Natarevich, Mikhail (1907-1979)

Mikhail Davidovich Natarevich was born in Vitebsk. He received his first art skills in the studio of Yu. M. Pen. In 1940 he graduated from the Repin Institute of Fine Arts, in Leningrad. His two teachers there were Savin, and the famous Ioganson. Upon graduation, he continued as a teacher at the institute, teaching drawing.

In the 1950's he painted mainly revolutionary themes, centered around active Soviet people, always in motion.

In the 1960's he changed his style dramatically, towards the depiction of the Russian village, its daily life, and the different characters living there - often showing the quiet, comforting immobility of objects and people. During this period his favourite media was tempera.

Mikhail Natarevich and his wife Olga Alekseevna, who was also a painter, started one of the largest dynasties of painters and artists in St. Petersburg; their children and grandchildren are all active artists in the city.

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