Fedot Ivanovich Shubin - sculptor, born in May 1740 in a peasant family. His father, the Arkhangelsk Pomor Ivan Afanasevich, bore a slightly different surname - Shubnoy. He was not a serf, he knew letters and perfectly cut on the bone. It was thanks to his lessons that the famous sculptor Fedot Shubin turned out. His last name was slightly changed later, when he entered the Academy of Arts.
How did it happen
The peasant son Fedot Shubin, a sculptor who almost completely repeated the path of his great countryman Lomonosov, but did not deviate from art and science, studied not only in Russia, but also in France and Italy, masterfully mastered marble carvings. Among the portrait painters, he truly had no equal. His father was not only a zealous master - he managed in the fishing industry and in the tillage, but also worked with mother of pearl and bone, cutting out truly interesting and interesting things.
And he was apparently a talented teacher. It was he who taught the young Lomonosov literacy. And his great disciple did not forget the first mentor. In 1759, Ivan Afanasevich Shubnoy died, and his young son, in the future Fedot Shubin, a sculptor both by birth and by vocation, went with the same fish train to the capital, closer to the fellow countryman Lomonosov. For two years the young man studied Petersburg, did not live in poverty, because he easily cut fans, snuffboxes, combs and other trinkets - to the ladies for joy. Dismantled his products always willingly and paid dearly.
Academy
Lomonosov was happy to patronize the son of his first teacher, and in 1761, Fedot entered the Academy of Arts. He was already included in the list of students under a new surname, and his name was either Fedot or Fedor, and therefore this artist meekly responded to the name Fedot Shubin. The sculptor in him was initially talented, and everything else was not too important for him. Even Count Shuvalov was amazed at the first works of the young man and also willingly patronized him. Moreover, the native Russian sculptor Shubin studied persistently and overseas things. He constantly received not only praises from teachers, but also awards.
In 1766, he made a bas-relief on a theme that would always remain close to him - “Killing Askold and Dir”, which not only was awarded the Big Gold Medal, but the author also received a personal nobility and the first officer rank - “Certificate with a sword”. Unfortunately, not all that the sculptor Shubin carried out brought us time; many of his works , especially academic ones, were lost. So, there are a lot of references and descriptions of the beautiful genre figurines "Hazel with nuts", "Valdike with bagels" and others, but we will not see their charms.
Paris
For commendable behavior, honesty and good success, Fyodor Shubin, the sculptor, was encouraged by a trip to Paris and in 1767 with a group of the same pensioners (scholars) he left for France under the care of the Russian ambassador Golitsyn, an enlightened and advanced man, an art lover and connoisseur, besides a patron. Golitsyn introduced Fyodor Ivanovich Shubin, a sculptor from Russia, to the famous Diderot, with whom he was friends, and he advised Jean-Baptiste Pigal as a teacher.
It was a wise decision. Because Pigalle created not only beautiful mythological and allegorical compositions, to which Shubin the sculptor directed his works, but also created portrait busts very realistically. This for Shubin was both new and fresh, and subsequently brought him fame.
Mastery Training
Working in the workshop of Pigalle, Fedot Afanasevich carefully copied both modern French sculpture and ancient statues, and in many sculpted bas-reliefs from the paintings of Poussin and Raphael, and he took up a lot of his work from life.
Almost every evening, Fyodor Shubin, the sculptor, began his work in the full-size class of the Paris Academy of Arts, but from time to time he disappeared from the whole world in the Royal Library and in the studio of some famous French sculptor. Sometimes he wrote letters about his impressions, and some can still be read today, surprised at the student zeal of the peasant son. His father, Ivan Shubin, the sculptor, too, must have looked with emotion from heaven on what his son was doing. And the son did a lot, a lot. And so three years passed.
Italy
The three-year training in Paris was over, but Fedot was clearly not enough, and therefore he asked the Academy for permission to continue his studies in Rome, and the authorities went forward. It was the time of the most successful creations. Fyodor Shubin, a sculptor whose works amaze even our contemporaries with his skill and accurate, portrayal of character, created in 1771 portraits of Shuvalov and Golitsyn.
Now they are in the Tretyakov Gallery. Another work is a bust from the marble of Catherine the Great, which turned out to be successful despite the fact that it was not made from nature. The Orlov brothers, the empress’s favorites, immediately ordered Shubin their portraits, and very quickly their order was completed. The sculptor sculpted these busts in his restrained manner, where realistic trends triumphed.
Travels
Nevertheless, Shubin did not sit in one place, in 1772 he took a fascinating journey with the famous Demidov breeders in Italy. He stopped in Bologna and worked a little, as a result, the oldest Academy in Europe made Shubin his honorary academician and issued him a diploma.
In the summer of 1773, the Demidovs drove the sculptor through Europe again, this time to London. However, Shubin was already very bored about Russia, about friends and patrons left so long ago, and therefore he returned to Petersburg immediately after this trip.
At home
In 1775, one of the most magnificent works of the sculptor Shubin was born. This is a bust of Prince Golitsyn, a brilliant diplomat from Catherine, an educated nobleman, secularly sophisticated and sophisticated, intelligent. And today we can consider this work in plaster in the State Russian Museum, and in marble - in the Tretyakov Gallery. How beautifully Shubin conveyed the appearance of a slightly tired aging man with a calm sense of his own superiority over others, how expressive and penetrating!
The folds of clothes are flowing and seem to be in motion, so the rotation of the shoulders and head of the diplomat is so dynamic. This is especially evident in marble. The stone as if breathing comes out from under the cutter of the master. Falcone himself was delighted with this work. And a year earlier, in September 1774, the Academy of Arts was forced to violate its own charter. The title of academician was never given to an artist unless his work carried a historical or mythological burden. Shubin in his portrait bust of Catherine the Great at that time did not have either the genre or the other. But he received the title of academician.
Seventies
These were fruitful years. Many portraits were created, and Shubin worked very quickly: a month - a bust. The sculptor has become extremely popular among the high-class public, in addition - the empress’s favorite. There was no end to customers. The sculptor's observation was exceptional, and his insight was deep, while his imagination was inexhaustible. Each time he was able to find some new solutions - not from external features, but from the internal content, the nature of the model. Shubin the sculptor never repeated in his works.
The whole high society of Petersburg of those years can be seen in portraits. Here is the court lady Maria Panina. What grace, what grace! And what arrogance, what coldness! And how much power! Here is the field marshal - the famous commander Rumyantsev-Zadunaysky. Not at all embellished, despite the Roman drape cloak. And you can see how strong, how significant this person is. And in the portrait of the head of all scientists V.G. Orlov’s irony of the sculptor hits on the spot. He is merciless, this Shubin. Orlov is not rightfully heading the Academy of Sciences, he says. With such a face! It is not even with a touch of dullness, it is completely stupid, and the expression on the face is arrogant.
More about works
This bust depicts I.S. Baryshnikov, a wealthy industrialist. The viewer may not know about this, he will guess by the look of a prudent and cunning businessman. Already in these early years, long before the Wanderers, one can talk about social motives in the artist’s work. And the portrait of State Secretary Zavadsky, on the contrary, shows all the excitement of the romantic nature, even is molded with this mood - quickly, temperamentally. Of particular interest is the “Portrait of the Unknown”, where, it seems, the stranger revealed the most secret thoughts and aspirations to the artist. The composition is calm, the modeling is soft - everything matches the deep thoughtfulness of the model.
Very big, one might say - a great deal of work was done by Shubin in the mid-seventies. Catherine the Great ordered him a series of bas-reliefs, the number fifty-eight, with a diameter of about seventy centimeters. Marble portraits were intended for the Round Hall in the Chesme Palace, but now they can be seen in the Armory. They depict princes and reigning persons in Russia - everything from Rurik to Elizabeth.
Eighties
Now the sculptor was entrusted with a lot of work, each time becoming larger and more difficult. However, he did everything brilliantly. The relief and statues of the Marble Palace, the marble mausoleum of General Golitsyn, sculptures for the Alexander Nevsky Lavra and the Trinity Cathedral, but Pandora alone from the great cascade of Peterhof is worth it! But he did not leave portrait busts. In Kuskovo, the estate of Sheremetyev, you can see the excellent work of Shubin, who depicted the owner of this palace.
The portrait of General Michelson and the medallion with the profile of Catherine the Great, as well as her sculptural bust (all this is stored in the Russian Museum) are also good. Standing apart in the works of Shubin is the statue of the Empress "Legislator", where she is depicted in the image of Minerva. The people and high society were delighted with this work, but the empress did not show any reaction - the sculptor did not receive any remuneration or promotion. And from that moment on, interest in Shubin's work began to fade away quickly and quickly.
End of path
The wonderful sculptor Shubin lived in the world for sixty-five years. His brief biography is more like a description of his career, there was so much work in his life. Here in Bologna, Shubin is an honorary professor, and in St. Petersburg - none at all. And this means only one thing: in addition to paying for completed orders, money cannot be expected from anyone. And there are fewer orders, and there’s nothing to live on. A painter and sculptor cannot be paupers in any way, like poets and musicians, then they cannot create. Very expensive paints, brushes, canvases. And marble! Yes, and gypsum ...
With the help of Prince Potemkin, Shubin is applying to the Academy of Arts for a professor’s place in a sculpture class. Two letters remain unanswered. Then the sculptor turned directly to the empress. Two years later, an answer was received, and the professor's place, too. But without payment! And Shubin has a huge family, she needs to be supported. He does not stop working, despite the fact that his vision begins to refuse him.
The nineties
The works of these years speak even more eloquently of the sculptor's talent. He had never before embellished nature in his works, and now the realism of the created images especially vividly characterizes his work. This is a portrait of Admiral Chichagov - what a stale cracker this warrior looks like! This is a bust of Potemkin’s sybarite - it’s clear that he is good-natured, but downward, arrogant, a little squeamish. This is a pedant, the head of the Betskaya Academy of Arts, this is the mayor of Chulkov ... Portraits very, very much appear at this time.
Last works
A very expressive portrait of Lomonosov, which Shubin created from memory in 1792. There is not a single gram of officialdom in it, due parade, it is simple and democratic both in form and composition, and how much intelligence is in the portrait! However, the real masterpiece of these years was not a portrait of a genius fellow countryman, but a bust of the emperor again. This is Paul the First - arrogant, cold, cruel, at the same time painful and suffering. Shubin was even frightened of his insight, but Pavel really liked this work. But only that. By 1797, the situation of Shubin became very difficult. He turned to the academy and to Pavel, then, a year later, again to the academy. I asked already quite a bit: a state-owned apartment with candles and firewood, because there was nothing to live. The answer again was silence.
In 1801, the sculptor's house and his workshop burned down along with the work - completed and not. However, no blows of fate can make a real artist change himself. One of the most recent works is the bust of Alexander the First. A handsome man, and after all the beauty is cold again, indifference again. This work is stored in the regional museum of Voronezh. The king for this bust granted the sculptor a ring with a diamond. Then the Academy stirred - gave an apartment and candles. In 1803 already a year. Soon, by decree of the emperor Shubin, he was appointed professor with a salary. But a little late. In May 1805, a remarkable sculptor died. His death then did not shock anyone and did not excite. It is now for all of us for the tragic fate of this person that is both painful and embarrassing.