Afanasy
Efimovich Rokachevsky

Was born in Kiev. He graduated from the Imperial Academy of arts. Academician of sculpture. Lived and taught in Kiev. Worked in the salon style of academic art. Member of Kiev Association of art exhibitions. In Kalah cast only one of his works is "the Image of Edessa" (1880).

At the end of the last century one of the most popular artists of Kiev was the Academician of painting Athanasius Rokachevsky, a good portraitist and founder of the public drawing school. Began way of life of this interesting painter in our city. He was born Afanasy Efimovich Roslavl in 1830, in a poor middle class family. He received his primary education in the district school in Roslavl, and artistic skill - in a private drawing school in Smolensk.

In 1852, without any means, relying only on his abilities, he is sent to Petersburg, where he became volnoprihodyaschim student in the Imperial Academy of arts. In the Museum there are photocopies of documents from the personal file Rogachevskogo at the Academy of arts, among them are the certificate issued by the Roslavl Town Council. I want to give it as a whole.

Certificate

The province of Smolensk Roslavl City Council is given these things Athanasius Efimov Rogachevskogo that Roslavl petty-bourgeois society in the collection of the former due to him Rogachevskogo filed petitions dismissed him from his class for a smooth continuation of the course of studies at the Academy of arts as well, and at the end of the add service which will be able to, based on such dismissal of bourgeois society and the Town Council of his no obstacles has and that he Rokachevsky for the national census among the burghers of the city of Roslavl ' is written on the face of whom is now old due 25, in that Town Council for the appropriate signatures and the application of the Treasury seal certifies Aug 10 day 1855.

Studied Athanasius Rokachevsky in the class of Professor F. A. Bruni, historical painter, whose works combined elements of Neoclassicism and romanticism. His painting "the brazen serpent" was very famous in his time. In those years, when his pupil was Rokachevsky, Bruni stood at the head of Russian academicism. The direction that was largely abstract, divorced from real life. Academics idealize the images created by them, chose subjects far from reality, followed the external forms of antiquity. But I have to give this area the justice it brought respect for form, rigor and elegance of composition, virtuosity of technique.

We know almost nothing about the school years, Afanasii Donskoi. Came to us only one work, written at this time - a portrait of a friend and countryman, then, too, student of the Academy of Mikhail Mikeshin. As can be seen by looking at this picture? What the young artist is by nature endowed with the ability to capture the appearance and characteristics of the model, and, therefore, chose in the end for himself a career as a portraitist. That has gained some ease of the brush, but at the same time carefully working out the details, and most importantly, it is evident that the artist is truly talented.

In 1857 Rokachevsky finishes Academy with the title of class artist. The certificate received by him, reads: "From the Imperial Academy of arts Academy of arts student Athanasius Rogachevskogo her that he, in consideration of good knowledge in painting his portrait, which proved written from life a portrait... awarded the title of class artist... the right... to use with his posterity eternal and sovershennoe freedom and liberty and join the service which myself, as a freelance artist you will."

Since the beginning of life A. Rogachevskogo financial difficulties greatly restricted the desire of young graduate of the Academy returns to Roslavl, where he performs custom portraits countrymen. But attempts to achieve more in life does not leave.

In 1860 Rokachevsky participated in the Academic exhibition. His "Portrait of mother" was well received by public and critics. "Russian art piece" for 1862 noted: "Portrait of mother" artist Rogachevskogo A. E. performed very carefully and with great patience, and we should be bold to say that in addition to these virtues, the knowledge engineering art and patience-important qualities of a good teacher." The magazine "Art" № 2, 1860 are noted on their pages that "Portrait of mother" by artist A. Rogachevskogo "lovely concinnati letters and naturalness of execution".

In these reviews reflected the most characteristic features of the artist. Afanasy Efimovich was not an innovator in art, but his work was always performed solidly in the best academic tradition.

For this work he was awarded the title of Academician of painting. The minutes of the meeting of the Council of the Academy of arts from September 2, 1860 reads: "...1. Determined: in respect of art and knowledge in the arts, proven performed work on the set of the Academy programs and other known works, to recognize academics... in painting historical and portrait... Athanasius Rogachevskogo and engraving of Taras Shevchenko". The work is part of the Russian State Hermitage collection.

In 1863, together with his family Rokachevsky moved to Kiev, where he earned a living performing the contract work and the writing of icons. About this side of his activity little is known. Only a few sketchy details. So in the report of the Imperial Academy of arts in 1870 - 1871 it is said that "Academician A. E. Rokachevsky wrote the image of the Holy Blessed Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky in full size chapel in the city of Kiev, built in memory of the miraculous escape of the Emperor from threatened danger and the portrait of His Majesty in the growth of the natural values of the Zhytomyr school".

And here is what they wrote in the journal "Art news" 5 on March 1, 1883, giving an overview of the artistic life of the city: "In Kiev there are almost no artists, and art classes almost universally do not exist in the public... Of the artists living here more than any other issued Rogachevskii A. E., a good portrait-painter, whom circumstances force to do mainly with orders for churches, etc. of the Portraits he had to write is two or three a year. And I must wonder how this man did not die in the alien environment art, still trying to keep up with modern aspirations and remain an artist in the soul."

But although the time the present work was, Afanasy Efimovich continues to participate with his works in Academic exhibitions. In 1869 it was the portrait of I. I. Mikeshina, written in Roslavl and now a collector's Roslavl Museum. In 1887 the portrait sculpture of academician M. A. Chizhov. In 1889 Rokachevsky exhibited two works - "Autumn fruit" and stored now in Roslavl Museum, "portrait of the daughter" ("In my garden").

Rogachevskii received recognition in Kiev not only as a portraitist. His great merit was that in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, he founded a public drawing school, where he was also a teacher, passing on his rich technique to young artists. About this event the magazine "Bee" at No. 42 in 1876, wrote in the article "pros and cons": "We, the editors placed a statement from Kiev about the opening there is a public drawing school. The venerable and gifted personality of academician Afanasy Efimovich Rogachevskogo known to us so much that we convinced him recognize all the data necessary for a teacher of painting not only in secondary schools but also in higher institutions."

"Art reporter" № 6-7, 1887, mentions that the first teachers of the public drawing school was first Rogaczewski A., then P. Sorokin.

In the collection of the Roslavl Museum has several drawings executed by the pupils of this school, signed A. E. Rokachevsky. Even these works can be judged that training in the school received good.

Died Afanasy Efimovich in January 1901 In the obituary that appeared in the newspaper "Kievlyanin" from January 14, 1901, said: "he died Yesterday, the academician of painting A. E. Rokachevsky. In Kiev, he was involved mostly in portraiture and iconographic painting, and Russia are scattered a lot of portraits of his work. Of the more famous portraits referenced portrait of Princess M. Tenisheva, Professor Rakhmanov, count Bobrinsky etc. the Deceased took an active part in the work of the public drawing school, taught in many educational establishments of Kyiv. Among the friends and disciples of the deceased on it was kept the best memories as a great and truthful man, who could not enter into a transaction with a conscience and not susceptible to compromise".

A. E. Rokachevsky buried in the wall of Pokrovsky monastery.

The work of our famous countryman are stored in many museums of the country: Dnipropetrovsk, Kiev Museum of Russian art, Minsk art Museum, the Museum-panorama "Borodino battle", the Museum in Smolensk and others. Three of his paintings are in the collections of the Roslavl Museum. The earliest of them at the time of writing -"Female portrait," 1862. It depicts a young Jewish girl in national dress. According to information received from the V. P. Selehovoj, a cousin of M. O. Mikeshin, which for many years was engaged in studying of a creative heritage of M. O. Mikeshin, and A. E. Rogachevskogo, the portrait depicts the daughter of Kyiv sugar magnate Brodsky, with whom Rogachevskogo was a very close relationship.

Latest at time of writing the picture "In your garden" 1899 - portrait of one of the daughters of the artist Ariadne. The portrait is masterfully written, the artist managed to convey the texture of the fabric, the transparency of the grapes and the beads, the warmth of the sunlit hair and skin. The painting was donated by the author to his friend, also artist, of the Dresden graduate Academy Lobunets. That, in turn, gave it to his nephew Nikolai Fedorovich Demkov and family Demkovich job came to our Museum.

But, undoubtedly, the best work in our congregation, and maybe one of the best in all the works A. Rogachevskogo is a portrait of I. I. Mikeshina. This portrait is written in Roslavl in 1869, evidenced by the author's inscription on the canvas. Rogaczewski was friends with the husband of Iolani Iovine, and the portrait was painted to order, when a young woman was fatally ill. In the spring before Easter it is, going to Church, slipped in the wet snow, giving way to a passing trio, wet feet, caught cold, and soon she started galloping consumption, which brought her to the grave several months. She was only 25 years old. Apparently and this is truly tragic fate, and that the artist knew this woman, heat treated, was the reason that in this painting Rogaczewski was not just a master. It's amazing the depth of the portrait. Against the background of a stormy sky depicts a young woman in a blue velvet dress. Hair smoothly combed and covered with a thin mesh. Her cheeks flushed and her unhealthy blush. The expression sad-doomed, other word will not pick up. And this portrait is a restless uneasy feeling. It was written at the very beginning of the creative path of the artist. And can only regret that the Scripture custom to speak of the portraits not made to develop Athanasius Rogachevskogo in portrait-psychologist. And the makings, if we judge by the portrait of I. I. Mikeshina, was considerable.

(author - Kornienko N. And.

senior researcher at Roslavl, istoriko-art Museum)