Alexander Baldenkov (1872-1928) — a talented
artist; painted faces on icons and murals; took part
in the Revolution; took to drink; left behind some
autobiographical notes and poems (17) E. Vikhrev
began his story about the artist from the place of the
last favewell:
"If you stand by the grave of someone dear to
you or by the grave of a person who deserves
immortal glory, it is not of his remains that you will
think. His whole life will pass before your eyes. And
no matter how insignificant the man was in his life
he will seem to you at his grave the main character
in a life story, while all other people, no matter how
powerful and famous they actually were, will be-
come of minor importance to you... Before my eyes
passes the life of a person whom I did not know well
enough and who lacks much to gain eternal glory.
Despite this I would like to tell you about this poor,
very poor and unhappy man."
In conclusion he writes: "... How many differ-
ent people were combined in the one person and
failed together to form a complete or great whole!
Why, then, did I choose to write about him? My
doubts soon disappear though. Every human life is,
1 think, an inimitable story and why not write at
least once about a most ordinary human being? And
moreover, my thoughts continue, how many poor
geniuses, great men doomed to petty destinies do we
meet in our lifetimes! How many Baldenkovs burn
themselves out unbeknownst to others in the wilds
of Russia! They are blazing fires and in the light of
their ruined lives people learn to look more carefully
and more honestly at each other."
"... I believed only in paints and worshipped
the great human ability to make them come alive;
my heart whispered to me that God had nothing to
do with it... Why then did I spare no efforts to make
other people believe in God?"
A. Baldenkov
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