Curatorial project: "Petrov-Vodkin's Circle"

Painter, graphic artist, book designer, sculptor, architect. Studied in St Petersburg in Yakov Goldblat’s classes for preparation to the Imperial Academy of Arts entry trials; Faculty of Architecture, Higher School of Art under the Imperial Academy of Arts (1914–1917); under Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin at the State Free Art Studios/VKhUTEMAS in Petrograd (1920–1923). In 1923 applied for enrolment in the Research Workshops of the Academy of Arts with the Spectral Synthesis. Concise Extraction from Experience in Systemisation of Painterly Issues theoretical paper.

Contributed to exhibitions (from 1917). Member and exhibitor of the World of Art (1917), Fire-Colour (1924), Circle of Artists (1926– 1929), October (1930–1931, Chairman of the Painting and Sculpture Section of the Leningrad branch). Member of the Union of Artists (from 1932; 1932– 1937 – member of the Leningrad Branch of the Union of Artists board of governors; 1939–1941 – Deputy Chairman of the Leningrad Branch of the Union of Artists; from 1950 – Honorary member of the Leningrad Branch of the Union of Artists board of governors). As an illustrator collaborated with Vladimir Lebedev, stood at the origins of children’s book design.

Taught at the Leningrad Higher School of Art and Industry (1948–1951, Professor). Awarded a gold medal at the International Exhibition in Paris (1925) for an agitation poster; Grand Prix for book graphics, Grand Prix for monumental painting and gold medal for an easel painting (Girl in a Football Jersey, 1932, Russian Museum) at the International Exhibition in Paris (1937). Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1967). Alexander Samokhvalov’s diploma work is given in VKhUTEIN’s documents as “In the Interior” (genre), while at the Fire-Colour exhibition in Moscow (1924) this same painting was called “Interieur with Figures”. The picture later received the name “Head Washing” from Petrov-Vodkin (Alexander Samokhvalov. “Moi tvorchesky put’”. Khudozhnik RSFSR, Leningrad, 1977).