Artists

People's Artist of Russia Lev Alexandrovich Fomichyov was born on February 2, 1932 in the village of Mstyora situated in the Vladimir region. Fomichyov is one of the leading third-generation masters of Mstyora. His grandfather was an icon painter and his father A.Ya. Fomichyov was a manager of the artel "Proletarian art" in Mstyora (A.Ya. Fomichyov studied under the famous Russian icon painter Fedor Modorov).

The artist was shocked by the Great Patriotic War. His father was killed in battle in 1943. Impressed by this terrible misfortune fifteen-year Fomichyov painted his first composition "Road of Life" (1947) - road to blockaded Leningrad (St. Petersburg) across the Ladozshskoe Lake. In the center of the composition the master depicted his father's medal "For the defense of Leningrad" which he got posthumously.

Because of the war Lev Alexandrovich didn't study much. He wasn't admitted to the Mstyora Art School for absence of secondary education. At the age of 12 Fomichyov began his studying at the artel "Proletarian art" under old proficient masters of ancient Russian icon painting. Among his teachers we can cite the famous artist F.G. Shilov. After serving in the army Lev Alexandrovich resumed his working at the artel.

From the very beginning of his artistic career Fomichyov was bent on reviving the decorative style of Mstyora. This was an urgent task: from the later thirties to the end of the fifties official art had discouraged the employment of any of the traditional details borrowed from icon painting. As a result, the output of Mstyora mostly featured saccharine naturalistic pictures, which imitated easel paintings. Fomichyov's own work is proof that striking and individual miniatures can be produced on the basis of those principles of the Mstyora School, which were evolved in the early thirties.

--Fomichyov's first original work was called "Snowmaiden and Lel".
--In 1958 he painted his first composition on a historical theme "Alexander Nevsky in the town of Vladimir".
--In 1964 the artist graduated from the night secondary school for working youth.
--In 1965 he became a member of the USSR Union of Artists.
--In 1970 he was given the status of a Merited Artist of RSFSR. That same year Fomichyov was awarded to the Repin Prize.
--In 1995 Lev Alexandrovich was given the status of a People's Artist of Russia.

Since 1947 Lev Fomichyov's works have been demonstrated at many art exhibitions. His pieces are displayed in the Museum of Folk Art (Moscow), the All-Russia Museum of Decorative and Folk Arts (Moscow), the Mstyora Art Museum, the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum of History, Art and Architecture and many other museums.

Fomichyov is a versatile artist. He made a careful study of early Russian icon painting, old Russian book illumination, Persian manuscript miniatures and antique vase-painting. As Fomichyov himself puts it, his study of antique vase painting made him think of the integrity of the picture as a whole, whereas the Persian miniatures taught him to give more attention to the technique of executing minute details.

The artist's work rests on a solid foundation of his studies of icon and fresco painting and of the early Russian book illuminations. From them he learned to understand the symbolism of narration, to bring out the poetic meaning of events and facts, to attain generalization of form and terseness of expression, greater decorative effect and harmony of color.

Fomichyov draws his subjects mostly from Russian history, fairy tales, the ballads of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky and the lesser-known bylinas (folk epics). The master works with both tempera and earth colors. In order to prepare them, he grinds colored stones found in Mstyora streams - a method used by old Russian masters. He dreams of broadening the scope of miniature painting ("I'd like to paint clouds reflected in the water").

Fomichyov's compositions are always unusual, always interesting, the silhouettes clearly outlined and the movements flowing. His pieces have beautiful color schemes and rhythmic designs. His compositional schemes, too, are excellent: scene of action is framed by architectural coulisses; the movement is conceived as an oval; the alternating light and dark colors of the composition emphasize the picture's overall mood and meaning. Fomichyov is one of the few painters in Mstyora who is seeking to enrich the traditional gold ornament, looking for other colors which harmonize with the color scheme of the picture.

In free time Lev Alexandrovich likes to read and listen to the music. His favorite composers are Musorgsky, Bethoven, Chaikovsky, Mozart, Shostakovich and also he likes Russian folk melodies and songs. Lev Alexandrovich's relatives - his daughter Olga Strunina and son-in-law Konstantin Strunin are adopting his masterful methods of painting.

Lev Fomichyov. Summer 1999.

Fomichyov with a masterpiece

1. Casket "The Circus Show" (1977, All-Russia Museum of Decorative and Folk Arts, Moscow), # 197.

2. Casket "The tale of the Dead Princess" (1970, All-Russia Museum of Decorative and Folk Arts, Moscow), # 198.

Casket "Battle Scene" (1972, Museum of Folk Art of the Arts and Crafts Research Institute, Moscow), # 38.

Casket "An Old Urals Factory" (1963, Museum of Folk Art of the Arts and Crafts Research Institute, Moscow), # 39.

Box "The Sleeping Tsarevna" (1975, All-Russia Museum of Decorative and Folk Arts, Moscow), # 208.

Box "The Lay of Igor's Host" (1969, Museum of Folk Art), # 210.