Vera Mukhina can be safely called a famous sculptor of the Soviet era. The monument "Worker and Collective Farm Woman", familiar to many, is her handiwork. She was a favorite sculptor of Stalin himself, but during her lifetime she was not allowed to hold a single personal exhibition.
early years
Vera Ignatievna Mukhina was born on June 19, 1889 in Riga. Her father was a wealthy merchant, and her maternal grandfather was a famous pharmacist. As a child, Vera bathed in luxury, but suffered morally due to the loss of loved ones. At two years old, she was left without a mother, she died of tuberculosis. The closest person to her was her dad.
Soon they moved from Riga to Feodosia. There Vera began to paint. Soon his father passed away, and his brothers took custody of Vera. Fortunately, they were responsible and empathetic people. When Vera graduated from high school in Feodosia, she was transported to Moscow. There she was able to get a decent art education.
Vera studied in the workshops of the famous painters Ivan Mashkov and Konstantin Yuon. There she gradually realized that the shape and volume fascinated her more than the color. Then it was decided to go to study with the sculptor Nina Sinitsina. In her workshop, she began trying to sculpt with clay.
In 1912, Mukhina went to France, where Emile Antoine Bourdelle became her teacher. In his exactingness and criticism, the master was merciless. This tempered the character of Vera. In Paris, she studied anatomy course, spent hours painting antique sculptures in the Louvre, and attended exhibitions of the Cubists. After that, Vera stopped just admiring art. She began to perceive it as a holy craft, in which the master plays the main role.
During the First World War, Mukhina returned to her homeland. She served as a nurse in the hospital for four years. There she met her future husband, surgeon Alexei Zamkov. During this period, she almost abandoned art.
Famous sculptures
After the war, Mukhina concentrated on monumental sculpture. So, she did several works on the topic of revolution. In 1927 Mukhina created the sculpture "Peasant Woman". Her characteristic expressiveness of modeling in combination with the most fashionable style at that time - cubism, was innovative. But then, few could give a high assessment to her creations.
In 1936, Mukhina presented her perhaps the most famous work - the sculpture "Worker and Collective Farm Woman". It is made of stainless steel, a new material for that time. The work became a sensation at the exhibition in Paris. Soon the monument became the emblem of the Mosfilm film studio.
Mukhina posed for many celebrities of that time. She made monuments to Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Maxim Gorky. But Mukhin refused to sculpt a portrait of Stalin.
Many of Vera's works can be seen on the streets of Moscow. So, near the Moscow State University there is a sculpture "Science", in the Friendship Park near the River Station - "Fertility" and "Bread".
