About unknown Montparnasse put in a word. Alec Epstein’s New Book

MOSCOW. The publishing house "New Literary Review" published a book by cultural scientist Alec D. Epstein, "Forgotten Heroes of Montparnasse."

For graduates of the Russian Academy of Arts, the best way to promote their talent was a retirement trip to Italy. Despite the impressive expenses, no one had doubts about the expediency of such a scholarship for studying acquaintance with the masterpieces of painting, sculpture, architecture. Gold medal fellows could spend in the homeland of Michelangelo and Raphael from three to six years, receiving considerable lifting and annual.

New trends in painting and sculpture, a departure from academism influenced geographical preferences. By the end of the 19th century, the Parisian region of Montparnasse became a place of attraction for representatives of bohemia from different parts of the globe. Artists, inspired by the revolutionary works of innovators (impressionists, symbolists, post-impressionists, pointillists), now sought to get into the capital of France, whose atmosphere favored the birth of new art. Here you could learn a lot in numerous private schools and gain a chance for a successful career.

The students of one of the most famous - Julian Academy - were Henri Matisse, Felix Vallotton, Eduard Vuillard, Emil Nolde, Marcel Duchamp, Alfons Mucha, Eugene Lansere, Alexander Kuprin, Lev Bakst, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Igor Grabar. The branch at rue du Vivienne opened its doors to women who had previously been deprived of the opportunity to study painting because of the hypocritical rules of state educational institutions, which did not allow the fair sex to attend classes with the participation of nudity. Among the students of Academie Julian were Anna Golubkina, Maria Bashkirtseva, Anna Bilinskaya, Paula Moderson-Becker, Kete Kolwitz. Education without a drill and strict discipline by famous artists, the need to pass the exorbitant French language exam for most foreigners, with the possibility of participating in exhibitions.

Young artists no longer had to rely on financial support from the state. The generosity of the sculptor Alfred Boucher, the creator of the famous phalanx for the creative bohemian “Hive” (La Ruche) helped a considerable number of talented, but not too wealthy people. Writers and artists here found support, shelter and opportunities for work, almost without paying for it.

Culturologist Alec D. Epstein in the book "Forgotten Heroes of Montparnasse", published by the publishing house "New Literary Review", talks about the fate of talented artists, immigrants from the Russian Empire, most of them of Jewish origin. About those who managed to succeed, and about those who were waiting for the sad ending, death during the Holocaust or leaving in an undeserved shadow. Epstein also recalls those who fraught with genius and losers: Sergei Diaghilev, Gertrude Stein, Bert Weil, Sergey Schukin, Maxim Vinavera and many others.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru