In memory of P.P. Ossovsky (1925 - 2015)

Russian art suffered a heavy loss - on 1 August in Moscow, the People’s Artist of the RSFSR and the USSR, academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, laureate of the USSR State Prize, holder of the orders for services to the Fatherland, degrees III and IY, Peter Pavlovich Ossovsky died.

P.P. Ossovsky is one of the largest Russian artists who has won widespread public recognition through his active creative activities. The founder of the "severe style" in painting, he boldly opposed the official art of that time and found his own individual pictorial language in tune with the era. Already at the end of the fifties of the XX century, the painting of P.P. Ossovsky took an important place in Russian art.

P.P. Ossovsky was born in the village of Malaya Viska, Kirovograd region of Ukraine in 1925. In 1940 - 1944 - Studying at the Moscow secondary art school, which during the Great Patriotic War was evacuated to Bashkiria. In 1950 he graduated from the Moscow State Art Institute. IN AND. Surikov in the workshop of Professor S.V. Gerasimova. From 1950 to 1951 taught painting at the Moscow secondary art school.

More than sixty years P.P. Ossovsky with unremitting energy participated in the artistic life of the country, conducted intensive and fruitful creative work, creating new works that were shown at all major art exhibitions in our country and abroad. Many times passed his solo exhibitions.

Since the end of the last century in P.P. Ossovsky was outlined and strengthened a new direction, which can be defined as the creation of a kind of picturesque memoirs in which the artist again turned to the events of past years. Such are the series of his works: “Land of Ancient Pskov”, “Bulgaria”, “Slovakia”, “Czech Republic”, “Poland”, “Slavic Portraits”, “Images of Mexico and Cuba”, “The Tale of Lake Baikal”.

The art of Ossovsky harmoniously combined the experience of a wise master and the keen perception of life inherent in a young artist who opens the world. P.P. Ossovsky devoted his whole life to the creation of one large-scale epic narrative dedicated to the significant dates of Russia, its heroic and tragic pages, Russian people and their native land.

The artist found his spiritual homeland on the land of ancient Pskov with its pristine beauty and severe epic grandeur, amazing nature and courageous people, which was reflected in many of his thematic paintings. In portrait portraits: “Ascetic”, “Pskovityanka”, “Huntsman Michael”, “Vasilisa”, “Siberian Watchman”, “Mother and Father”, he noticed features that testify to the moral purity of the Russian person, the integrity of the person, about serving his land and faith in your destiny. Of particular importance is the self-portrait series, which the master wrote throughout his life. The most recent of them is “Self-portrait. White Square of the canvas ”, in which the artist concluded serious thoughts about the fate of the creative person in society, its role and significance.

Since the late 1990s, P.P. Ossovsky, who received a particularly strong sound in the image of nature. The landscapes of recent years are distinguished by dramatic images, spiritual depth, poetry. The artist created landscapes, paintings, gaining a solemnly sublime sound, in which powerful plastic and great emotional strength merged together.

In 2012, in connection with the celebration of the 1150th anniversary of the founding of the city - the fortress of Izborsk, one of the oldest Russian cities that defended the northern borders of Russia from numerous invasions from the West, P.P. Ossovsky created murals of the Izborsk Chamber. These murals, dedicated to Russian literature and the Orthodox faith, were a worthy end to the artist’s many years of artistic life on historical Pskov land. The composition of the paintings included 17 originals dedicated to the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin, the founder of Russian literature, and the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, who brought to this land the Orthodox faith and the foundations of Russian statehood. Russia has always stood on the mighty spiritual strongholds of the Orthodox Faith and the great Russian Word.

A few years ago P.P. Ossovsky donated 15 original murals on the theme “The Russian Chamber” to the Yegoryevsky Museum of History and Art.

The ninetieth anniversary of the master was marked by the opening of a large personal exhibition of works in the halls of the Russian Academy of Arts. P.P. Ossovsky remained faithful to the ideals of youth, a special serious look at the phenomena and events in the life of the country, believed in its great future and with his art recognized his love for the glorious history, culture and nature of Russia, its heroic courageous people. The paintings of the painter were getting closer to iconic images.

Art P.P. Ossovsky is deeply national and at the same time addressed to all people of different countries, it is highly appreciated by the Russian and foreign art community. He was awarded the orders of the Badge of Honor, Friendship, the Order of Honor, the Order of Cyril and Methodius 1st Class (Bulgaria), the gold medal of the Russian Academy of Arts and the gold medal of the Italian Academy of Arts.

The life and work of Peter Pavlovich Ossovsky is a vivid example of selfless service to the Fatherland.

Eternal memory to him.

Farewell to the artist will be held on August 4 in Izborsk.

The funeral service is at 11.00 in the St. Nicholas Cathedral of Izborsk Fortress (13 Pechorskaya St.). The funeral is at 12.00 on Truvorovoy hillfort.

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