Vasily Rozhdestvensky

Painter, graphic artist, theatrical designer, teacher. Born in Tula in the family of a priest called Vasily Rozhdestvensky (1884). Studied under Abram Arkhipov, Konstantin Korovin and Valentin Serov at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1900–05, 1906–11). Arrested for revolutionary contacts (1905–06). Inscripted the Russian army (1910). Founding and board member of the Knave of Diamonds (1911), member of the World of Art (1917), Moscow Painters (1925), Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (1926) and the Society of Moscow Artists (1927–29). Joined the reserves with the rank of artillery ensign (1912). Visited Austria and Italy (1912). Sent to the front during the First World War (1914). Taught at the State Free Art Studios in Moscow (1918–20) and Udomlya in Tver Province (1920–22). Designed the sets and costumes for a production of The Snow Maiden at the Maly Theatre (1921–22) and painted landscapes in the Crimea (1923). Lived in Tver Province, where he was a member of the Narkompros study council (1924–25). Painted portraits of folk singers and narrators (1941–45). Died in Moscow (1963). Contributed to exhibitions (from 1907). Contributed to the exhibitions of Leonardo da Vinci at the Moscow Circle of Literature and Art (1907), Moscow Fellowship of Artists (1907), Stephanos (1907), World of Art (1911, 1912, 1917, 1922), Knave of Diamonds (1913, 1914), 1915 (1915), Moscow Painters (1925), Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (1926, 1928), Society of Moscow Artists (1927–29), Die erste russische Kunstausstellung at the Galerie Van Diemen in Berlin (1922), Venice Biennale (1924) and one-man shows entitled Nature and Construction of the USSR (1935), Nature of the North (1940), Portraits of Masters of Folk Creativity (1945) and Nature and Architecture (North, Urals and Asia) (1945) and fiftieth anniversary exhibition (1957).