Literary and historical notes of a young technician. Alexander Benois painting “Towards the simplest and truest images of reality”

- (1870 1960), artist, art historian and art critic. Son of N. L. Benois, brother of A. N. Benois. One of the organizers and ideological leaders of the World of Art association, creator of the magazine of the same name. In painting, graphics, theatrical works... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Son of Prof. architecture Nikolai Leontievich B., b. in 1870 After completing a course at the Faculty of Law in St. Petersburg. University devoted himself entirely to art. He lived in Paris for a long time, from where he made artistic trips to Brittany, Normandy,... ... Large biographical encyclopedia

Benois, Alexander Nikolaevich- Alexander Nikolaevich Benois. BENOIS Alexander Nikolaevich (1870 1960), Russian artist, art historian and art critic. Since 1926 in France. Ideologist of the World of Art. In painting, graphics, theatrical works (Versailles series, 1905... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (1870 1960), Russian artist, art historian, art critic. Son of N. L. Benois. I studied on my own. In 1896-98 and 1905-1907 he worked in France. One of the organizers and ideological leader of the association and the magazine World of Art.... ... Art encyclopedia

Benois Alexander Nikolaevich- (18701960), painter and graphic artist, art historian, art critic. Son of N. L. Benois, brother of L. N. Benois. Born in St. Petersburg. He studied at the Faculty of Law of the University (189094), studied painting and drawing independently under... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"

- (1870 1960) Russian artist, art historian and art critic. Son of N. L. Benois. Ideologist of the World of Art. In painting, graphics, theatrical works (Versailles series; illustrations for the Bronze Horseman by A. S. Pushkin, 1903 22) subtly ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Russian artist, art historian, art critic. Son of the architect N. L. Benois. He studied art on his own. Lived in St. Petersburg. In 1896-98 and 1905-07 he worked in France. One of… … Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (1870 1960), painter and graphic artist, art historian, art critic. Son of N. L. Benois, brother of L. N. Benois. Born in St. Petersburg. He studied at the Faculty of Law of the University (1890 94), studied painting and drawing independently under... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

See the article by Benoit (L.N., A.N.) ... Biographical Dictionary

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Books

• History of painting of all times and peoples. In 4 volumes, Benois Alexander Nikolaevich. The personality of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois is striking in its scale. For the first time in the history of Russian aesthetic thought, he substantiated the national identity and international connections of the Russian...
• Diary 1918-1924, Benois Alexander Nikolaevich. The diaries of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois (1870 - 1960), covering the years 1918-1924, have never been published before. Famous and fashionable painter, authoritative critic and art historian, respected...

Nikolai Leontievich Benois was born on July 1, 1813 in St. Petersburg in the family of the court head waiter Louis Jules Benois. His godmother was Empress Maria Feodorovna. Nikolai received his primary education at the Petropavlovsk school (“Petershule”). At the age of fourteen he entered the Academy of Arts. His graduation work at the Academy was a project for the School of Law, for which on September 27, 1836, Nikolai Benois received a Grand Gold Medal, was awarded a sword and the right to travel abroad to continue his studies.

Before traveling abroad, Nikolai Benois had to undergo construction practice. He worked as a draftsman for the architect K. A. Ton. Nikolai Benois participated in the construction of the Church of the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment in St. Petersburg, and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

In June 1840, the young architect went abroad, where he visited Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and England. He returned to St. Petersburg in 1846 and was immediately enlisted in the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty. In 1847, Benoit received the title of academician.

The first major building of Nicholas Benois was the Gothic stables in Peterhof, built by personal order of Nicholas I. For this work he was awarded the Order of Stanislav, fourth degree. In 1850, he was appointed chief architect under the Peterhof Palace Administration. At the same time, he began the construction of maids of honor buildings near the Great Peterhof Palace. He also built the building of the Peterhof station, which became the first station in Russia built in the Gothic style. Simultaneously with this station, Benoit built station pavilions at stations in Strelna, Sergievo and Krasnoe Selo. Together with A.K. Kavos, Nikolai Benois built a post office building, also designed in the Gothic style. In addition, in Peterhof the architect built a chapel on Trade Square, a waiter's house, a court hospital and an almshouse.

In 1857, Nikolai Leontievich Benois received the title of professor at the Academy of Arts. In 1859-1960, according to his project, a major reconstruction of the Big Grotto and Cascade, the Samsonovsky Bucket and Canal, the fountains of the eastern part of the Lower Park, and the Marlinsky Cascade were carried out. In 1857, the architect completed his work related to Peterhof.

In 1863, Nikolai Benois was appointed chief architect of the imperial theaters, replacing A.K. Kavos in this post. The architect's first job in this position was the theater in Helsingfors (now Helsinki). With his participation, the Alexandrinsky Theater was rebuilt, the Mariinsky Theater was built, and a summer wooden theater was built in Pavlovsk.

During the reign of Alexander II, the architect began to receive fewer and fewer government orders. The new emperor conducted more economical activities. At this time, Nikolai Benois began working on private orders. For the Sheremetevs, the architect built a new courtyard wing of the Sheremetev Palace on the Fontanka. According to his design, the house of Prince Kasatkin-Rostovsky (Moika River embankment, 84), the Schultz house on Liteiny Prospekt, the Kreber house on the corner of Ryleev and Mayakovsky streets (then Spasskaya and Nadezhdinskaya, respectively), and a farm in the Ulyanka estate on Peterhofskoye Highway were built. , the house of the Land Loan Society on the Admiralteyskaya Embankment (together with A.I. Krakau), the arrest house in the Aleksandronevskaya part (together with A.R. Geshvend).

Due to the reduced volume of orders, Nikolai Benois had the opportunity to engage in active social activities. In 1868, he proposed his candidacy for the City Duma, and since then he has been elected there every four years. He soon became a member of the City Building Commission, which later became the City Council. In April 1873, he became head of its construction department. All city projects passed through Benoit. In 1890-1893, the architect was chairman of the St. Petersburg Society of Architects.

Nikolai Leontievich Benois died on December 11, 1898. He was buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery on the Vyborg side, in the Church of St. Mary, which he built. Nikolai Leontievich Benois became the founder of the creative Benois dynasty, from which famous artists, architects and art critics emerged.

Benois Alexander Nikolaevich (1870-1960) graphic artist, painter, theater artist, publisher, writer, one of the authors of the modern image of the book. Representative of Russian Art Nouveau.

A. N. Benois was born into the family of a famous architect and grew up in an atmosphere of reverence for art, but did not receive an art education. He studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University (1890-94), but at the same time independently studied the history of art and was engaged in drawing and painting (mainly watercolors). He did this so thoroughly that he was able to write a chapter on Russian art for the third volume of “The History of Painting in the 19th Century” by R. Muter, published in 1894.

They immediately started talking about him as a talented art critic who upended established ideas about the development of Russian art. In 1897, based on impressions from his trips to France, he created his first serious work - a series of watercolors "The Last Walks of Louis XIV", showing himself in it to be an original artist.

The last walks of Louis XIV

Masquerade under Louis 14. 1898

The King's Walk. 1906

from the series “The Last Walks of Louis 14th”. 1898

Repeated trips to Italy and France and copying artistic treasures there, studying the works of Saint-Simon, Western literature of the 17th-19th centuries, and interest in ancient engravings formed the foundation of his artistic education. In 1893, Benoit acted as a landscape painter, creating watercolors of the environs of St. Petersburg. In 1897-1898, he painted a series of landscape paintings of the Versailles parks in watercolors and gouache, recreating in them the spirit and atmosphere of antiquity.

Versailles. 1906

Versailles. Trianon Garden. 1906

Versailles. Alley. 1906

Title of the painting: Cemetery. 1896-97

Title of the painting: Carnival on the Fontanka

He worked no less fruitfully as an art historian: he published the widely known book “Russian Painting in the 19th Century” in two editions (1901, 1902), significantly revising his early essay for it; began publishing serial publications “Russian School of Painting” and “History of Painting of All Times and Peoples” (1910-17; publication was interrupted with the beginning of the revolution) and the magazine “Art Treasures of Russia”; created the wonderful “Guide to the Hermitage Art Gallery” (1911).

Peterhof. Big cascade. 1901-17

Rey embankment in Basel in the rain. 1902

Summer Garden under Peter the Great. 1902

Oranienbaum. Japanese garden. 1902

From the world of fantasy. 1904

Pavilion. 1906

Marquise's bath. 1906

Wedding walk. 1906

History decisively predominated in the work of Benoit the artist. Two topics invariably attracted his attention: “Petersburg XVIII - early XIX centuries.” and "France of Louis XIV". He turned to them primarily in his historical compositions - in two “Versailles series” (1897, 1905-06), in the well-known paintings “Parade under Paul I” (1907)

Parade under Paul I. 1907

One of his highest achievements was the scenery for I. F. Stravinsky's ballet "Petrushka" (1911). Soon Benois began collaborating with the Moscow Art Theater, where he successfully designed two performances based on the plays of J.-B. Moliere (1913) and for some time even participated in the management of the theater along with K. S. Stanislavsky and V. I. Nemirovich-Danchenko.

Italian comedy. "Love Note" 1907

Bertha (costume design by V. Komissarzhevskaya). 1907

Evening. 1905-06

After the revolution of 1917, Benoit took an active part in the work of various organizations, mainly related to the protection of monuments of art and antiquities, and from 1918 he also took up museum work - he became the head of the Hermitage Picture Gallery. He developed and successfully implemented a completely new plan for the general exhibition of the museum, which contributed to the most expressive demonstration of each work.

At the beginning of the 20th century. Benois illustrates the works of Pushkin A.S. Acts as a critic and art historian. In the 1910s, people became the center of the artist’s interests.

Herman in front of the countess’s windows (screen saver for Pushkin’s “The Queen of Spades”). 1911

The artist entered the history of Russian book graphics with his book “The ABC in the Paintings of Alexandre Benois” (1905) and illustrations for “The Queen of Spades” by A. S. Pushkin, executed in two versions (1899, 1910), as well as wonderful illustrations for “The Bronze Horseman” ", to three versions of which he devoted almost twenty years of work (1903-22).

illustration for Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”. 1904

Sketch of the frontispiece for A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”

Towards the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Benoit again returned to the landscapes of Peterhof, Oranienbaum, and Pavlovsk. It glorifies the beauty and grandeur of 18th century architecture. The artist is interested in nature mainly in its connection with history. Possessing a pedagogical gift and erudition, at the end of the 19th century. organized the World of Art association, becoming its theoretician and inspirer. He worked a lot in book graphics. He often appeared in print and published his “Artistic Letters” (1908-16) every week in the newspaper “Rech”.

Peterhof. Flower beds under the Grand Palace. 1918

Peterhof. Lower fountain at the Cascade. 1942

Peterhof. Main fountain. 1942

From 1926 he lived in Paris, where he died. The artist's main works: "The King's Walk" (1906), "Fantasy on the Versailles Theme" (1906), "Italian Comedy" (1906), illustrations for the Bronze Horseman by A.S. Pushkin. (1903) and others.

// Alexander Benois paintings

Biography of Benoit

Benois Alexander Nikolaevich (1870-1960) - great Russian artist, historian of world art. In his works, Benoit very accurately conveyed the style and mood of past centuries. A native of Russia, since 1926 the artist moved to France, lived and died there. Alexander Nikolaevich always felt a certain love for the old times, he drew inspiration for his paintings from relative antiquity, an example of this would be the painting: The Last Walks of Louis XIV. In addition, Benoit is a theater director (The Queen of Spades, Armida Pavilion, Petrushka) and an illustrator in various publications.

As a historian of world and Russian art, Benois made his debut with the publication of the book: History of 19th Century Painting. Then there were other books (History of Russian painting, Russian school of painting, etc.).

In 1896, Alexander and his friends went to Paris, with which he fell completely and completely in love. Here he also, without betraying his traditions, paints pictures of the past. His works in Russia and France are a modern person’s view of what happened hundreds of years before. My view of friendship between times and countries is connected precisely with his paintings. Benoit was criticized a lot by, as he called them, “greyhound writers,” but he did not change his positions and thereby earned universal gratitude for his correctness and his art.

As they said earlier, the life of the artist Alexandre Benois was cut short in Paris. Despite the fact that he spent the last years of his life in France, according to the artist, the memory of his homeland, where he took an active part in many artistic events, one way or another related to art, remained with him until the end of his life and were his most precious memories.

Alexander Benois paintings

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Alexander Nikolaevich Benois. Portrait by Leon Bakst

Alexander Nikolaevich Benois is a major art critic, painter, publisher and author of magnificent illustrations, writer and theater artist, one of the founders of Russian Art Nouveau.

Biography of the artist Alexandre Benois

Artist Alexander Nikolaevich Benois was born in 1870, in St. Petersburg, in the family of the famous architect Nikolai Leontievich Benois. In the family of the future artist, art was simply revered, but the parents insisted that their son enter St. Petersburg University and become a lawyer.

While studying at the university, Alexander Nikolaevich independently studied art history, took up drawing, and mastered watercolor painting. History is silent about what kind of lawyer Benoit was. In 1894 (the year Alexander graduated from university), the third volume of “The History of Painting in the 19th Century” by R. Muter was published. This volume includes a chapter on Russian art, authored by Alexandre Benois.

And they immediately started talking about Alexander Nikolaevich as a most talented art critic who simply overturned established ideas about the development of Russian art.

In 1897, after trips to France, Alexandre Benois presented to the public the first series of his watercolors under the general theme “The Last Walks of Louis XIV.” The public was completely delighted, and critics started talking about the emergence of a new, talented, original artist.

In 1893, Benoit painted a series of watercolor landscapes of the outskirts of St. Petersburg. It must be said that his landscapes are more a tribute to history than to nature. The artist is more fascinated by historical figures, architecture, and costume. And nature serves only as a magnificent decoration for the events depicted by the painter.

From 1897 to 1898, Benoit painted a series of watercolor paintings about the parks of Versailles. And again, critics speak not about the splendor of nature, but about the clearly recreated spirit of bygone times, the atmosphere of a beautiful, magnificent past.

The next big theme in the artist’s work is Peterhof, Oranienbaum and Pavlovskoye. And again the grandeur of architecture, fountains, parks and history.

At the end of the nineteenth century, Alexander Benois created the “World of Art” association, in which he became the main theorist and inspirer, wrote a lot, appeared in print and became the author of the weekly “Art Letters” in the newspaper “Rech”.

Benoit also does not forget about the history of art - in 1901 and 1902 the widely known book “Russian Painting in the 19th Century” was published. The publisher Benoit begins publishing the series “Russian School of Painting” and “History of Painting of All Times and Peoples.” The production of these series ceased, for obvious reasons, in 1917.

There was also the magazine “Artistic Treasures of Russia” and the magnificent “Guide to the Hermitage Art Gallery”. And all this was done with the most active and direct participation (and under the leadership) of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois.

There was also a passion for book graphics and the creation of illustrations for a number of works by A.S. Pushkin. And the works of the magnificent theatrical artist Benoit. He created sketches of costumes and scenery for theatrical performances, ballets and operas. I will not bore you with a list of everything that has been done in this field - for some artists, theatrical creativity alone would be more than enough to last a lifetime. What is it worth to participate in the management of the Moscow Art Theater together with K.S. Stanislavsky and V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko!

The revolution of 1917 with an iron hand crossed out a huge number of projects and undertakings of Alexander Nikolaevich Benois, and he began working in a variety of organizations that tried to preserve monuments of antiquity and art.

Since 1918, Benoit was in charge of the Hermitage art gallery and developed a new plan for the general exhibition of the museum, which was noticed and noted by the art lovers still remaining in Russia.

Since 1926, the artist has lived and worked in Paris. He practically doesn’t paint anymore – he’s simply consumed by longing for his homeland. Sketches of costumes and scenery for Diaghilev’s theater, participation in the creation of theatrical productions...

And memoirs. Just the most valuable memories and thoughts about people, events, art.

The artist died in February 1960. Buried in Paris.