Azim Azimzade Əzim Əzimzadə | |
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| Born | (1880-05-07)7 May 1880 |
| Died | 15 June 1943(1943-06-15) (aged 63) |
| Known for | Artist,Caricaturist |
Azim Aslan oghlu Azimzade (Azerbaijani:Əzim Aslan oğlu Əzimzadə; 7 May 1880 – 15 June 1943) was anAzerbaijani artist, satirist, andcaricaturist. He was awarded the honorary title ofPeople's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1927.[1][2]
Azim Azimzade was born on 7 May 1880 in the village ofNovxanı in theBaku Governorate of theRussian Empire, which is now present-dayAzerbaijan.[1][3] The son of an oil industry worker, he had four siblings, each of whom died before the age of 10.[1]
Azimzade received no artistic education and was self-educated;[1][2][3] in 1906, he began publishing paintings concerning social and political issues in magazines, which represented the beginning of Azerbaijani satirical graphic art. Azimzade also actively participated in theRussian Revolution of 1905 and was the manager of the Department of Cultural Enlightenment of the People's Commissariat of Azerbaijan.
After the revolution, Azimzade published a variety of works, including a book, easel graphics, book illustrations, paintings for satirical magazines and newspapers, drafts of costumes, decorations, political caricatures and posters. Nearly half of all the posters made by Azimzade contained anti-religious themes, however he also drew posters with a more political theme, such as one published in 1925 which portrays a peasant with a fork throwing a plunderer of the nation's property away from a village.
His development of caricatures is closely related to the satiricalMolla Nasraddin magazine, which was founded under ideas of the first Russian Revolution in 1905 and subsequently revived after theRussian Revolution in 1917. Azimzade worked closely with editorJalil Mammadguluzadeh and published many illustrations and would become the chief artist ofMolla Nasraddin.[3] In 1923, he became a member of theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union.
In 1927, Azimzade was awarded the honorary title ofPeople's Artist of the Azerbaijani SSR.[3] It is believed that he evaded political repressions due to his acquaintance withMir Jafar Baghirov, who was the first secretary of theAzerbaijan Communist Party and an admirer of Azimzade's work.[4]
Azimzade created 56 coloredlithographs for the collected works of poetMirza Alakbar Sabir,[3] as well as pictures for works ofAbdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev,Nariman Narimanov andHuseyngulu Sarabski. In 1927, Azimzade drew the illustrations for the children's fairy tales found in theWild Ox poems of G.K. Sanily.
In the 1930s, Azimzade completed a thematic series of watercolors which examined social inequality, such asWedding of the Rich People andWedding of thePoorPeople. In 1933, Azimzade exhibited posters in Moscow for the first time, at an exhibition ofAzerbaijani artists, which were well regarded by the central press. In 1937, he published a collection of 26 paintings entitledShadows of the Past.
During the beginning ofWorld War II, Azimzade actively participated in the creation of theAgitokon posters written in bothAzerbaijani and Russian with other Soviet artists. Writers and poets such as S. Rahman, Y. Fidler, G. Stroganov, M. Seyidzade andNigar Rafibeyli also collaborated with the artists on the posters. Azimzade would make a significant contribution to Soviet wartimeanti-fascist caricatures, and drew more than 50 caricatures during the first two years of the war. One notable caricature Azimzade drew was calledLion and Kitten (1941), in which a caricatureAdolf Hitler was ridiculed and compared toNapoleon, referencing the results of theBattle of Borodino in 1812.
Azimzade died in 1943 at the age of 63.
Baku is now home to theHouse-Museum of Azim Azimzade.[3][5] A street in Baku, a museum, and theArtistic School of Azerbaijan,where Azimzade once taught and was director from 1932 to 1937, were all named in his honor.[6][7][8] In 2002, a monument to Azimzade was erected nearHeydar Aliyev Palace in Baku.
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