Petr
Nikolaevich Georgian

Painter of battle scenes and genre painter. Initially self-taught and studied drawing in his parents ' house; in 1851, entered the students of the Academy of fine Arts, where his principal mentor was Professor BP Villevalde . Received medals: 1854 - 2 silver; 1857 - 1 silver; in 1858 - 2 silver; in 1860, a small gold for the painting: "Gypsy camp" and in 1862 was awarded a large gold medal for the painting "the Capture of Gunib," and went abroad as a pensioner of the Academy. In Paris he wrote the picture: "Picket zouaves on maneuvers in France", which was purchased by the Academy, and "Market in Fontainebleau", to attract the attention of the public on the academic exhibition 1872 In 1864, came from Paris to Russia to travel to the Caucasus with the aim of making sketches from nature, studies of local types, and General collection materials for the planned work: "Leaving villages mountaineers approaching Russian troops", designed for the Paris world exhibition. For this picture, in 1872, Georgian, final on his return to St. Petersburg, he received the title of academician. Later his work before 1890: "Scene of village life", "Haymaking in the Ukraine", "Country walk", "Shrovetide", the "Troika", "Meeting of returning from Church Suite", "Resettlement mountaineers in the Caucasus", etc.

[19(31).XII.1837 - 20.V(1.VI).1892] - the artist. Was born in Kursk in a family of a poor landlord. Artistic ability he manifested very early. In the childhood were engaged in drawing, a 14-year-olds was determined at the Imperial Academy of arts in St. Petersburg, where he was enrolled in the class of painter Professor BP Villevalde. Already during the training period he wrote the film that made his name known in art circles and among fans of art: "a Bivouac of the life-guard Cossack regiment Soldiers", "the foragers", "Gypsy camp". For them he received small and large silver and small gold medals. Her graduation work was the painting "the Capture of the village Gunib in the Caucasus in 1859". In 1862, for the painting "the Capture of the village Gunib..." was awarded a large gold medal, the title of class artist and sent by the Academy abroad for a 6-year period for improving skills. He lived mainly in Paris. There he wrote such works as "the Picket of the Imperial French Riflemen on maneuvers", "Market in Fontainebleau", "Dance of the Italians on the streets of Paris", which had success at exhibitions. But academic authorities had pointed out to his fellows "to deal exclusively batalicheskih painting". In 1865, visited the home to the Caucasus to perform a few field sketches for planned paintings. Back in Paris, he completed another large canvas on the Caucasian theme - "Leaving villages mountaineers approaching Russian troops" ("the resettlement of the mountaineers"), for which in 1872 received the title of academician of battle painting. "The capture of the village Gunib..." and "Resettlement of the highlanders" visited the world exhibitions in Vienna and London. From other works on the military theme of the artist is known: "taking the train of Marshal davoust, under the Red 5 Nov 1812", "Convoy of the Circassians", "the bivouac of the horse guards", "ataman in the road." However, Peter Nikolaevich, being a recognized painter, not confined only to this genre. He is the author of a large series of domestic scenes and landscapes. From under his hand left "Pochtovaya Troika", "Lumberjacks," "Village walks" and many others. In 1876 at the exhibition in Philadelphia was exhibited his "Troika in snowstorm", "Meeting Suite", "Gypsies" that caused interest of the visitors by the authenticity of the stories and craftsmanship. More other well-known through reproductions, a small picture of the "Skating carnival", the original of which is preserved in the Museum of horse breeding in Moscow agricultural Academy. K. A. Timiryazev. In the evening the village street race race dashing Troika. Sled - dressed young people. After the Blizzard among the ragged clouds opened a piece of crimson sunset sky. Frosty, windy, anxiety rushing birds. But nothing prevents a riot of cheerful Russian holiday... was an expert on the anatomy and habits of animals, especially horses and dogs of different breeds, which he skillfully portrayed in the paintings. In the illustrated publications of the 2nd half of the 19th century was often reproduced his numerous drawings and watercolors. Russian and foreign magazines and Newspapers published rave reviews about the artist. In 1889, he transferred to the Academy of arts a large collection of Circassian, Kurdish, Turkish and Imereti clothes, gathered during trips to the Caucasus. Creativity has been somewhat aloof from the mainstream of which developed the Russian art presented at that time, first of all, the Association of traveling art exhibitions. After the premature death of the artist was almost forgotten. He was buried in St. Petersburg.

{N. F. Shakhov}

Lit.: P. N. Georgian (obituary). World illustration. 1892. No. 1221, p. 450 - 451. Artists of the peoples of the USSR: a bibliographical dictionary. M., Iskusstvo, 1976, vol. 3, pp. 210 - 211.