Petrov-Vodkin Kuzma Sergeevich
1878, Khvalynsk, Saratov Province – 1939, Leningrad
Painter, graphic artist, art theorist, writer, teacher. Studied at Fyodor Burov’s classes of painting and drawing in Samara (1893–1895), Baron Stieglitz Central School of Technical Drawing in St Petersburg (1895–1897), under Abram Arkhipov and Valentin Serov at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1897–1904), at Anton Ažbe’s School in Munich (1901) and at private academies in Paris, including Filippo Colarossi’s studio (1905–1908). Took up writing in 1890. Contributed to exhibitions (from 1897).
Contributed to the exhibitions of the the Salon d’Automne in Paris (1906–1908), Sergei Makovsky Salon (1909), Union of Russian Artists (1909), Golden Fleece (1909), Izdebsky Salon (1909–1910), Union of Youth (1910), World of Art (1911–1924; member from 1910), First State Free Exhibition of Art Works (1919), Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (1923, 1928), exhibition of paintings by Petrograd artists of all trends (1923), Fire-Colour (1924), Four Arts (1925–1929; member from 1925).
Taught at Elizaveta Zvantseva’s School of Art in Petrograd (1910– 1917), professor and head of the personal studio at the State Free Art Studios in Petrograd (1918– 1922), professor of the Painting Department, VKhUTEMAS/VKhUTEIN/Institute of Painting Sculpture and Architecture (until 1932). Lived in Paris (1924–1925). Author of the Samarkandia book (1923). Worked on the autobiographic trilogy: Khlynovsk. My Story and Euclidian Space. My Story (unfinished, 1930). Member of the Union of Artists (1932; first Chairman of the Leningrad Branch). Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1930).