Alexander Benois: brief biography and creativity

The famous Russian artist Alexander Nikolayevich Benois (1870-1960) was born in a well-known family, where he had eight other children besides him. Mother Camilla Albertovna Benoit (Kavos) was a musician by education. Father is a famous architect.

Alexander Benois, biography (short): childhood and youth

Childhood of the future artist was held in St. Petersburg. In the same place, he enrolled in the private gymnasium of Karl May, which at different times was finished by 25 representatives of the genus Benoit. Upon completion of the classical education, Alexander continued his studies at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University and simultaneously attended classes at the Academy of Fine Arts. In addition, in his student years, the young Benois showed himself as a writer and art critic, adding Mutter's book "The History of European Art" with a chapter on Russian art. In the period from 1896 to 1898, Alexander Benois lived and worked in France. It was there that they wrote the Versailles Series.

"World of Art"

In 1898 together with S.P. Diaghilev Alexander Benua organized the association "World of Art", which issued the same-name edition. It included such famous artists as Lancere, Diaghilev and Bakst. The participants of the association organized exhibitions in which Roerich, Vrubel, Serov, Bilibin, Vasnetsov, Korovin and Dobuzhinsky took part. However, not all eminent artists favorably treated the "World of Art". In particular, Repin was not very fond of this company, and Benois himself called him a half-educated, bibliographer and custodian of the Hermitage, although he took part in exhibitions.

"Russian seasons"

In 1905, Alexander Benois went to France. There, including his initiative, the ballet troupe "Russian Seasons" was formed, headed by Diaghilev. Benois was her artistic director and in 1911 created the world-famous scenery for the opera "Petrushka" by Stravinsky. And few know that the artist not only designed the play, but also helped write a libretto for the opera.

Return to Russia

In 1910, the artist published a "Guide to the Hermitage". This publication became the pinnacle of his work as an art critic. A few years later, Alexander Benois bought a plot of land on his own money in the Crimea, in the city of Sudak, where he built a dacha where he rested and worked. Pictures and sketches made there are kept in many museums in Russia. In the Soviet period, after his departure to France, when it became clear that Benois would not return, the archive kept in the Crimean house of the artist was transferred to the Russian Museum, and personal belongings and furniture were auctioned off.

Life in Soviet Russia

After the Revolution, on the recommendation of Gorky, Alexander Benois, whose photo is presented below, worked in the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, headed the Hermitage and was engaged in decorating performances in many theaters: the Mariinsky, the Alexandrinsky and the Bolshoi Drama Theater.

However, what was happening in the country was very frustrating for the artist. From the report of A. V. Lunacharsky dated 09.03.1921, in reply to secret inquiry No. 2444, it followed that at the beginning of the revolution he supported the changes, but later was distressed by life troubles and expressed dissatisfaction with the communists controlling the museum work. Further, the People's Commissar wrote that Benoit was not a friend of the new government, but as the director of the Hermitage, he provided immense services to the country and art. Lunacharsky's resume sounded like this: for professional qualities, the artist is valuable, and he must be protected.

Departure

The ambivalent attitude towards the new government predetermined the further life and work of Benoit. "The Wedding of Figaro" is the last performance in Leningrad's BDT, set by the artist before leaving the country.

In 1926, on the recommendation of Lunacharsky Alexander Benois, whose biography in recent years is full of tragic events, went on a business trip to work at the Grand Opera in France. Sending him to Paris, the People's Commissar understood perfectly what was going on in his soul. Benois was going to return to Russia after work, but Lunacharsky himself arrived in Paris in late June 1927. From the artist's letter to F.F. Northau follows that it was the People's Commissar who persuaded him not to return to his homeland. In a friendly conversation, he said that there was no funding and conditions for his work and advised him to wait in France until the situation changed.

So Benoit no longer returned to Russia.

last years of life

Biography of Alexander Benois continued to be written already far from the Motherland, but in Paris by this time was the majority of his friends and like-minded people. The artist continued to work, decorated scenery in many theaters, wrote books and paintings. Later they worked together with his son Nikolai and daughter Elena. Alexander Benois died in Paris in 1960, a little before he reached the 90th jubilee. He left a huge number of works, publications and memoirs. Throughout his life, Alexander Benois, whose biography and work was inseparably linked with Russia, remained her ardent patriot and tried to make her culture popular all over the world.

Personal life

Alexander Benois was married. In the marriage the children were born: daughter Elena and son Nikolay. Both artists. N. Benois in 1924, at the invitation of the National Opera left for France. Then he moved to Italy, where for many years (from 1937 to 1970) was the director of the production section in Milan's La Scala. He was engaged in design of productions, many of which he did with his father, he worked in many well-known theaters of the world, he arranged plays for three seasons at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. Daughter Elena left Soviet Russia with her father to Paris in 1926. She was a famous painter, and her two pictures were acquired by the French government. Among her works there is a portrait of B.F. Shalyapin and Z.E. Silver.

In memory of the famous artist, who made a great contribution to the theatrical art, an international ballet prize bearing his name was established. In Peterhof there is an exposition dedicated to him personally.