Mikhail
Ksenofontovich Sokolov

Was born in Yaroslavl. He died in 1947 in Moscow. Studied at the Stroganov art-industrial school (1904-1907). Passed military service in the Baltic fleet (1907-1909). Headed the Proletkult art Studio in Moscow (1923-1925). He taught at the Art College im.1905, in the Yaroslavl pedagogical College (1925-1935), the Institute of advanced training of painters and decorators in Moscow (1936-1938). Since 1938 member of the Union of artists. In March 1938, arrested. Sentenced to 7 years in labor camp. Time served at the station Taiga of the Kemerovo region for General works. In letters sent to friends miniature landscapes, executed in a complex technique. In the spring of 1943 "activated" and released from the camp as hopelessly sick. Eight and a half months in the hospital, and then with the incredible difficulties found refuge and place of the head of izokruzhke in the House of pioneers city of Rybinsk. In 1947, a seriously ill were transported to a Moscow hospital.Sklifosovsky, where he died. In 1958, rehabilitated.

Son Cooper, who became an artist against the will of relatives, he received no formal education (1904 - 07 studied in SHPU not completing it) and are not included in one of the art associations. But most fully manifest the image of the Creator in its most romanticized incarnation. This was manifested in everything - starting from a deliberately artistic way of dressing, and ending with a declarative abstraction from relevant subjects: arts Sokolova is almost entirely based on the eternal themes.

In painting this still life and landscape, in graphics (and the graphics he did for the most part) - cycles "Passions," images of circus performers, comedians, riders and beautiful ladies, pictures based on literary works (Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens, E.-T.-A. Hoffmann) and history (the French revolution).

After a brief period of cubist Hobbies (early 1920s) Sokolov goes to the range of subjects and remains faithful to him until the end. Remain unchanged and masterfully-reactive graphic style romantically impassioned speech, the absolute sense of any material. Notice the severe criticism, the artist nevertheless increasingly felt its uselessness: the work is rarely exhibited, prepared the illustrations are not printed in the books (with the exception of the "virgin of Orleans" by Voltaire, "Acadeinia", 1935).

Feed him only teaching: in 1919-21 from the art workshops in Tver and Yaroslavl; in 1923-25-m - fine arts Studio of Proletkult in Moscow; in 1925-29. ' art-industrial College in Yaroslavl; in 1936 - 38, worked at the Institute of advanced training of painters and decorators in Moscow.

Dramatic summary of the fate - arrest in 1938, a seven-year sentence, taiga camp in Siberia; created there figures (on tiny scraps, loose colored chalk or simply a match and ink) are among the best creations of the artist. Released early due to ill health (1943), Sokolov settled in Rybinsk.

In June of 1947, he arrived in Moscow to petition for removal of a criminal record. He visits exhibitions, plans for the future. But serious illness compels the artist to the bed and soon cuts off his life.