Ivan Miasoiedov

What? - Myasoyedov Ivan Grigorovich

Description

   Ivan Miasoiedov is a Ukrainian artist, graphic artist and representative of modernism, closely associated with Poltava, where he spent a significant part of his life and work. The son of the prominent itinerant artist Hryhorii Miasoiedov and the artist Ksenia Ivanova, he grew up in an atmosphere of artistic tradition, but Ivan Miasoiedov's relationship with his famous father was complex and marked by contradictions. Hryhorii is a recognized master of academic painting, raised his son in strict discipline and had high expectations for him. He saw his son's future as a continuation of his own traditions and sought to instill in him a classical approach to art.
   However, Ivan showed a penchant for experiments and an interest in new artistic directions that ran counter to his father's traditional views. Hryhorii Miasoiedov's desire to control his son's creative and life development often turned into conflicts, which further exacerbated the distance between them. Ivan experienced these contradictions painfully, trying to find his own way in art and life.
   These difficult relationships left an imprint on the personality of Ivan Miasoiedov and his work, which became a kind of rebellion against traditions and canons. The desire for freedom and inner independence from parental influence was manifested in his avant-garde works, where he boldly experimented with forms and styles. The sense of protest and the search for individuality became the central motives of his creative life, and Poltava provided him with space for self-expression and distancing himself from parental expectations.
   During 1884-1895, Miasoiedov Jr. received his initial art education at an art school organized by his father in Poltava. He also studied at the Poltava Olexandrovskyi real school.
    In 1889, Ivan's sister, Olena, was born in the Miasoiedov family, who, unfortunately, died at the age of two. In the same year, Hryhorii Miasoiedov bought a manor in the Poltava suburb of Pavlenky, which was to become a new stage in the life of the family. However, Ivan's relationship with his father continued to be strained.

   For some time, Hryhorii sent his son to be raised by the family of his friend, the landscape painter Olexandr Kyseliov, and after his return, he settled him with his mother at the country house in Pavlenky. Ivan lived separately from his father and practically did not communicate with him. He occupied a small outbuilding, located at a distance from the main house, which further emphasized their alienation.
    From 1896 to 1901, Ivan Miasoiedov studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he showed himself as a capable student. He actively participated in student art exhibitions, demonstrating a bold approach to art and a penchant for new artistic directions. Even while studying at the school, Ivan Miasoiedov became interested in strength sports. He developed his interest by joining the St. Petersburg Athletic Society of Count George Riboppierre. Ivan achieved considerable success in weightlifting: at the All-Russian Championship of 1909, he won second place in the middle weight category, performing under the pseudonym "De Krasats".
    In 1899, Ivan Miasoiedov suffered a heavy loss - his mother, Ksenia, died. This became another test in his life, which was already full of internal conflicts and searches for himself.
    In 1911, after the death of Hryhorii Miasoiedov's father, Ivan returned to Poltava. This marked a new stage in his life: returning home symbolized a certain break and change of direction, as he now had the opportunity to live and create without parental influence, focusing on his own creativity and finding new ways.
    In 1912–1913, Ivan Miasoiedov organized posthumous exhibitions of his father's works and his collected collections in Poltava with their total sale, continued to work as an artist and at the same time performed in the circus as a professional wrestler and weightlifter.

   Ivan built his own two-story estate in the Italian style on the territory of his father's estate in Pavlenky (now the Poltava Gravimetric Observatory of the Institute of Geophysics named after S. I. Subbotin is located in the building). Where he settled with his wife, Malvina Vernici, an Italian dancer and circus performer.
    In Poltava, the artist led an active life. In addition to painting, he made a series of photographs on historical and ancient themes. He starred naked in the image of gods and heroes. On his initiative, the artistic and philosophical association "Garden of the Gods" was founded in Pavlenky. In Poltava, people still remember how Ivan Miasoiedov shocked the local society by appearing at the traditional costumed carnival in the Noble Assembly in the image of the ancient god of art. Dressed only in sandals, a loincloth and a wreath of roses, Ivan won the undisputed victory for best costume.
    During the civil war, Ivan Miasoiedov, together with his wife and daughter Isabella, was forced to leave Poltava. When the Soviet troops entered the city, museum workers searched Ivan Miasoiedov's house for his paintings, because he could not take all his works with him. It was not possible to find anything for a long time, but when the searchers knocked on all the walls, they managed to find a hiding place in one of them, where paintings and photos were skillfully hidden.
    Thus, leaving his father's estate, Ivan Miasoiedov obviously intended to return, leaving valuables here. However, he never returned to Poltava. The family lived in Crimea for three years, and then emigrated to Europe. After changing several countries, they settled in Berlin, where Ivan Miasoiedov continued his creative work and became famous as a portraitist. Twice served a sentence for counterfeiting. In 1938, with fake passports in the name of Czech citizens Yevgen and Malvina Zotov, the family settled in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Miasoiedov became a court artist, created portraits of members of the local princely house and sketches of postage stamps. In 1946, the Zotovs' forged documents were discovered and they were stripped of their citizenship, and later Ivan was again imprisoned for counterfeiting money. In 1953, the Miasoiedovs/Zotovs moved to Argentina. During the trip, the artist fell seriously ill and on July 27, 1953, three months after arriving in Buenos Aires, he died of liver cancer.
    The preserved creative heritage of Ivan Miasoiedov is about 4,000 works, including: paintings, sketches, etchings, photographs, fabrics, postage stamps and documents.
    The largest collection of Ivan Miasoiedov's early works in Ukraine is kept in the Poltava Art Museum (art gallery) named after Mykola Yaroshenko.
    Poltava remains an important point in the history of Ivan Miasoiedov's life and work. The city of his time became for him an important space for creative realization and inner freedom. Here he created many original and iconic works, leaving his mark on the artistic and cultural life of Poltava, and also contributed to the development of Ukrainian modernism. His works continue to inspire and intrigue researchers and art connoisseurs across Europe.

 

 

Speciality

In 1992, the Yevhen Zotov-Ivan Miasoiedov Foundation was established in Liechtenstein, which owns almost 3,200 exhibits.