Julius Rafailovich Bershad (1869-1956) - one of the plethora of southern Russian artists of the older generation, the participant of almost all exhibitions Church since 1892. In 1957 in Moscow came the little book by V. A. Afanas'eva, "Julius Rafailovich Bershad". In the ensuing decades, wrote about it very sparingly.
However, it was a great professional, a master, who trained several generations of young painters. His works are kept in museums of Ukraine and Russia, in private collections. Written in 1938 for the exhibition catalogue for the 45th anniversary of artistic activity in the Bershad article by M. S. Kotlyar, who was then at the Odessa Museum of Russian and Ukrainian art, largely of interest today. The basis for it was the direct conversation with the artist, so it gives an idea about the life and artistic views and passions Yu R. Bershad. The article is abridged.
Yu R. Bershad was born 9 Jan 1869 in Tiraspol in a poor Jewish family. His father, like most members of the Jewish shtetl of the poor, can create the family a steady financial situation often changed his profession.
Y. R. first studied in cheder, but because of his desire to "Russian education" (which was then a symbol of acculturation and knowledge in General), was transferred to the national school and then in the provincial four-year College.
Already in the header Y. R. showed great desire and talent for drawing. However, in an Orthodox Jewish school, drawing was impossible because every image was forbidden by religion. What boy Y. R. could apply their skills is a drawing of ornamentation ("mizrach") and the painting of playing cards. In this work for Y. R. had a large influence titles and screen savers ancient Jewish books.
/.../ Financial assistance elder brother Yu. R gave him the opportunity to go to Odessa. In 1888 Y. R. received in Odessa drawing school (then the school of drawing).
Yu R. Bershad showed great ability. Within the first month, he passed all three sections of the first class. Sculptor Irini, according to ancient custom, was allowed to copy the prints. Y. R. performed copies of these gorgeous, with painstaking completeness.
Skills are affected ornamental and graphic work. Teachers in these classes were Ladyzhenskaya and priests. Y. R. believes that the named teachers gave him first a thorough knowledge of drawing. In the same year, Y. R. moved into still life and plaster head class, and next year - in a figure-plaster.
In the material sense U. R. had very tight. He rented a corner in a poor Jewish family in Moldavanka, slept huddled up on a bench in the kitchen. This life gave him the first impression and the first artistic images. Very early on, parallel to teaching, he had to think about the earnings to be self-sufficient. In high school R. Y. teaches in schools drawing and copies in museums for lovers.
Carefully and was sensitive to U. R. the best teacher of Odessa school of K. K. Kostandi, saw the true value of the ability of Y. R.
/.../ Yu R. Bershad graduated from Odessa art school in 1892, with two silver medals for excellent work. Two years ago, when Y. R. was in Odessa, as there was no material means to travel to the St. Petersburg Academy. There were also doubts about the possibility of entering the Academy, what was the percentage norm for Jews. To Y. R. while waiting admission to the Academy is not lagging behind, he was allowed to continue to work from life in school. In the same period, the U. R. was created his first genre picture "Widowhood" (exhibited at the IV exhibition of South Russian artists 1893).
In 1895 (inaccuracy: 1894.) Yu R. Bershad went to Petersburg and entered the Academy of fine arts. The Academy Yu. R. worked for a time at I. Repin, then - in the Studio Kuznetsova /.../ a few years, being in Odessa, passing in Palestine, I. E. Repin in conversation with the correspondent of the newspaper said U. R. as one of the most capable artists who received excellent training at the Odessa school /.../
In 1899 U. R. he graduated from the Academy, after completing the painting on the theme of "Bazaar in the South". This is one of the thorough works of Yu. R. the Painting depicts a market square with bustling groups of people and piles of watermelons in the sun. The film received high appraisal at the exhibition and has been featured in numerous reviews print the time /.../
Having spent some time in St. Petersburg, J. R. returned to Odessa.
While living in Odessa, Yu. R. did not break with St. Petersburg. All my new paintings, R. Y. first exhibited at the Odessa exhibitions of South Russian artists, and then at the spring academic.
In 1906, Yu R. Bershad along with his wife went abroad. The purpose of the trip was the continued artistic development, studying classical art in museums and familiarity with contemporary Western art exhibitions. Y. R. visited Paris, Munich, Vienna and Berlin. Most impressed by Paris. Smote the city with the grandeur of their prospects and ensembles. Then the Louvre and the Luxembourg. R. Yu recalls that at that time he was not yet sufficiently prepared for the perception of the old masters. Only on the way back, in the Berlin Museum, J. R. had a strong impression of the works of Velasquez and Rembrandt /.../
Upon returning to Odessa, Yu. R. engaged in teaching and working on new works. Yu R. Bershad annually participates in exhibitions of South Russian artists, being more than 30 years been a member of this society.
Yu. R. by this time develops their individual style, Lagasse gradually along with the influence of individual artists.
In the early landscapes Yu. R. was influenced Levitan's later works - influence Arkhipov, with his experiences in the field of light, and then Repin and Valentin Serov. But the strongest and most decisive was the influence of Braz - Beredskap most in tune with the master.
Decided visual oblast Yu. R. is primarily a portrait and genre art. Favorite materials Yu. R. - oil and pastel, which he owns in perfection; less U. R. works in watercolor.
From the very start of his career, Yu. R. has always been and remains a realist. Scenic pictures, the manner of overlapping strokes broad or detailed letter, monochrome or svetimosti scheme, the complexity of the gradations of light has always flowed from the idea and conception of a work and adapt to the peculiarities of the depicted specific events and subject matter. These limits have been mastered impressionism and, on the other hand, finished the letter, Foundation or local flavor of old masters. Painting search for Y. R. as for the realist was never an end in itself.
In the evolution of creativity Yu. R. was not abrupt and radical shifts or periods. Features of the art method Yu. R. was determined quite early, and further development was mainly towards greater improvement and mastery. The main features that characterize the works of Y. R. is a pale tone of painting, finished, detailed letter, clear, simple composition, in which there is no complex interweaving of lines, or excessive movement. Dominates
the quest for a clear silhouette and strict academic drawing /.../
In 1907 U. R. opened a private art Studio /.../ Along with fee-paying students, J. R. taught free a large number of talented children of the Odessa's poor. School-Studio Yu R. Bershad was used in Odessa is very popular. All intending to enroll in formal art school, sought to receive training at the Y. R. It was a guarantee for further successful study. Many, even doing in College, continued to visit Studio Yu R. Bershad.
The essence of pedagogical method Y. R. also difficult detailed analysis as the method of most teachers. It is largely based on personal charisma and
the impact of the head. Conditionally can say that the method of Yu. R. lies not so much in the "explanation", as in "the show". Confident in his practical knowledge of the colorist and draftsman, who knows the capabilities of the palette as a pianist of the ability to keyboard, Y. R. steady hand shows the student building form, a method of drawing any detail: nose, eye, ear, introduces how to mix colors on the palette to achieve the color of nature.
School Yu R. Bershad as a private Studio lasted from 1907 to 1920. In 1920 she transferred to the Department of education leaving U. R. in the Handbook. In 1928, the Studio was closed.
/.../ After the revolution, Yu. R. subject to the execution of the paintings on all Ukrainian exhibition. He gets a decent grade and as a teacher. Since 1933 he was a Professor at the Odessa art College (teacher - 1928), 1934 - Professor at the architectural Department of the Institute of civil engineers.
In 1935 he organized a personal exhibition of Yu R. Bershad. Held in connection with this solemn evening attracted up to 600 people /.../ the Material shown at the exhibition of 1935, for the first time introduced to the public widely with the artist. Organized in the present (1938) year of the 45th anniversary of the activities of the artist, the exhibition sums up his work during more extensive period.
Joel-Riven, or Julius R. Bershad was born in the provincial town of Tiraspol, Kherson province, into a poor Jewish family. He studied in cheder, public school and district a four-year College.
With the support of the older brother Bershad settled in Odessa, in Moldavanka and studied at the drawing school of the Odessa society of fine arts (1886-1893) with K. K. Kostandi, G. A. Ladyzhensky and A. A. Popov, and after a break in 1894-1899 was in the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg I. E. Repin, I. I. Shishkin, P. O. Kovalevsky and N. D. Kuznetsova.
Since 1892, — a constant participant of exhibitions of the Association of South Russian artists (TYURH) and the Academy of fine Arts. The early genre works 1890-ies ("Widowhood", "the farm", "Cooking jam") is close to the late work of the Wanderers.
At the end of the Academy of Arts he lived and worked in Odessa. In 1907-1928, he taught them in organized in Odessa art Studio, then at the art school. Among his pupils — I. M. Gurvich (1907-1992), J. N. Apter (1899-1941), A. M. Gluskin (1899-1969), G. S. Bershad (1895-1963), A. M. Kharkiv (1911-1995), E. B. Ladyzhensky (1911-1982), E. L. Katz (1908-1992), Gavdzinsky A. S. (b.1923) and others.
In 1928-1935, he taught at the Odessa art Institute, in the years 1934-1941 — in the Odessa art school (since 1935 — Professor), since 1941 — at the Ural Polytechnic Institute. From 1941 he lived in Sverdlovsk, where he created a series of portraits, including academician L. D. Shevyakova (1943), writer P. P. Bazhov (1943), "self-Portrait" (1954).
Work Julia Bershad are in the Odessa art Museum, the Museum of Ukrainian fine arts in Kiev, the Museum of artists of Yekaterinburg and others.
