According to a more prosaic version Baracchi was invited to the Vienna art and industrial exhibition photographer I. Yegerev. Year of birth — 1852-th. Place of birth — Northern Italy, most likely — Verona: educated at the art Academy in Milan. However, the memoirists are constantly confused with the names of cities, where he was born and studied Baracchi. Someone calls him a Florentine. Yeah well there! Divine Italy to the end!
Seeing the Volga river near Saratov, a keen Verona exclaimed, "can't go Further. I like this claret-red Cathedral and the mountains, overgrown with oak forests". Since the early 1880s he settled in our town. And Saratov, which turned the Frenchman Jean Baptiste Savana Ivan Savin, has accomplished the same with metamorphosis, Ettorio Paolo Salvi, making him the Hector Pavlovich.
Part of life Baracchi was among the aroma of fresh shavings and canvas, the smell of glue and paint. He worked as a designer in several theatres in Saratov. The audience memory of the making of the play "Children of captain Grant" — the triumphant work of the young artist. Unforgettable was a spectacular curtain "Night over Volga" to the old theatre Ochkina. As a decorator Barakki were invited to Astrakhan, and even to St. Petersburg, but to the capital he got from the attack of fever. In January 1887 the benefit Baracchi on the local theater scene was staged extravaganza "Forest tramp".
As an artist easel he deserved in Saratov glory "singer of the Volga." Despite the fact that journalists constantly sneered about the dominance on shows it landscapes: "Water barge water again, the sand yeah the grove", they always celebrated the taste, the beauty of the drawing and the naturalness of aerial perspective, but even more poetic inspiration in the works of Baracchi. The same success was enjoyed and the Volga small sketches and larger, more complex compositions, reminiscent of the theatrical tastes of the author; "the Cathedral in the moon light", "the Collapse Sokolova", "Spring flood of the Volga river in moonlight night". In addition, Baracchi painted commissioned portraits and leave the image of government officials, eminent merchants, people from his close circle Saratov intelligentsia. They can be seen in the city Council, the University, banks, gymnasiums and private homes.
Talent Hector Pavlovich was varied. In 1897 he became the owner of a photographic Studio of P. Ushakov, putting the case for exemplary technical level, and remained her master for thirteen years. In addition, designed the interiors of public buildings, decorated with pavilions, creating the exhibitions, that is, engaged in what today would be called a design. In this work, the artist has plunged, largely due to its membership in the Saratov society lovers of fine arts, one of the founders and prominent figures of which he was. It was called the soul society, bringing together the "true friends of humanity and advocates of good morals". Without Baracchi did not do, when we were talking about Amateur productions, celebrations of literary and musical anniversaries. For special trouble on the device fashionable evenings with "live paintings" he was even gifted a gold watch.
Baracchi had a remarkable pedagogical abilities. And that is his main talent. Victor Borisov-Musatov, Pavel Kuznetsov, Peter Utkin and many could remember the gentle touch of his hand, when he stayed behind working and with a soft accent, a singsong voice, gave advice to future artists. About ten years "artist - artist", as it was called, was a teacher first the Studio, then Society school of fine arts. After the closing of this school, and inherited her property, Baracchi had intended to open their own school. The official opening did not take place, but he gave private lessons, and the last six years of his life were devoted exclusively to the disciples.
His apartment in one-story house in the Salt street was filled with their own works, prints, photographs, which the artist willingly showed to the guests. Entrance from the yard, and a huge copy of the "Return of the herd" the Frenchman Troiana was familiar with many of the young residents of Saratov who wanted to devote themselves to the fine arts. Himself Baracchi was an example of a professional artist, events in the then Russian province.
Liveliness of character, compassion, ability to time to say words of encouragement Baracchi attracted to people of different ages and different artistic preferences. "For his friendly table then you can see the singer and former beauty Borisov-Musatov, and itinerant Konovalov, and representatives of the World of Art and Kuznetsov, Utkin, and the old classic-academician Zhuravlev," recalled a contemporary.
In 1915 Baracchi had pneumonia and had been ill for several months. Came home cards from friends and students with recovery wishes. The artist began to feel better, but the asthma attack, which happened when no one was home, proved fatal.
In 1922, in Radischevskaya Museum held an exhibition of the works of Hector Pavlovich. And then most of his paintings disappeared. Some say they were taken with a Baracchi's daughter Emilia, who married a foreigner. Others argue that all ordered relatives of his wife. Only a few papers left in the end in the Saratov museums. And still in sight of the Museum workers sometimes fall landscapes "singer of the Volga" that exists in the homes of indigenous residents of Saratov.
P. S. recently, the Ministry of culture of the Saratov region found an opportunity to buy "Volga landscape with domenicani", presumably belonging to the brush Baracchi, for Radischevskaya Museum, for which he.
(From "Volga landscape Italian brush" Elena Savelyeva)
