Aristarkh Lentulov

Painter, theatrical designer, teacher. Studied at the Nikolai Seliverstov School of Art in Penza (1898–1900, 1905–06), under Nikolai Pimonenko at the Kiev School of Art (1900–04), Dmitry Kardovsky’s private studio in St Petersburg (1906–07) and under Henri Le Fauconnier and Jean Metzinger at the Académie de la Palette in Paris (1911). After initially working in Symbolist and Post-Impressionist styles crossed over to Neo-Primitivism (1907–08) and painted in a Cubist manner (from 1911). Lived in Moscow (from 1909). Travelled to Italy and France (1911–12), frequently visited the Crimea. Founding member of the Knave of Diamonds (1910–16), Moscow Painters (1925) and the Society of Moscow Artists (1927, chairman 1929–32), member of the World of Art (from 1910) and the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (from 1926). Worked for theatres in Moscow (1915–42), including the Moscow Chamber Theatre, Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow Soviet Theatre of Opera and the New Theatre. Helped to decorate the streets of Moscow on May Day and the anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution (1918). Designed the lighting for a performance of Alexander Scriabin’s symphonic poem Prométhée at the Bolshoi Theatre (1923). Worked for IZO Narkompros and the Committee of Art and Education of the Moscow Soviet of Workers Deputies (1917–18), member of the academic council of the Institute of Artistic Culture (1919–20). Taught at the State Free Art Studios/VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN (1919–34) and the Moscow Institute of Fine Arts (1932–43). Died in Moscow and buried at the Vagankovo Cemetery (1943). Contributed to exhibitions (from 1906). Contributed to the exhibitions of Wreath-Stephanos (1907–08), Link (1908), Modern Trends in Art (1908), Knave of Diamonds (1910–14, 1916), World of Art (1911, 1912, 1917–18, 1922), Modern Painting (1912), Nadezhda Dobychina Bureau d’Art (1913), 1915 (1915), Exhibition of Pictures of Left-Wing Tendencies (1915), Spring Exhibition of Modern Russian Painting (1916), Society of Young Artists (1919, 1921), Exhibition of Works of Members of the Knave of Diamonds (1927), Artists of the RSFSR Over Fifteen Years (1933), Artists of the Soviet Theatre (1935), exhibitions of Russian and Soviet art in Berlin (1922, 1927, 1930), United States and Canada (1924–25), United States (1929), Brussels (1928), Switzerland (1931) and Königsberg (1932) and the international exhibitions in Venice (1924, 1930) and Paris (1925). One-man shows in Moscow (1933, 1934, 1939).