Altman is the artist of the painting. Altman Nathan Isaevich - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information

Nathan Altman (1889-1970) - Russian and Soviet painter, avant-garde artist (cubist), sculptor and theater artist, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1968), master of portraiture.

Biography of Nathan Altman

Nathan Altman was born on December 10 (22), 1889 in Vinnitsa, into a poor Jewish family: his father was engaged in small trade, his mother served as a castellan in a hospital. At the age of four he was left without a father, who died of transient consumption; lived with my grandmother.

From 1902 to 1907 he studied fine arts in Odessa art school, then continued his studies in Paris private studio(1910-1911). During this period he was influenced by modernism, in particular cubism.

From 1912 he lived in St. Petersburg (after the city was renamed - respectively, in Petrograd, then Leningrad).

In 1935, he married Irina Valentinovna Shchegoleva, daughter of V. A. Ternavtsev.

Nathan Altman died in Leningrad on December 12, 1970, and was buried in the Komarovsky Necropolis (Komarovo village).

Altman's work

Participated in the founding of the Jewish Society for the Encouragement of the Arts.

After the revolution of 1917, he participated in the design of revolutionary festivities in Petrograd (1918) and Moscow (1921-1928).

He also showed himself as a “court artist”, painting a realistic painting from life. sculptural portrait V. I. Lenin (bronze, 1920, Leningrad branch Central Museum V.I. Lenin), as well as creating a series of pencil sketches of Lenin.

His most famous is his picturesque portrait of A. A. Akhmatova (1914, Russian Museum).

On April 9, 1922, the premiere of “Uriel Acosta” (second edition; the first in 1919 was designed by M. Dobuzhinsky) was shown at the Moscow State Jewish Theater with sets by N. Altman, who, as an artist, replaced Marc Chagall in the theater. In the same 1922, another premiere took place, designed by N. Altman, “Gadibuk” by S. A. An-sky at the Habima Theater Studio, directed by E. Vakhtangov. Both performances had a great resonance.

In the same year, Altman, together with Alexandra Ekster, Vadim Meller, Sonya Terk and other artists from the USSR, participated in International Exhibition Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts(Art Deco) in Paris.

In the spring of 1928, Altman went on tour with the Moscow State Jewish Theater (GOSET) to Europe, after which he remained in Paris until 1935.

Returning to the USSR, he found himself in a situation of Stalinist terror and during this period he moved away from easel painting, taking up design (sketches of postage stamps) and book graphics, creating, in particular, illustrations for “Petersburg Tales” by N.V. Gogol, ed. in 1937).

Theater occupies a significant place in Altman’s work: the artist designed the performances “Mystery-Buffe” by V. V. Mayakovsky (1921, Moscow Circus), “Hamlet” by W. Shakespeare (1954, Leningrad Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin).

Famous works of the artist

• Portrait of A. A. Akhmatova, 1914, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
• Self-portrait, sculpture, 1916
• cycle “Jewish Graphics”, 1914
• Portrait of A. V. Lunacharsky, plaster, 1920, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
• Bust to Wilhelm Roentgen, 1920, wood, St. Petersburg, Roentgen Street, 6 (not preserved, in 1928 replaced by a monument by V. A. Sinaisky)
• Petrocommune,
• Material selection,
• Russia. Work

, Honored Artist of the RSFSR (), master of portraiture.

Biography

Theater occupies a significant place in Altman’s work: the artist designed the performances “Mystery-Buffe” by V.V. Mayakovsky (1921, Moscow Circus), “Hamlet” by W. Shakespeare (1954, ).

Nathan Altman died in Leningrad on December 12, 1970, and was buried in the Komarovsky Necropolis (Komarovo village). The tombstone (sculptor N.I. Altman, architect T.N. Miloradovich) was created in 1972.

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Bust of Nathan Altman in the Russian Museum of St. Petersburg.

Altman and his wife's grave.jpg

The grave of the artist Altman and his wife

The inscription on the back of the Altman monument.jpg

The grave of the artist Altman - the inscription on the back of the monument

Addresses in St. Petersburg - Petrograd - Leningrad

• 1916-1923 - 1st line, 4;
• 1937-1941 - “House of Specialists” - Lesnoy Avenue, 61, apt. 157;
• 08/07/1944 - 12/12/1970 - “House of Specialists” - Lesnoy Avenue, 61.

Memory

• In 2000, a memorial plaque was installed on the house at 61 Lesnoy Avenue (sculptor N. I. Nikitin, architect S. P. Odnovalov) with the text: “The artist Nathan Isaevich Altman lived in this house from 1937 to 1970.”

Works

• Portrait of A. A. Akhmatova, 1915, Russian Museum, St. Petersburg (oil on canvas)
• Self-portrait, sculpture, 1916 (State Russian Museum, plaster, copper, wood)
• Self-portrait, 1911 (State Russian Museum, paper, tempera, 46 x 33, 63 x 46.5)
• cycle “Jewish Graphics”, 1914
• Portrait of A.V. Lunacharsky, plaster, 1920, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
• “Portrait of actress E. V. Dzyubinskaya-Adamova”, 1915 (State Russian Museum, 80.0 x 62.5)
• Bust to Wilhelm Roentgen, 1920, wood, St. Petersburg, Roentgen Street, 6 (not preserved, in 1928 replaced by a monument by V. A. Sinaisky)
• Petrocommune,
• "Jewish graphics" 1923 (48.5 x 37)
• "Mimosa", 1927 (State Tretyakov Gallery, oil on canvas 63.3 x 50)
• “Portrait of the writer Nikulin L.V.”, 1928-1935 (73 x 55)
• “Portrait of S. M. Mikhoels”, 1927-1928 (oil on canvas)
• "Russia. Work", 1921 (State Tretyakov Gallery, mahogany, enamel, charcoal, paper 98.2 x 49.3)
• "Material selection" 1920 (oil, enamel, plaster)
• "Southern Yard" (oil, 22.6 x 20)
• "Self-portrait" 1926 (State Tretyakov Gallery, lead pencil, paper 44.6 x 35.9)
• "Color volumes and planes" 1918
• "Office of V.I. Lenin", 1920 (paper, pencil)
• "Winter landscape", (paper)
• "The Lady at the Piano" 1914 (oil on canvas)
• “Portrait of Nadezhda Krat”, 1915 (State Russian Museum, oil on canvas, 39 x 35)
• “Portrait of the poet Boris Kornilov”, (25 x 19.2)
• "A park", (canvas, oil, 65 x 50)
• "Gypsy Flower Girl" 1915 (oil on canvas, 49.5 x 69.5)
• "Synagogue" (paper)
• "Still life with blue shoes», 1911 (oil on canvas, 43 x 33)
• “Prayer. Caricature of A. Akhmatova,” 1911 (paper, gouache, 22.6 x 17.5)
• "Portrait Jewish woman», 1911 (State Russian Museum, oil on canvas, 67.5 x 47.5)
• "Woman in the Village" 1929 (oil on canvas, 61.5 x 50.3)
• “The Old Jew (portrait of Uncle N. Altman)”, (canvas, oil)
• "Still life", (State Russian Museum, 67.5 x 47)
• "Landscape of La Ruche", 1911 (canvas on cardboard, oil, 43.5 x 35)

Theater works

• V. Mayakovsky Mystery-Buff. Staging on German in honor of the delegates of the Third Congress of the Communist International. In the premises of the First state circus. Moscow, 1921
• An-sky. Gadibook. Habima Theater, Moscow. Costume sketches. 30 sheets of GTsTM. Sketches of scenery. 2 sheets. Paper, watercolor, graphite pencil. SPbGTM. 1921
• K. Gutskov. Uriel Acosta. Moscow State Jewish Chamber Theater. Sketches of scenery, sketches of costumes. 1922
• Sholom Aleichem Doctor. Moscow State Jewish chamber theater. 1922
• K. Chapek Mother. State academic theater dramas named after A. S. Pushkin (Alexandrinsky Theater) Leningrad, 1939
• "King Lear", GBDT, 1941
• “Gayane”, 1942, Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater named after S. M. Kirov
• “Othello”, 1944, Leningrad Drama Theater named after. A. S. Pushkina
• “Betrayal of the Nation (Golden Plague)”, 1953, Leningrad Drama Theater named after. A. S. Pushkina
• A. P. Borodin “Prince Igor”, 1954
• “Hamlet”, 1954, Leningrad Drama Theater named after. A. S. Pushkina
• "Night in Toledo" by Lope de Vega (1959–1960), etc.

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Notes

Sources

• Nathan Altman for a retrospective exhibition of works: Painting, Graphics, Sculpture, Applied arts, Theater, cinema, Design of streets and mass spectacles / Compiled by E. D. Kuznetsov. - L.: Artist of the RSFSR, 1968.
• Petrov V. Versatile artist// Creation. - 1969. - No. 10.
• Etkind M. N. Altman. - M., 1971
• Altman N. 1889-1970: Exhibition catalog / Introductory article A. A. Kamensky. - M., 1978.
• State Russian Museum. Painting. First half of the twentieth century. Catalog. A-B. - T. 8. - St. Petersburg: Palace Edition, 1997. - P. 22-25.
• Shishanov V. A. Vitebsk Museum of Modern Art history of creation and collection. 1918-1941. - Minsk: Medisont, 2007. - 144 p.
• Ivanov Vladislav.. - M.: “ART”, 1999.
• Ivanov Vladislav.. - M.: “GITIS”, 2007.
• Large illustrated encyclopedia of painting.. - M.: OLMA Media Group, 2011. - 8 p. - ISBN 978-5-373-03516-3.
• Sarabyanov A. D. Altman Nathan Isaevich // Encyclopedia of Russian avant-garde: art. Architecture / Compiled by V. I. Rakitin, A. D. Sarabyanov; Scientific editor A. D. Sarabyanov. - M.: RA, Global Expert & Service Team, 2013. - T. I: Biographies. A-K. - pp. 16-18. - ISBN 978-5-902801-10-8.

see also

Links

• Order of the Governor of St. Petersburg N 870-r dated 09/07/1998 on installation memorial plaque N.I. Altman.

Excerpt characterizing Altman, Nathan Isaevich

Meanwhile, another column was supposed to attack the French from the front, but Kutuzov was with this column. He knew well that nothing but confusion would come out of this battle that had begun against his will, and, as far as it was in his power, he held back the troops. He didn't move.
Kutuzov rode silently on his gray horse, lazily responding to proposals to attack.
“You’re all about attacking, but you don’t see that we don’t know how to do complex maneuvers,” he said to Miloradovich, who asked to go forward.
“They didn’t know how to take Murat alive in the morning and arrive at the place on time: now there’s nothing to do!” - he answered the other.
When Kutuzov was informed that in the rear of the French, where, according to the Cossacks’ reports, there had been no one before, there were now two battalions of Poles, he glanced back at Yermolov (he had not spoken to him since yesterday).
- They’re asking for an offensive, they’re offering various projects, but as soon as you get down to business, nothing is ready, and the forewarned enemy takes his measures.
Ermolov narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly when he heard these words. He realized that the storm had passed for him and that Kutuzov would limit himself to this hint.
“He’s having fun at my expense,” Ermolov said quietly, nudging Raevsky, who was standing next to him, with his knee.
Soon after this, Ermolov moved forward to Kutuzov and respectfully reported:
- Time has not been lost, your lordship, the enemy has not left. What if you order an attack? Otherwise the guards won’t even see the smoke.
Kutuzov said nothing, but when he was informed that Murat’s troops were retreating, he ordered an offensive; but every hundred steps he stopped for three quarters of an hour.
The whole battle consisted only in what Orlov Denisov’s Cossacks did; the rest of the troops only lost several hundred people in vain.
As a result of this battle, Kutuzov received a diamond badge, Bennigsen also received diamonds and a hundred thousand rubles, others, according to their ranks, also received a lot of pleasant things, and after this battle even new movements were made at headquarters.
“This is how we always do things, everything is topsy-turvy!” - Russian officers and generals said after the Battle of Tarutino, - exactly the same as they say now, making it feel like someone stupid is doing it this way, inside out, but we wouldn’t do it that way. But people who say this either do not know the matter they are talking about or are deliberately deceiving themselves. Every battle - Tarutino, Borodino, Austerlitz - is not carried out as its managers intended. This is an essential condition.
An innumerable number of free forces (for nowhere is a person freer than during a battle, where it is a matter of life and death) influences the direction of the battle, and this direction can never be known in advance and never coincides with the direction of any one force.
If many, simultaneously and variously directed forces act on some body, then the direction of movement of this body cannot coincide with any of the forces; but there will always be an average, shortest direction, what in mechanics is expressed by the diagonal of a parallelogram of forces.
If in the descriptions of historians, especially French ones, we find that their wars and battles are carried out according to a certain plan in advance, then the only conclusion that we can draw from this is that these descriptions are not correct.
The Tarutino battle, obviously, did not achieve the goal that Tol had in mind: in order to bring troops into action according to disposition, and the one that Count Orlov could have had; to capture Murat, or the goals of instantly exterminating the entire corps, which Bennigsen and other persons could have, or the goals of an officer who wanted to get involved and distinguish himself, or a Cossack who wanted to acquire more booty than he acquired, etc. But , if the goal was what actually happened, and what was then for all Russian people common desire(the expulsion of the French from Russia and the extermination of their army), then it will be absolutely clear that the Battle of Tarutino, precisely because of its inconsistencies, was exactly what was needed during that period of the campaign. It is difficult and impossible to imagine any outcome of this battle that would be more expedient than the one it had. With the least tension, with the greatest confusion and with the most insignificant loss, the greatest results of the entire campaign were achieved, the transition from retreat to offensive was made, the weakness of the French was exposed and the impetus that Napoleon’s army had only been waiting for to begin their flight was given.

Napoleon enters Moscow after a brilliant victory de la Moskowa; there can be no doubt about victory, since the battlefield remains with the French. The Russians retreat and give up the capital. Moscow, filled with provisions, weapons, shells and untold riches, is in the hands of Napoleon. Russian army, twice as weak as the French, does not make a single attempt to attack for a month. Napoleon's position is most brilliant. In order to double forces to fall upon the remnants of the Russian army and destroy it, in order to negotiate a favorable peace or, in case of refusal, to make a threatening movement towards St. Petersburg, in order, even in case of failure, to return to Smolensk or Vilna, or to remain in Moscow, - in order, in a word, to maintain the brilliant position in which the French army was at that time, it would seem that no special genius is needed. To do this, it was necessary to do the simplest and easiest thing: to prevent the troops from plundering, to prepare winter clothes, which would be enough in Moscow for the entire army, and to properly collect the provisions that were in Moscow for more than six months (according to the testimony of French historians) for the entire army. Napoleon, this most brilliant of geniuses and who had the power to control the army, as historians say, did nothing of this.
Not only did he not do any of this, but, on the contrary, he used his power to choose from all the paths of activity that were presented to him that which was the stupidest and most destructive of all. Of all the things Napoleon could do: winter in Moscow, go to St. Petersburg, go to Nizhny Novgorod, go back, north or south, the way that Kutuzov later went - well, no matter what you come up with, it’s stupider and more destructive than what Napoleon did, that is, stay in Moscow until October, letting the troops plunder the city, then, hesitating, leave or not leave the garrison, leave Moscow, approach Kutuzov, not start a battle, go to the right, reach Maly Yaroslavets, again without experiencing the chance of breaking through, go not along the road that Kutuzov took, but go back to Mozhaisk and along the devastated Smolensk road - nothing could have been more stupid than this, more destructive for the army, as the consequences showed. Let the most skillful strategists come up with, imagining that Napoleon’s goal was to destroy his army, come up with another series of actions that would, with the same certainty and independence from everything that the Russian troops did, would destroy the entire French army, like what Napoleon did.
The genius Napoleon did it. But to say that Napoleon destroyed his army because he wanted it, or because he was very stupid, would be just as unfair as to say that Napoleon brought his troops to Moscow because he wanted it, and because that he was very smart and brilliant.
In both cases, his personal activity, which did not have more power, than the personal activity of each soldier, only coincided with the laws according to which the phenomenon took place.
It is completely false (only because the consequences did not justify Napoleon’s activities) that historians present to us Napoleon’s forces as weakened in Moscow. He, just as before and after, in the 13th year, used all his skill and strength to do the best for himself and his army. Napoleon's activities during this time were no less amazing than in Egypt, Italy, Austria and Prussia. We do not know truly the extent to which Napoleon’s genius was real in Egypt, where forty centuries they looked at his greatness, because all these great exploits were described to us only by the French. We cannot correctly judge his genius in Austria and Prussia, since information about his activities there must be drawn from French and German sources; and the incomprehensible surrender of corps without battles and fortresses without siege should incline the Germans to recognize genius as the only explanation for the war that was waged in Germany. But, thank God, there is no reason for us to recognize his genius in order to hide our shame. We paid for the right to look at the matter simply and directly, and we will not give up this right.
His work in Moscow is as amazing and ingenious as everywhere else. Orders after orders and plans after plans emanate from him from the time he entered Moscow until he left it. The absence of residents and deputations and the very fire of Moscow do not bother him. He does not lose sight of the welfare of his army, nor the actions of the enemy, nor the welfare of the peoples of Russia, nor the administration of the valleys of Paris, nor diplomatic considerations about the upcoming conditions of peace.

Altman Nathan Isaevich(1889-1970), Russian painter, sculptor and graphic artist, Honored Artist of Russia (1968). IN early period was influenced by avant-gardeism (cubism, etc.). Picturesque portraits (“Anna Akhmatova”, 1914), illustrations, performance design. He made a sculptural portrait from life (1920) and a series of sketches of V.I.

Altman Nathan Isaevich, Russian artist. Addressing the most various types fine arts, went through a difficult path from ancient traditions to the avant-garde, preserving (even during the years of domination socialist realism) commitment to sharp, experimental expressiveness of artistic forms.

"Jewish Revival" and Art Nouveau style

He studied at the Odessa Art School (1902-07) and in private studios in Paris (1910-11). He lived mainly in St. Petersburg (1912-21 and from 1936) and in Moscow (1921-28).

The young master became (like M.Z.) one of the prominent figures of the “Jewish Renaissance,” as it is commonly called, which actively manifested itself in the pre-revolutionary period artistic interest to a new embodiment of the symbols and motifs of the Jewish religious art and folklore. In 1916 he became one of the founders of the Jewish Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. Among his characteristic works of this circle are the graphic cycles “Jewish Graphics” and “Pictures of Nathan Altman” (1914-16), covers of the almanacs “Safrut Collections” (1917) and music editions of the “Culture League” (1918).

The national romance of antiquity was uniquely combined in Altman's art with the exquisite rhythm of modernity. Revealing the internal structure of the image, he consistently moved towards cubism and futurism. His “Portrait of Anna Akhmatova” (1914, Russian Museum) is considered by many to be the best in the iconography of the great poetess: her prim and proud, nervously aloof figure is presented surrounded by crystalline forms, cool in color. In those same years, he also discovered his extraordinary talent as a sculptor, and here he moved from Art Nouveau to Cubo-Futurist style, to a semi-abstract play of rhythmic structures. From 1916 he was a member of the avant-garde Youth Union.

Revolutionary carnival

Avant-garde art directly merged with the revolution, and this union acquired a special scope in Altman’s work. In 1918, he designed a mass performance directed by N. N. Evreinov, organized on the occasion of the first anniversary of the October Revolution. Crowds of extras (mostly soldiers) were called upon to recreate the revolution in the form of a grandiose, as if “cosmically” all-encompassing action, transforming the universe. The futuristic scenery has been transformed historical Center Petrograd ( Palace Square with approaches to it), obscuring and thereby, as it were, “destroying” architectural monuments tsarism (so the foot of the Alexander Pillar was redesigned in the form of a giant bonfire).

However, this “destruction” was frankly carnivalistic and playful in nature. Having demonstrated his loyalty to the new government by working in the Art Department of the People's Commissariat for Education, and also having executed a number of portraits of V.I. Lenin from life in 1920, the master was always a free anarchist at heart. In his futuristic compositions (“Petrocommune”, Russian Museum; “Russia. Labor”; both - 1921) the feeling invariably lives theatrical stage, above which light, floating structures soar. Since that time, Altman has become increasingly active in scenography itself, designing (in 1920-28) performances of the Habima Theater, as well as the State Jewish Theater (Goset) in Moscow.

To Paris and back

Having gone on a European tour with Goseth in 1928, the artist remained in Paris, living there until 1936. In France, his revolutionary, “leftist” avant-gardeism softened, giving way - in the spirit of European fashion of the interwar years - to “Art Deco” trends; his work is now dominated not by “space”, but by chamber, lyrical, genre-everyday or landscape themes

When Altman returned to Soviet Union, during the years of strict socialist realist regulation artistic life his best creative refuge (as well as a number of other Russian masters of a similar romantic-avant-garde temperament) was often scenography. He worked as an artist at the Jewish Chamber, Leningrad Drama named after A. S. Pushkin and other theaters, but at the same time he fruitfully acted as a graphic illustrator (“Petersburg Tales” by N. V. Gogol, 1937), without leaving easel art, including sculptures. During the “thaw-stagnation” years, Altman, as a veteran of the avant-garde, served as a liberating example for creative youth (including thanks to a large retrospective of his works, held in 1968). Left meaningful memories.

Altman Nathan Isaevich
(1889-1970)

Born in the provinces and having lost his father early, N. I. Altman achieved everything on our own and thanks to talent.
He studied at the Odessa Art School (1902-07), but left it, dissatisfied with teaching, and returned to Vinnitsa, where he began to work independently.

At the end of 1910, he managed to go to Paris and stayed there for only eleven months, but the impressions he received were enough for him to complete professional development and determine your path in art. Phenomenal natural sensitivity allowed Altman to quickly pick up and organically assimilate relevant artistic ideas of his time, and a rare innate professionalism - to immediately embody these ideas in an impeccably artistic and elegant, easily perceived form, no matter what field of creativity he turns to.

At the end of 1912, the young artist moved to St. Petersburg, where, uniquely applying the techniques of cubism that had recently emerged in France, in a short time he became one of the most notable painters. The famous “Portrait of the poetess Anna Andreevna Akhmatova” (1914) strengthened his fame. Equally successful were his experiments in sculpture (“Self-Portrait”, 1916), graphics (the cycle “Jewish Graphics” based on tombstone reliefs, 1914) and scenography (the play “The Miracle of St. Anthony” by M. Maeterlinck in the Petrograd literary and artistic club-cafe “Comedians’ Halt”, 1916).

After October revolution Altman, like most artists of the “left” movement, developed an ebullient social activities and he himself worked productively: he performed a number of sculptural works, was engaged in industrial graphics (sketches of postage stamps), created a well-known project for the festive decoration of Uritsky Square (Dvortsovaya) in Petrograd for November 7, 1918, and made a series of expressive portrait sketches V.I. Lenin, published at the same time as an album and which became popular.

He used the techniques of carefully studied and skillfully applied Suprematism in a cycle of non-objective paintings: “Petrocommune”, “Material Selection”, “Russia. Labor” and others (1919-21). But in subsequent years he focused his efforts on graphics - easel (a series of portraits modern writers, 1926-27) and book publishing, in which he quickly managed to develop his own sharp, memorable style.

His work in the theater was especially fruitful. Work with the outstanding director E. B. Vakhtangov on a historical performance based on An-sky’s play “Gadibuk” (theatre-studio “Gabima”, 1921) and then collaboration with GOSET (“Uriel Acosta” by K. Gutskov, 1922; “The Marriage of Truadek” based on the play by J. Romain, 1927, etc.) created his reputation as a major theater artist.

In the spring of 1928, Altman went on tour with the theater to Europe and after the end of the tour he remained in France. Familiarization with the processes taking place in modern French art, prompted him to return to painting. The artist wrote a large number of landscapes and still lifes, in which he subtly and uniquely revived the tradition of impressionism. At the same time, Altman was still a jack of all trades: he perfectly designed several children’s books, prepared very interesting illustrations for “Petersburg Tales” by N.V. Gogol (1933-34, published in 1937) and a series of lithographs on themes of the Old Testament, and He was also involved in interior design and decoration.

Returning to his homeland in 1935, Altman found himself in a difficult political situation of ideological pressure and unfolding terror. His painting did not meet the criteria of the socialist realism being introduced so much that he was forced to abandon it altogether and engage only in scenography and book graphics, where certain specifics of the work to some extent made it possible to avoid ideological quibbles and be less noticeable. Among his creations of that time, decorations for famous Shakespearean plays, staged by Leningrad theaters (GBDT - “King Lear”, 1941; Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin - “Othello”, 1944, “Hamlet”, 1954), costume sketches for the film “Don Quixote” (1955), illustrations to the works of Sholom Aleichem, V. Blasco Ibáñez, E. Castro, E. Zola and others.
IN last years During his life, Altman created several easel painting compositions based on previous theatrical sketches.

silver Age. Portrait gallery cultural heroes turn of the 19th–20th centuries. Volume 1. A-I Fokin Pavel Evgenievich

ALTMAN Nathan Isaevich

ALTMAN Nathan Isaevich

10(22).12.1889 – 12.12.1970

Painter, graphic artist. Participant in exhibitions of the associations “World of Art”, “ Jack of Diamonds" One of the founders of the Jewish Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. Graphic cycles “Jewish Graphics” (1914), “Pictures by Nathan Altman” (1914–1916). Author of the portrait of A. Akhmatova (1914).

“Altman had an Asian face, nimble movements, large cheekbones; he always brought the bustle of life with him, he had a practical mind, but intricate and cheerful; Altman did not like long, principled debates and never participated in any groups, preferring to answer for himself rather than answer for everyone. He had one characteristic gesture - to hold a cigarette holder with a cigarette low between his fingers, with this gesture I will remember him forever.” (N. Punin. Apartment No. 5).

“The eschatological features in his appearance are so large that they are more difficult to see than to notice. He walks among us as a living symbol of the flood. He does not wink or assume a significant air, but, looking at him, everyone knows that in the general destruction this will be saved. His external image strong and complete. He is ominous and difficult, but he captivates us with the impression that there is nowhere to go from him.

...He appeared silently and confidently. One day, artists and painters noticed that their number was one more than before. But this did not arouse much interest. Altman didn’t make any noise, didn’t shout “Me!” Me!“, did not entertain theories. Everything happened extremely calmly and quietly; Perhaps I should say: everything happened in an extremely decent manner. Altman entered someone else's society as if it were his own home and immediately became a being as an equal member.

He did this with such impeccable gravity that everyone instinctively moved to give him space. It seemed that everyone was sure that everyone else, except him, knew the newcomer well, and he, who did not know, was perhaps even to blame for not knowing him. Only two or three people, lowering their voices and leaning towards each other, asked where the young celebrity came from, for, apparently, he was as famous as he was young. But since the questioners were from among sworn biographers and bibliographers, whose cards did not have anything under the word “Altman” and whose interests no one except themselves was interested in, they could not satisfy each other.

...Everyone immediately forgot that he was born in an unknown place and grew up in an unknown place; no one thought it suspicious that he seemed to have no childhood; that they could not name his teachers; that he behaved like a mature artist, never being young; that he was considered an extreme leftist without showing anything of the sort; that in his work he was homerically meager among the general busyness; that no one was able to spy on his mistakes, hesitations and failures; that he was an artist without drafts; that at 23 he was so mysteriously finished; that at 23 he was so strangely museum-like... The magic that filled the air around Altman made everything implausible believable!

...Altman immediately took a place in the most prominent groups; Altman immediately became a member of the most influential circles; Altman immediately came to the attention of the executive press; Altman immediately joined the largest purses of the art exchange. And among all these successes, which his peers wait for years, but receive in grains, he remained calm and silent: as if everything was done besides him and for him; his fate never betrayed him: someone, not he himself, worked hard to get “The Lady with the Dog” into the walls of the Russian Museum; someone—not himself—threatened and roared when the old men of the “World of Art” somehow bypassed him in election; someone was selling it the only one sculpture in the Helsingfors Athenaeum; someone bombarded him with orders, someone did one thing for him, someone did something else for him: someone always paved the way for Altman for Altman.

But it was worth it. In his relationship to art he showed a subtlety that was admirable. He was undoubtedly an alien, he was a Jewish youth from Vinnitsa... he was a half-educated pupil of the Odessa Kostandi, he never finished a single art school, he only visited Paris for a few months in nine hundred and eleven, he only looked there, absorbed and reflected, he was his own teacher and student - but he appeared in St. Petersburg, in the winter of 1912, such an aristocrat from art - an aristocrat European warehouse - that we were all ready to assume behind his back the presence of the most sophisticated genealogy.

... Behind him was just the national ability of the Jew to take on the color and appearance environment. Altman had a gift for Jewish mimicry. His good fortune was that he was gifted with it to perfection. He took on the color of Europe with lightning speed and strength. Having got from Odessa to Paris, Bakhur Nathan Altman immediately became Monsieur Nathan Altman, bypassing the influence of All-Russian St. Petersburg and All-Russian Moscow. He used his Europeanism simply and freely. He arrived in St. Petersburg even in worn- European appearance, as if Europe were his original homeland.

…Petersburg could especially appreciate Altman’s Europeanism; Petersburg appreciated him. Altman still fell into the period of hegemony of the “World of Art,” which, although it was quickly ending, was not over yet. The old people of the “World of Art” were still considered accredited Europeans under the Russian artistic culture; Europeanism was their main hobby. With the advent of Altman, they began to seem old-fashioned and funny.

Altman is a mathematician of art, not a poet. If he has inspiration, it is the inspiration of calculation, not obsession... Altman is depressingly smart, or pleasingly smart - depending on your tastes - but he is always smart! In the same way, he is depressingly lucky, or joyfully lucky - but always lucky!... The organization of his artistic will is amazing. This is not an artist, but an “art businessman” with a stranglehold, not knowing any unsuccessful combinations and remaining a winner in any situation.

To paint a picture means for him to solve an equation in which all the parts are clear to him... Surprise is his worst enemy. He does not tolerate impulses. He doesn't know what creative insomnia means. Mozart’s “Yesterday I was tormented by insomnia” is for him only an ancient curiosity. In the spiritual dispute between Mozart and Salieri, he is on Salieri’s side simply because he is on the side of himself. “I tore apart the music like a corpse” - that’s what is clear and familiar to him down to the finest subtleties.

...When the hour of death comes for Altman, at the end of a long, God willing, strong and challenging life, and the angel of death will put him before the High Throne for God's counting and judgment... God's Justice will say:

“You sinned, but you were a smart sinner... Sit at my right hand!” (A. Efros. Portrait of Nathan Altman).