Nikolai
Nikolaevich Punin

Nikolay Punin was born in Gelsinforse (Helsinki) in the family of a military doctor Nikolai Mikhailovich Punina. After graduating from the Nicholas gymnasium he studied first at the law, and then at the historical-philological faculty of St. Petersburg University, from which he graduated in 1914 with a degree in history of art under Professor D. V. Ainalov.

He was passionate about new trends in art, particularly the works of Vladimir Tatlin and Kazimir Malevich. His articles about them Puning earned a reputation as a "militant futurist", "ideologue of the left art." His house is always going to young artists: Vladimir Lebedev, Lev Bruni, Peter Miturich, Petr Lvov, Nikolay Tyrsa.

In 1918-1921, privlechennye Lunacharsky to cooperate, Puning he headed the Petrograd Department of fine arts Commissariat, acting Commissioner of the Russian Museum for some time – the state Hermitage.

For 30 years, Nicholas has collaborated with the Russian Museum, lectured on the history of Western art at the Institute of painting, sculpture and architecture, Leningrad University, at the Higher courses of art, received the title of Professor. He was a brilliant art critic, researcher, educator and Museum worker, ideologue and ardent promoter of avant-garde movements. Work Punina dedicated to Byzantine and ancient art, Japanese prints, Russian artists of the XIX and XX centuries, history of art in Western Europe. Student Punina F. F. Melnikov recalled his post-war lectures at LSU: "Going from mathematical, physical, biological, economic – from all faculties of the University, And he conducted such a huge crowd. And the more people, the more he had some spark. As he read Rembrandt! Named Michelangelo! Leonardo! Professors came from the side, listened to him. He could improvise, find a way, the exact absolute best..."

Fifteen years of living together with N. By peninim was Anna Akhmatova. For the first time Puning met Akhmatova in the editorial office of the journal Apollon in 1913, and then several times attended meetings of the "Guild of poets" in the house of Gumilev in Tsarskoe Selo. In 1922, Anna Andreevna first came to visit Panino in the garden wing of Sheremetev Palace (fountain House), now a Museum Akhmatova and part of the history of Russia.

The fascination of Western art, independent position Punina could not lead to conflicts with the Soviet authorities. For the first time he was arrested on 2 August 1921 at the same time with a group of individuals charged in the case of "Petrograd militant organization". He was in custody in remand prison on Shpalernaya, but was soon released thanks to the efforts of the wife of A. E. Arens (1892-1943), who asked for him from the Lunacharsky.

The second arrest occurred on 24 October 1935 when N. N. Punin and students of Leningrad University by L. N. Gumilev (son of Anna Akhmatova, was arrested together with peninim at the fountain House), A. P. Borin, V. N. Merkuryev I. V. Polyakov was arrested on charges of terrorist activities. Thanks to the appeal of A. A. Akhmatova, a letter to I. V. Stalin, all those arrested were released.

The Zhdanov decree of 1946, the struggle against "kowtowing to the West", "formalism in Soviet culture" and the conflict with the Chairman of the Leningrad branch of Union of artists V. A. Serov ("is it painting, is the shaft!", said Puning on the Serov painting "Lenin in Smolny") was the beginning of a campaign of harassment and defamation Punina. April 15, 1949, by order of the rector of Leningrad state University Professor, Department of universal history of art N. N. Punin was dismissed from the University, "how not ensure ideological and political education of students". Four months later, he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment Special Meeting at MGB. Fault Punina was "criminal" the belief that Cezanne and van Gogh - the great artists. His life ended on 21 August 1953 in camp hospital polar village Abez (Komi ASSR).

(Puning N. N. The world is bright with love: the Diaries. Letters / Sost., Pref., note. and comments. L. A. Zykova. - Moscow: Artist. Director. Theatre, 2000.