Vasily Nikitich Meshkov
(1867-1946)
Vasily Nikitich Meshkov, a soviet painter and graphic, was born in 1867. He studied in Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (1882-1889), where his realistic technique was formed under E. S. Sorokin, I. M. Pryanishnikov and V. D. Polenov. In 1891 Meshkov became a member of the The Itinerants’ Society. From 1917 a new period in Meshkov’s painting career began. In 1922 the artist became the member of The Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia. He created great portraits of S. M. Budyonny and V. R. Menzhinsky in 1927. At the beginning of 1930s he was working on the portraits of I. V. Stalin, F. E. Dzerzhinsky and K. E. Voroshilov. At that time he also created the portraits of K. Marks and F. Engels. During the last years of his life he painted mostly landscapes. He was also a talented teacher. The artist was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and in 1943 he was awarded the title of the People’s Artist. Meshkov died in 1946.
