigorous stylistic features - all this requires the artist's titanic work and dedication, along with extensive knowledge craft. Naturally, it's easier to take pictures, or of icons and elementary copy to arrive at a good profit for the priest, who was little interested in the artistic subtleties. All these suddenly multiplied local icon-painting workshops, led by, as a rule, are the usual hacks and narrow-minded people, causing a bitter disappointment Palekh an artistic change. Like mushrooms appeared on the quiet streets of Palekh unprecedented mansions pylyat on the roads of the village millions of cars. The moral atmosphere of the traditional life of the people left the ancient center of ancient Russian painting. Indigenous Palekh are one and they both can continue to maintain its unique artistic language in small home workshops.
The oldest, gray Palekh, radiant in the world of artistic creation of a new visual language, has become a lucrative place for the usual kinds nimble speculators. Written in huge quantities crafts icons on the walls of newly constructed temples there are murals of dubious artistic merit, reminiscent of "picturesque vinaigrette" or pure plagiarism, or, more simply - theft. Using lack of control by the pilot of the old masters, young people gave themselves the right to their colorful, all these tricks for some reason call Palekh school, posing a threat in the near future defame the very concept of the same name and style ... 

Wrote George Golikov