Rostislav
Nikolaevich Barto

Born in Moscow, since childhood, fond of fine arts and music. In 1922 arrived in VHUTEMAS, being a student of the famous master Alexander Shevchenko. Meeting with the teacher was decisive for creativity Barto. They were alike in many things: positive attitude, perseverance in work, a similar understanding of the role of art. Addiction to recent French art, love to romance, a reverence for the East. In the late 1920-ies A. Shevchenko gave each student their passion for the technique of monotype, which eventually became a major in the art of Rostislav Barto. Then in the 1920-1930s exhibition of the young artist followed one after another: "Shop painters", "Genesis", omkh (Society of Moscow artists), Moscow screenings were interspersed with foreign. Painting Barto was more visible at exhibitions, but to be in those years it is criticism meant to be in an ambiguous position. Barto gradually away from painting in oil and tempera and concentrated on easel, first of all monotypes, which the famous artist E. Kruglikova called "painting in the manner of print". His work, starting with the pre-war years, absolutely free imitate from Shevchenko. In every thing now a sense of style, individual creative system. New splash art of Rostislav Barto is at the beginning of the 1960s. the Last decade and a half of his life is the Kingdom of monotypes in the technical sense and the realm of nature - in the scene. Field studies were followed by improvisations, preparatory leaves accompanied almost every monotype; monotype was in the series, and the series succeeded one another. The disabled artist was fantastic: sometimes in the day he carried out more than a dozen prints, and they have never been "accidentally beautiful" - the predictability of the result was for Barto solid rule. Another rule - the indispensable romantic exaltation, the excitement in the process. "Life may not be expressive, - wrote the artist - but art has to be expressive! This is his truth!".

Barto R. N. born in Moscow in 1902 After graduating from the Moscow real school in 1922 comes to the graphical Department of the Moscow VKhUTEMAS, where he is engaged in classes V. Favorsky, I. Nivinsky and P. Pavlinov. In 1926, transferred to the painting Department in the class of Shevchenko and in 1929 completes the education. While still a student, Barto joins the art society "Shop painters" and participates in exhibitions of the group. In 1929, Barto admitted as a member of OST and participated in many international exhibitions in Stockholm, Berlin, Vienna, where most of his works are purchased by museums and collectors.

From the end of 1929 was fond of experiments in a new field – monotypes, interesting possibilities which he opened A.V. Shevchenko. And so excelled in the artistry of performance that fifteen early sheets received in the print Cabinet of Museum of fine arts. In the late 20-ies. he, together with A. Shevchenko travels through the Caucasus, where it takes a naive mechanics of composite primitive and symbolic art of the East that will be reflected in his paintings. The impressions – dozens of oil paintings, tempera, monotypes.

In 1930-1933 – the peak of success: more than forty times participated in the exhibitions, of which about thirty - abroad.

In 1933, the Museum of fine arts, prepared his first personal exhibition, but after harsh criticism ("formalism") was closed until 1938 Barto participates in international exhibitions in Europe, America, China.

The artist works in many techniques: oil, watercolor, colored engraving on metal, monotype, charcoal, tempera, pastel etc. the Language of sculpture Barto akin to the music he knows and loves.

In wartime Barto participates in exhibitions "Landscapes of our Motherland, Moscow artists during the great Patriotic war", etc.

After the war, he wrote a number of landscape cycles, many works in tempera paintings and monotypes, creating a series of animalistic works, portraits.

In 1956 was the last in the life of an artist solo exhibition.

In 1974 Barto died.

In 1978, a solo (sadly, posthumous) exhibition in the exhibition hall at Begovaya. During his life the artist took part in the exhibition 101 (mainly, abroad).