Creative, humane, hardworking, humble person. These words are about the animator Viktor Aleksandrovich Nikitin, who lived a decent 90-year life and made a significant contribution to the development of Russian animation art and painting.
Biographical information
Viktor Aleksandrovich Nikitin was born in 1925 in Ivanteevka. My father worked as a foreman in a factory and loved to paint. As a child, V. Nikitin showed interest in aircraft construction. And he considered painters to be extraordinary people. There was no mug at school, so the boy learned to draw on his own. The album and paints were the lucky reward for Victor. The student was awarded them at the end of the school year. The Tretyakov Gallery made a huge impression on the boy.
V. Nikitin never received a secondary education - at the end of 1942, as a seventeen-year-old boy, he went to the army. V. Nikitin called himself a "six percent", since only six percent of the military generation of his age survived. Demobilized, he tried to enter the aviation institute. He was not accepted due to the lack of a certificate. V. Nikitin was taken to VGIK, and he graduated with honors.
Cartoon creativity
His first animated work is "The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Heroes." While working on the film "The Snow Maiden" V. Nikitin was already a production designer. Subsequently, he participated in the creation of such paintings as "The Tale of the Golden Cockerel", "How Mushrooms Fought with Peas", "Frost Ivanovich" and others. V. Nikitin happily worked on Pushkin's tales, loved Russian, national themes. Among the cartoons he created, V. Nikitin singled out “Ratibor's Childhood”. He was fascinated by the theme of the birth of Russia through the eyes of a child. A whole field for imagination has opened. When asked about the idols he created, he replied that he dreamed of them.
A person who has dedicated himself to the creation of cartoon images needs to subtly feel the world of childhood. Genres can be different. Therefore, you need to be able to reincarnate as an actor. This is exactly what V. Nikitin was.
Brush master
V. Nikitin is also known as an artist. He wrote posters, landscape sketches, stories about travels around the country. V. Nikitin admitted that he loves sunlight. He has no gloomy pictures. He portrayed a calm, cozy countryside: a quiet backwater of native local rivers in the summer, streets, the depth of thickets, pine forest, flower fields, small rural churches, village horses. His painting created an atmosphere of happiness.
V. Nikitin has portraits of his parents and wife, which he painted "by the will of the soul." He donated three paintings to the Ivanteevsky Museum. I. F. Gorbunov. V. Nikitin's work "Farewell to Shrovetide" is in the Museum of Cinematography in Hollywood.
Personal life
In recent years, V. Nikitin was looked after by Lyudmila Nikolaevna Mitrofanova, his niece. She said she learned a lot from him. The uncle, according to his niece, was distinguished by "kindness, a light attitude to everything, and most importantly, love of beauty." She thanked everyone who published her uncle's Book of Memories.
Last years
V. Nikitin devoted 35 years to animation. He retired at the age of 60. He explained his departure from Soyuzmultfilm by the fact that he would have time to study painting. In the spring he left the capital and lived in Ivanteevka, where he devoted himself entirely to his beloved work.
Until the last days, students came to Viktor Alexandrovich, he was invited to schools. He talked a lot about his work, showed sketches, described the characters.
Humane life and activities
The 90-year life of V. A. Nikitin is called unassuming and dignified. He was one of the famous artists of the Union of Artists who made an impressive contribution to the development of culture and were awarded prizes of the Russian and international levels. The humane activities of Viktor Nikitin and his efficiency will always be an example for the young.
