“Young artist Peter D. Myagkov came to Tambov in 1904, already a family man with a wife and two children. He just graduated from the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture, class of the wonderful wizard of Isaac Levitan. Graduated with a silver medal. For what it encouraged you travel at public expense for an internship in Italy. But fate decreed otherwise. Shortly before arriving in Tambov on sketches, he fell in love with the subtle yet sweet nature of these places. And when some time later he was offered a choice of three places — Tambov, Voronezh or Moscow, where the young artist was promised the position of chief decorator of the Bolshoi theatre, he, in spite of the tempting prospect, chose Tambov.
His wife — Elizabeth Aleksandrovna, was a pianist and teaching piano. The artist loved to sing, blessed with was a beautiful baritone. Even in the years of study in Moscow, he often sang at student nights, introducing others astray: a painter or a budding talented singer? On one such evening, he heard the wife of a famous in those years the composer Ippolitov-Ivanov, who taught at the Moscow Conservatory. She liked the voice of the singer that she offered him to take her free singing lessons. But, despite his passionate desire for music, it wasn't meant to come true. Although for many years Peter D. sang at home and among friends and accompanied him on the piano, of course, his wife.
Elizabeth A. was a very interesting and gifted man. And how many she saw and knew! In Tambov for several years he taught piano at the Institute for noble maidens, but growing family — the children were already four and the October revolution eventually forced her to change professions. However, at home, she never parted with a musical instrument, accompanying her husband, who, however, could not fully indulge their creativity. To support his large family, Peter D. worked as a teacher of drawing and penmanship in the first Ministerial women's gymnasium. But after the revolution, the place of his work became the 1st and 9th schools of Tambov.
The former Director of the Tambov art gallery Mikhailov in the book “Artists of the Tambov region” describes a single episode. Learning that drawing lessons in the 9-th school teaches a true artist — a student of Levitan, he wanted to meet with him and came to school. Peter D. warmly welcomed the guest and led him to the second floor to his office. Walking in the corridor, Mikhailov saw on the wall four paintings “the seasons”, immediately associated in his mind with the paintings of Levitan. Mikhailov was surprised and asked my grandfather: “Where in school Levitan?” To which the grandfather smiled and replied: “It's not the paintings of Levitan and mine.”
He was quiet, polite and well-mannered person, but was able to make his way, listening to your talent. Picture it like a lot and buy. Most of them were dedicated to Tambov nature: wonderful, quiet, calm Tsne, with its many creeks. Forests with a variety of trees. The grasses of the meadows and fields... Two of his paintings have become famous in Tambov merchant Aseev.
Maybe someone still store the pictures of my grandfather? Maybe someone knows about the fate of paintings “the seasons” hanging in the 9-th school of Tambov? Please respond all who something knows or remembers about my great grandfather, who has his paintings!
... A terrible, cruel 43rd year. It was disastrous for the country, and for our family turned out to be simply disastrous. From typhoid fever died, the eldest daughter of the artist, Natalia. In the fire the battle of Stalingrad killed the son of Boris, the youngest daughter Nina (my mom) was admitted to the hospital with diphtheria... Took everything to heart, sympathetic Peter D. has not withstood these tests and died of a heart attack. He was 73 years old.
Due to fear of Contracting typhus from which he died, Natalia, we were afraid to take the belongings of his grandfather. But took all the same easel, brush and umbrella, donated by his grandfather, his teacher Levitan. The fate of things was, however, sad that we hid them in the shed, but someone broke the Board in the wall and stole many things including our most precious gifts — brush, umbrella and easel.
Many years later my mother, Nina Petrovna, came the Director of the Tambov art gallery he wanted to do in the exhibition area of memory of the artist, hoping that we have kept grandpa's things and pictures. Unfortunately, we had nothing to give him.
But unlike things family the gift cannot be stolen, lost, it does not tarnish then: I graduated from the Saratov Conservatory, becoming a professional musician. My daughter inherited both the passion of their grandparents and great-grandmother, she educated as a musician and artist of life...
Let's not forget those who contributed to the development and prosperity of our provincial incrementing the creators of rich culture. How many modest and quiet masters lived and worked in the Russian hinterland, remember them?
(Olga Trofimova, granddaughter of the artist, Tambov weekly newspaper, "City on Tsne")
