Sholokhov, Boris (1919-2003)

Boris Anatolevich Sholokhov was born in Borisoglebsk in the Voronezh region. He received his first painting lessons from his uncle - a prominent painter of the 1930's - Pyotr Sholokhov. 

He entered the Leningrad Academy of Fine Arts (the Repin institute) in 1941, where he studied under D. Korin and D. Oreshnikov. World War II broke out shortly after and he immediately joined the army, where he served until the end of the war. 

After the war, he entered the Surikov Institute in Moscow by personal recommendation of Sergei Gerasimov. His professors here were S. Chuikov, V. Yakovlev, A. Gritsay and Chernyshov. The latter in particular guided and inspired him along the path of the school of Moscow impressionism.

During the 1950s and 1960s he taught drawing at the Moscow Polygraphic Institute.

Boris Anatolevich was a highly talented draftsman and painter. During the 1950s and 1960s he became famous for his thematic paintings about the daily life of Soviet children and youth. Examples are his series of paintings depicting a childrens' choir, everyday scenes from the reading hall at the Youth Library near Mayakovskaya Square in Moscow, and his genre scenes and portraits from the Pioneer and Komsomol camp "Artek" in the Crimea. His portraits all possess the touch of the Moscow impressionistic school.

From the 1940's and until the early 1970's Boris Anatolevich painted many soft and beautiful portraits and nudes in pastel and sanguine. He spoke with affection of Leonardo da Vinci and in particular of Rafael, his great inspiration. He was in every sense of the word a true and passionate representative of the classical art.

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