Grigory
Grigorievich Gagarin

Prince, painter and draftsman, Explorer of arts, Vice-Pres. Peterb. AH (1859-72), really. and Poch. CH. Rus. architect of the society (1878). G. - the author of a number of paintings from the life of the peoples of the Caucasus, Illustrator of the works of A. S. Pushkin, M. Y. Lermontov and a number of other writers. In 1858-93 repeatedly came to his estate Karacharovo (now konakovskogo R-na). Died in France. Buried near Karacharovo. In 1960, on one of the buildings of the former. the estate (now a boarding house "Karacharovo") established meme. Board. In Tver. region cards. Gal. 2 figure G. Lit.: Savinov, A. N., Grigory Grigoryevich Gagarin, in kN.: Russian art. Essays on the life and work of artists, Moscow, 1954.

Grigory Gagarin was born in an aristocratic family, was the son of a famous diplomat. Art education he received, but, living since 1816 in Italy, enjoyed the advice and lessons of K. P. Briullov. Returning in 1832 to St. Petersburg, continued to dabble in art. In 1834-36. he made a trip to the brig "Themistocles" from Athens to Constantinople, where he was sent on diplomatic service. In 1839, after his return to Russia, he had to go to the writer VA Sollogub in Kazan. Impressions of the trip Sollogub were used for writing the novel "the Carriage," and Gagarin - to create illustrations for it (published. in 1845). Witty, performed in a satirical vein, these drawings are among the best works of Russian book graphics. Became friends with Mikhail Lermontov, Gagarin in 1840, and followed him to the Caucasus, where he participated in military actions (even was awarded for bravery in battle) and has executed many portraits, landscapes, war scenes, sketches of monuments. Part of their he in the first half of the 1840s was used for paintings, dedicated to the Caucasus ("the Camp of the second Muganlinsky crossing the river Alazan", "Group of mountaineers," "the Battle between Russian troops and the Circassians in Chatle 8 may 1841", etc.). Since 1848 Gagarin, lived in Tiflis, went on Transcaucasia, capturing a vision. The range of his creative activities this period is unusually wide: it was built in the Tiflis theater on his own project, restored frescos of the ancient Georgian churches, painted in Byzantine style Tiflis Sioni Cathedral, led the art Department at the Chancellery. His house was a kind of cultural center of Tbilisi. Since the mid-1850s Gagarin continued his activities in St. Petersburg: participated in the drafting of the new Charter of the Academy of Arts, he published the albums "Picturesque Caucasus" and "Costumes of the Caucasus", painted churches, was preparing a work on the history of art. In 1859, he was elected Vice-President of the Academy of arts. Not wanting and not being able to withstand the onslaught of conservative and bureaucratic forces, was forced to leave the post in 1872 And talent, and professional level Gagarin was not inferior to many of the major masters, but the prejudices of the aristocratic prevented him to devote himself fully to creativity, and therefore the artist's contributions to art was more modest in its capabilities.