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Arnold
Abramovich Zelensky

Russia • born in 1812

Born in 1812, apparently in Poltava, the son of a merchant of the 1st Guild; the year of his death is unknown. In December 1836 he presented to the Academy of Arts 9 paintings in the petition, in which he asked: "will be he be worthy, to classify it to the class the Academy." The paintings were approved by the Academy of fine Arts, Zelensky received the title of "appointed" in academics, and he was given a software to obtain the rank of full academician "to write a generational portrait of the Professor of painting Bruni". But "designated" in academics Zelensky or has not fulfilled its programme, whether or not she has complied with the requirements, and the following 1837, he was entrusted with another task — "to represent the oil painting of Tobit, healed his father Tobias's eyes, and Angela, flying away from them, as figures requires at least polonator". So the first program was for the painting class portrait, while the second class of historical painting. But this program Zelensky did not perform, and for 13 years was "assigned", until finally, in 1849, was not approved by the academician of painting historical and portrait for the image of "the Myrrh-bearing women at the tomb of the Savior," the painting "Hagar in the desert" and 5 portraits. How very "attributing to the bar Academy" — in the words Zelensky — was unusual, not quite normal was and further the activities of this anyway, curious artist. In front of a large audience, he made his debut on the academic exhibition in 1839, "putting the portraits at full length in the small size." "This kind of portraiture," wrote art critic at the time — "extremely pleasant, depicts a man with all his manners, and we must agree with G. Zelensky for his skilful execution". Thus Zelensky was to a certain extent an innovator. They were portraits of the Prince P. G. Volkonsky, state Councilor Engelhardt and French actress Allan. Judging from these names, you can see that Zelensky for his three-year stay in Petrograd was able to acquire customers from the so-called bon monda. If the critics in General praised Zelensky, in particular, referring to the portrait of celebrity French theatre of the time of Ms. Allan, found that "all visitors to the exhibition said publicly that Ms. Allan is better on stage than in the picture, Mr. Zelensky, and it's true. The artist was supposed to not catch one simple similarity, but the brilliant and incomparable expressiveness of the actress in her best moment, but he didn't. The portrait of Mrs. Allan is the prose. However, the artist — a man with talent and will go forward." Critic was to some extent a prophet, and if not in the sense of the development of talent, worldly success Zelensky went away. In addition to portraits of high-ranking officials, Zelensky took and the other gave in that time, significant earnings occupation — writing of images. In 1842 he worked in the Church the Ministry of the interior, on Aptekarsky island, which was built by Konstantin Ton. This year he presented to the Academy of Arts "was written for the Church the image of the ascension of the Lord" and asked if "the way this deserves to be put in the Church, to give him a testimony." The Academy has determined to declare Zelensky, "the tone in the way they write up, but drawing and design in General poor and weak, why and need to fix it". Despite this review, Zelensky continued to work and in 1844, presented four image of St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Basil the Great and the Evangelists Mark and Luke. The Academy of Arts found the execution of the images "quite satisfactory", but the Builder of the Church Tone indicated that the image intended for one of the iconostasis, the different values that they apply to breast, and should be generational, and therefore cannot be brought into the iconostasis, as it will disrupt the General harmony. We must not forget that the main image of the Church he wrote to Karl Brullov. Further Zelensky worked a lot in the Gatchina Cathedral, where his hands belong the above image of the "Myrrh-bearers", "the Shroud", "the Nativity" and "descent from the cross". The last image was on exhibition in 1849 It was called "the great picture"; the artist, according to critics, was seen as "talent, taste, skilful composition and good school." But Zelensky was not satisfied with the falls on its share of successes, from the images and portrait painting he turned to genre and writing in the years 1850-1851 two paintings: "Reaper" and "the Nurse in Russian costume with a child sleeping on hands" (this last picture was another name for "mother's love") that was sent in 1852 to London for the Royal exhibition of works of art. It was the first painting of Russian artist on display in this exhibition, and they had, judging by the press reviews of the time, "big and well-deserved success." English newspaper called Zelensky "famous" Russian artist, admired by the subjects of paintings and their implementation. The following 1853 to Petrograd, on the academic exhibition, Zelensky, in addition to portraits of Dr. Margulis and Ms. štiglic (nee Greig), put two new genre: "Marriage in the Vologda province" and "Reapers"; in the last scene it was noted the desire of the artist for naturalism: "the painting "Reapers" left corner of the sky, where hazy clouds the sun sets, very true captured from nature and at first glance catches the eye". Of course, all the above reviews shows absolute exaggeration. Zelensky was never "famous" Russian artist. Having some talent in painting, he possessed a much greater ability to adapt, ability to promote himself and his works, which are now quite forgotten, and can not, especially from a purely artistic point of view, to attract attention. (Petrov, Cumans)

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