Pavel Kuznetsov

Painter, graphic artist, theatrical designer, teacher. Husband of Elena Bebutova. Studied under Vasily Konovalov and Ettore Salvini-Baracci at the school of drawing of the Saratov Society of Lovers of the Fine Arts (1891–96), under Nikolai Kasatkin, Abram Arkhipov, Leonid Pasternak and then Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1897–1904) and at private studios and the Académie Colarossi in Paris (1906). Sailed down the River Volga from Simbirsk to Saratov with Pyotr Utkin (1900) and collaborated with Pyotr Utkin and Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin on frescoes for the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Saratov, which were considered blasphemous and rejected by the Russian Orthodox Church (1902). Influenced by Valery Bryusov and the Symbolists (1902), travelled across north Russia. Collaborated with Nikolai Sapunov on the sets for Richard Wagner’s opera Die Walküre at the Bolshoi Theatre (1902), worked with Alexander Tairov at the Moscow Chamber Theatre (1914–15). Helped to organise such Symbolist exhibitions as Crimson Rose in Saratov (1904) and Blue Rose in Moscow (1907). Travelled across the Crimea (1907), Volga steppe (1908) and Central Asia (1912–13) with Elena Bebutova. Collaborated with the Art and Golden Fleece magazines (1905–09). Member of the World of Art (from 1902), Union of Russian Artists (from 1907), Free Aesthetics (1907) and Four Arts (1924–31, chairman). Worked alongside Pyotr Utkin, Alexander Matveyev and Victor Zamirailo on the design and decoration of collector Jacob Zhukovsky’s villa and park at his estate of Novy Kuchuk-Koi in the Crimea (1909–14). Taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1916–18), Stroganov School of Art and Industry (1917–18), State Free Art Studios/VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN/Moscow Institute of Art (1918–37), Institute for Raising the Qualifications of Artists (1939–41) and Moscow School of Art and Industry (1945–48). Elected a member of IZO Narkompros (1918) and headed the painting section (1919–24). Travelled to France and Germany (1923–24). Worked in the Crimea, Armenia, Azerbaijan, north Caucasus and the Baltic region. Contributed to exhibitions (from 1898). Contributed to the exhibitions of the Moscow Society of Lovers of the Arts (1902), World of Art (1902, 1906, 1911–17, 1921), Crimson Rose (1904), Moscow Fellowship of Artists (1905, 1910, 1911), Blue Rose (1907), Union of Russian Artists (1907–08), Wreath-Stephanos (1907–08), Golden Fleece Salons (1908–10), Die erste russische Kunstausstellung in Berlin (1922), Four Arts (1925–29), Masters of the Blue Rose (1925, chairman), Association of Artists of the Revolution (1928), First Travelling Exhibition of Painting and Graphic Art (1929), Artists of the RSFSR Over Fifteen Years (1933), exhibitions of Russian art at the Salon d’Automne in Paris (1906, life member), Japan (1926–27), United States (1929), Vienna (1930) and Berlin (1930), World Fair in Paris (1937, silver medal) and the international exhibitions in Venice (1924, 1928), Dresden (1926) and the United States (1930–31, 1934–35). One-man shows in Paris (1923, with Elena Bebutova), Moscow (1923, with Elena Bebutova; 1929, 1931, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1956–57, 1964, 1968, 1990), Leningrad (1956–57, 1978) and Saratov (1971, 2003). Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1929).