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Mikhail
Osipovich Mikeshin

Russia • 1835−1896

Biography and information

Born in the village of Maksimovka in the Roslavl district of Smolensk province the future academic sculpture of a boy of ten was identified in the pupils of the local icon painter.

At sixteen, Mikhail Mikeshin entered the Academy of fine arts, where masters of battle painting under the guidance of Professor V. P. Villevalde. His success in the Academy is obvious. He consistently receives all student medals. His work is so professional that one of them, a representation of a horse Grenadier, was bought by the Emperor Nicholas I, and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna M. Mikeshin wrote six canvases depicting everyday life of the don Cossacks. In 1858, the young artist graduated from the Academy with a gold medal, the title of class artist and the right to six-year-old pensioner's trip abroad. However, instead of a pensioner's trip at public expense to Europe actually had no experience of independent work of M. O. Mikeshin included in the competitive design of the Monument to the Millennium of Russia, which must be installed in Veliky Novgorod. In the domestic fine arts was on a young painter less, but there is one more wonderful sculptor. Project M. Mikeshin won 53 among the works presented. In the ensuing series of wonderful projects of monuments in Russia and in Portugal, France, Serbia held the sculptor has glorified his name and Russian art.

Born in the village of platonovo near Roslavl (Smolensk Guberniya) 9 (21) February 1835 in the family of official. Academy of fine Arts and studied battle painting under the guidance of B. Villevalde and received medals: 1852 - 2 silver for the painting "Horse soldiers"; in 1854 - 1 silver; in 1855 - 2 gold for the program "Crainial Bash-Adam's Apple-lar"; in 1858 a gold medal for the painting: "Entry Tilly in Magdeburg"; then the title of the class artist. In 1859 a competition was announced to writing of the draft Millennium of Russia monument in Novgorod; submitted by Mikeshin, the project was recognized as the best and accepted for execution. He studied sculptural technique (under the direction of I. Schroeder ) to lead the work of experts, invited to carry out his project, and very involved in their work. The Millennium of Russia monument was created Mikeshin reputation of an outstanding Russian sculptor. From the time of its opening Mikeshin, almost completely abandoning painting, he participated with great success in many competitions on monumental sculpture. They composed the project of the monuments to Empress Catherine II (set in 1873 on the area of the Alexandrinsky theatre, the model in the Museum of Alexander III and Kameronovskoy the gallery of the Great Palace of Tsarskoye Selo); the Portuguese king Pedro IV in Lisbon; Serbian Prince Mihailo Obrenovic and the Black George; Admiral Greig , "the victories of the black sea fleet" and sailor Shevchenko in Nikolaev; admirals Kornilov , Istomin and Nakhimov in Sevastopol; Bogdan Khmelnitsky in Kiev; Emperor Alexander II in Rostov-on-don; Yermak in Novocherkassk; Empress Catherine II - in Ekaterinodar; Minin - in Nizhny Novgorod and many others. He made massive, decorated with sculpture of the door of the tomb of the Prince Pozharsky in Suzdal and performed pieces for nose parts of the different vessels. In 1869 he received the title of academician. Enjoyed fame as an Illustrator of literary works, and, in his youth, as a witty caricaturist. Especially issued his illustrations for "Viy" by Gogol and "Kobzar" of Shevchenko . In the journal "Bee" and other media published several of his articles and memoirs. Sculptural composition Mikeshin testify to the vitality and resourcefulness of imagination, of understanding and terms of scenic beauty and generally on the significance of his talent, but sin in the pursuit of effectiveness, a lack of harmony between the parts, the haste of the work and the weak, semi-amateurish technique. - Wed. "Russian antiquities", 1873, t. VIII; F. Bulgakov "Our artists" (St. Petersburg, 1889).

The artist worked as a cartoonist and Illustrator (having, in particular, works by Gogol, N..Nekrasov, Pushkin, T. G. Shevchenko). In 1876-1878 he published the moderate-liberal magazine "the Bee" by placing their graphic and literary essays and memoirs. Died Mikeshin in St. Petersburg, 19 (31) January 1896.

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