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Sergey Konenkov | |
|---|---|
Сергей Тимофеевич Коненков | |
 Pavel Korin,Sergey Konenkov, 1947, oil on canvas,Tretyakov Gallery,Moscow; appears as shown on the 1974 Soviet postage stamp | |
| Born | (1874-07-10)July 10, 1874 Karakovichi,Smolensk Governorate,Russian Empire |
| Died | December 9, 1971(1971-12-09) (aged 97) Moscow,Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Resting place | Novodevichy Cemetery, Moscow |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Education | Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture |
| Alma mater | St. Petersburg Academy of Arts |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Spouse | |
| Awards | Golden star of the Hero of Socialist Labour |
Sergey Timofeyevich Konenkov, alsoSergei Konyonkov (Russian:Серге́й Тимофеевич Конёнков; 10 July [O.S. 28 June] 1874 – 9 December 1971) was a Russian andSovietsculptor. He was often called "the RussianRodin".
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Konenkov was born in apeasant family, in a village ofKarakovichi inSmolensk province.[1] Sergey studied at theMoscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, graduating in 1897,[2] and at theSt. Petersburg Academy of Arts. His diploma work at the Academy - a huge clay statue ofSamson tearing the chains - broke most existing laws of academic art and put him at odds with his teachers, who apparently destroyed the work with hammers.[2]
He travelled to Italy, France,Egypt,Greece, and Germany.
During theRussian Revolution of 1905 Konenkov was with the workers on the barricades, soon after creating portraits of the heroes of the rebellion inMoscow.
When Konenkov visited the house of the art collectorIvan Morozov, an eye-witness account says he was very dismissive: He claimed that the works byMaurice Denis,Manet,Degas andAristide Maillol were rubbish. Morozov replied that he just loved Konenkov, who replied that he did not care. When Morozov showed Konenkov works byVrubel andVictor Borisov-Musatov, which he praised, but questioned why they were being hidden in Morozov's bedroom.[3]
Konenkov sold three sculptures to Morozov before the war: A pair entitledTorso made of marble with one created by Richard Guinot, Maillol's assistant, and Konenkov wooden carving entitledYoung Woman. During the war he sold Morozov two more.[3]
Konenkov supported theRussian Revolution of 1917. Following theBolshevikseizure of power Konenkov started work forNarkompros, the new People's Commissariat for Enlightenment. In this capacity he returned to the Morozov mansion to deliver a preservation order for Ivan Morozov's art collection.[3]
In 1922 Konenkov marriedMargarita Ivanovna Vorontsova,[a] and in 1923 they travelled to the United States to take part in the Russian Art Exhibition,[7] which was held in 1924 at the Grand Central Palace. The trip was supposed to last for a few months, but Konenkov stayed in the States for 22 years, living and working inNew York City.
In 1928–1929 the sculptor visited Italy to meet and work on a portrait of the Soviet writerMaksim Gorky. He had a personal exhibition inRome.
During the American period, Konenkov created a large body of work focusing onBible themes, notably theApocalypse. He produced works depictingJesus Christ and theChristianprophets andapostles.
In 1935 he was commissioned by thePrinceton University to do a sculpture ofAlbert Einstein. It is said that Einstein was interested in the work of the Russian sculptor, but was more focused on his wife, Margarita Konenkova. Einstein and Margarita, who also was acquainted with the physicistRobert Oppenheimer, allegedly had a love affair, judging by "nine of the great scientist's apparently genuine love letters, written in 1945 and 1946."[8][9] There have been allegations that Margarita was working in those years for the Soviet Government, but no concrete evidence has been provided to support the theory.[10][11]
Under direct orders fromJoseph Stalin in 1945, a ship was sent to New York to bring Konenkov back to theUSSR. The sculptor was given a large studio on Gorky street in the centre of Moscow. He "had found favor enough with the regime to be asked to design a plaque commemorating the first anniversary of the October Revolution on the Senate Tower of the Kremlin."[12]
Konenkov created sculptures ofAleksandr Pushkin,Anton Chekhov,Leo Tolstoy,Fyodor Dostoyevsky,Ivan Turgenev,Vladimir Mayakovsky,Konstantin Tsiolkovsky,Vasily Surikov,Johann Bach,Paganini, to name a few. He also made wood carvedcrosses and other pieces for theMarfo-Mariinsky Convent in Moscow.
Konenkov received numerous Soviet awards, including the golden star of theHero of Socialist Labour, theorder of Lenin and the title Peoples artist of the USSR.
He is buried in Moscow'sNovodevichy Convent.
A street in the Northeastern District of Moscow is named after Konenkov.
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