Artists

Ivan Alexandrovich Fomichov was born in Mstera in 1890. For generations his ancestors were icon painters. Fomichov finished Mstera Icon-Painting School in 1907 (entered in 1902).

Fomichov worked in several art studios/shops in Mstera and Moscow. Decorated churches and painted icons in the "Old Orthodox Believers" style of icon painting in Kharkov and Nizhniy Novgorod.

Fomichov became a member of the "Proletarian Art" Coop in 1937. His artwork has been displayed in many exhibits around Russia and the world. In 1940 Fomichov became a member of the USSR Union of Artists.

Ivan Alexandrovich Fomichov began giving lessons in tempera painting at the Vocational Art School in Mstera in 1943.

In 1949 the artist was awarded a medal "Honored Art Worker of Russia". In 1965 Fomichov was given the status of a People's Artist of Russia. In 1970 he was awarded the Repin Prize. That same year Ivan Alexandrovich Fomichov was decorated with the Order of Red Banner of Labor.

Ivan Alexandrovich Fomichov passed away in 1972. A memorable plaque with the artist's portrait hangs in the "Leading Artist" office in Mstera Miniature Art Factory.

A listing of Ivan Fomichov's works may be found in the following books:

Dugina G. N., Pozdnyakova V. V., 1996. THE ART OF MSTIORA. CATALOG OF MSTIORA ART MUSEUM EXHIBITS. Vladimir "POKROVA" Publishers ISBN 5-87393-002-3 Pages 80-84 and bio info on page 210.

Nekrasova M. Z., 1994. FEDOSKINO RUSSIAN PALEKH LACQUER MSTERA MINIATURES KHOLUI ALBUM-ANTHOLOGY "Novosti". ISBN 5-86884-029-1 page 222.

Koromislov B., 1970. MSTERA. "PLANETA" Moscow, B. Sadovaya, 3 Pages: 8, 9, 20.

Gulyaev V., 1993. THE FINE ART OF RUSSIAN LACQUERED MINIATURES. "CHRONICLE BOOKS" San Francisco ISBN 0-8118-0325-2 Page176/177

Koromislov B., 1972. VARNISHED MINIATURE FROM MSTERA. "ARTIST OF RSFSR" Leningrad, Bolsheokhtinskiy pr., 6, corpus 2. 8 Pages in "Reproductions" section of this book.

Rozova L. K., 1982. YEVGENIY VASILYEVICH YURIN MASTER OF MSTERA LACQUER MINIATURE ART. "ARTIST OF RSFSR" Leningrad, Bolsheokhtinskiy pr., 6, corpus 2. Page 97.