Sergey
Yurevich Sudeikin

Sudeikin Sergei Yurievich (7 (19 old style) in March 1882, St. Petersburg — August 12, 1946, Nyack, new York, USA) — painter, theatrical designer, graphic artist, member of the Association "scarlet rose" "Blue rose", "World of art".

Features of the artist Sudeikin Sergei Yurievich: He Sudeikin identified themselves to symbolic art. But the symbolism had a different character than a classic work Borisov-Musatov. Painting Sudeikin is theatricality and balhannoth, echoes with tragedy. Bright colors, dramatic poses, involving the viewer in the unrestrained circulation of the crowd and folk dance — all of this was extreme irony on the "eternal" themes. Sudeikin created the scenery for productions of the Meyerhold centre, theatre "Hermitage", Maly drama theatre, Russian drama theater Komissarzhevskaya in St. Petersburg, the Metropolitan Opera in new York, etc.

Famous paintings of the artist Sudeikin Sergei Yurievich: "Carousel", "Venetian masquerade", "portrait of Nina Shik", panels for cabaret "Halt comedians".

Creativity Sudeikin cannot be called popular and well-known. By a strange irony, often, this brilliant artist, who worked for the theater, often only mentioned as the husband of the ballerina Olga Glebova. Bright talent of the artist like lost in the creative fireworks of talents at the turn of XIX-XX centuries. Sudeikin was a contemporary of such geniuses as Vrubel,Serov and Petrov-Vodkinhis formation took place in the heyday of symbolism and the overwhelming phenomenon of the avant-garde..

Early years

Sudeikin Sergei Yurievich was born in St. Petersburg in the family of gendarmerie Colonel. At age 15 he entered the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture. His teachers were prominent members of the Wanderers: A. Arkhipov, A. Stepanov,A. Vasnetsov and N. Kasatkin.

After five years the student has been expelled for a period of one year for providing, in the opinion of the Commission, works that do not meet the General requirement, and also "obscene." Together with him in "exile" turned out to be Mikhail Larionov. Sudeikin in the explanatory guide as excuses for his attitude, pointed to the employment at the plant from Savva Mamontov. However, these arguments were not taken into account.

Working in the theater

Since 1902 at the request Mamontov Sergey Sudeikin began his career as a theater artist. Along withNikolai Sapunov he designed scenery for operas in the theater "Hermitage" ("Orpheus" of Gluck and "the Valkyrie" by Wagner).

Next year the artists created the scenery for the drama of Maeterlinck "Death Tentazhilya". Late to this drama, but in the play Meyerhold, Sudeikin created a new design. In this joint production by the young Director and artist of the scenery played a completely new role. Plasticity and flatness, which are so sought Sudeikin, as if swallowed up the actors. The environment became more important and interesting of the game.

Following joint work on the play of Maeterlinck's "Sister Beatrice" Sudeikin created have given the presence of actors on stage, not suppressing them. Voloshin wrote about these sets: "I really for the first time in many years saw in the theater this dream".

Then began the active cooperation of the young artist and the leading theaters of the two cities: Maly drama theatre, Russian drama and theater komissarjevskaya. But his work is not restricted to the decorations: Sudeikin worked on graphics for magazines "Libra", "Apollo" and "Satyricon".

The artist was the participant of exhibitions Association "Scarlet rose", "the Moscow Association of painters", "Union of Russian artists". In 1907 Sudeikin became one of the organizers of the key events of the Silver age — the exhibition "Blue rose".

Personality and personal life

Sudeikin talent was never in doubt, but the personal qualities of the artist were estimated not so unequivocally. However, he did not seek to hide his deliberate posturing and arrogance. Dressed Sudeikin was always like a dandy — immaculately.

With his wife, the ballerina Olga Glebova he met in the theater komissarjevskaya. The courtship of the artist, the dancer replied immediately, feelings flared up instantly. Seeing the beloved in Moscow, Olga suddenly got on the train with him without worrying about his evening performance. For the outburst she was fired by the Vera Komissarzhevskaya.

In 1907, the couple were married. Witness the development of their relationship talked about stormy passion that the lovers felt each other. Olga was not just the woman, but also creative, a stage ideal for your husband "work of art" - in the words of Anna Akhmatova. The artist Olga constantly.

However, the novel Sudeikin, and Glebova continued only one year. Once the artist has stated that he does not love his wife, and found diary entries convinced the ballerina in the relations of the husband with the poet Mikhail Kuzmin.

1910-ies

After graduating, finally, the Moscow school of painting, Sudeikin entered the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he met representatives of the "World of art". In 1911 he became a member of the Association.

During this period, Sudeikin collaborated with Meyerhold, painted with Sapunova the interior of the St. Petersburg literary cabaret "stray dog" and finally broke up with Olga Glebova.

In 1915 he created the famous painting in the literary and artistic cabaret "Halt comedians" in Petrograd.

In the Moscow Chamber theatre he met his second wife actress Vera de Bosse. In order to be with the artist, Vera left her husband, Robert Schilling, and then the stage. The relationship of lovers found place in the works of M. Kuzmin, in "a Strange poem," and the novel "in Love with the devil."

Notable entries from the diary of Faith - the rules to be followed by the wife of the artist:

1. To make work of an artist at least stick.
2. Love his work no less than the artist himself.
3. Each fit of work, to meet, to light up its new plans.
4. In order to keep drawings, sketches, cartoons. Know every work, idea, value.
5. To treat new works as unexpected gifts.
6. To be able to look at the picture for hours.
7. To be a physical ideal, and therefore to be his eternal model.

The first world war in 1917 led the artist to the front, but he was soon discharged on account of illness. Together with his wife he went to the Crimea, where he participated in the exhibitions, and then left the country.

Life abroad

Leaving the Crimea, Sudeikina went to Tiflis (Tbilisi), where the artist has designed several literary cafe. From there to Batumi, and then to Paris.

In Paris, the artist created scenery for the ballet "Sleeping beauty" Anna Pavlova, collaborated with the "Russian Opera" theatre "Apollo". In 1922, he breaks up with his wife: Sergei Diaghilev recklessly introduced her to the composer Igor Stravinsky. The novel breaks out, and Faith becomes a confidant of the composer in his works, and in 1940 – his lawful wife. And Sudeikin, along with a troupe Valiev is coming to the US and decides to stay in new York forever.

In America Sudeikin continued his artistic activities. His talent was in demand at the Metropolitan Opera, for which he created many of the decorations. He designed the ballet Stravinsky's "Petrushka", "the Nightingale", Opera "Sadko" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, "the flying Dutchman" by R. Wagner, has worked with many Russian theatrical troupes.

In 1935 came the Hollywood film "Resurrection" by L. Tolstoy, the design of which has also created Sudeikin.

His personal exhibitions were held in many American cities such as Chicago, Pittsburgh, new York and beyond. However, cloudless the last years of the artist can not be called. Sergei Sudeikin died in August 1946.

Sudeikin works are in the Tretyakov gallery, Pushkin Museum im. Pushkin, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, at the Brooklyn Museum in new York and others.

Author: Lyudmila Lebedeva