David Shterenberg
Encyclopedia
David Petrovich Shterenberg (Russian
; b. Zhitomir
, d. May 1, 1948 Moscow
) was a Ukrainian
-born Russian painter
and graphic artist.
Born to a Jewish family in Zhitomir, Ukraine
, Shterenberg studied art in Odessa
and then from 1906-1912 based himself in Paris
where he studied with, amongst others, Kees van Dongen
. Here he was influenced by the works of Paul Cézanne
and by Cubism
.
He made return visits to Russia but did not settle there until after the Revolution of 1917
, when he was supported by his acquaintance Lunacharsky, who was the People's Commissar responsible for culture. He attended the Conference of Authors, Artists and Directors on cooperation with the Soviet Government at the Smolny
Palace in Petrograd (St.Petersburg) with Nathan Altman
and others . In 1917 -1918 he was a Commissar for Artistic Matters. In 1918 he had an exhibition with the group Jewish Society for the Furthering of the Arts together with Baranoff-Rossine, Altman, and Lissitzky, in Moscow. From 1918 to 1920 he was the Head of the Department of Fine Arts of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment (NARKOMPROS). In 1918 he published his programmatic essay Tasks of Contemporary Art in the News of the Petrograd Council.
From 1920 to 1930 Shterenberg taught at the VKhUTEMAS
. He showed at an exhibition of Jewish artists in Moscow in 1922 which also featured Marc Chagall
. In the same year he wrote an essay for the catalogue of the First Russian Art Exhibition at the Gallery van Diemen, in Berlin
. However his independent style ceased to find favour with the Soviet authorities and gradually his work was withdrawn from public view. After the 1930s he was forced to work in a more 'realistic' style. By his death in 1948 he was virtually forgotten. He is buried in Vagankovo Cemetery
in Moscow.
Shterenberg was deeply conscious of his Jewish roots. He wrote to his wife Nadezhda:
Today his work is on view in public galleries in Moscow (Tretyakov Gallery
and Pushkin Museum
), St. Petersburg (Russian Museum
) and Ekaterinburg. Much is still held in private collections in Russia.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
; b. Zhitomir
Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr is a city in the North of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zhytomyr Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Zhytomyr Raion...
, d. May 1, 1948 Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) was a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
-born Russian painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and graphic artist.
Born to a Jewish family in Zhitomir, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Shterenberg studied art in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
and then from 1906-1912 based himself in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he studied with, amongst others, Kees van Dongen
Kees van Dongen
Cornelis Theodorus Maria van Dongen , usually known as Kees van Dongen or just Van Dongen, was a Dutch painter and one of the Fauves. He gained a reputation for his sensuous, at times garish, portraits....
. Here he was influenced by the works of Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
and by Cubism
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
.
He made return visits to Russia but did not settle there until after the Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, when he was supported by his acquaintance Lunacharsky, who was the People's Commissar responsible for culture. He attended the Conference of Authors, Artists and Directors on cooperation with the Soviet Government at the Smolny
Smolny
The Smolny Institute is a Palladian edifice in St Petersburg that has played a major part in the history of Russia.The building was commissioned from Giacomo Quarenghi by the Society for Education of Noble Maidens and constructed in 1806-08 to house the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens,...
Palace in Petrograd (St.Petersburg) with Nathan Altman
Nathan Altman
Nathan Isaevich Altman was a Jewish, Russian and Soviet avant-garde artist, Cubist painter, stage designer and book illustrator who was born, grew up and began his art studies in Ukraine, Russian Empire.-Early life:He was born in Vinnytsia, Russian Empire to a family of Russian...
and others . In 1917 -1918 he was a Commissar for Artistic Matters. In 1918 he had an exhibition with the group Jewish Society for the Furthering of the Arts together with Baranoff-Rossine, Altman, and Lissitzky, in Moscow. From 1918 to 1920 he was the Head of the Department of Fine Arts of the People's Commissariat of Enlightenment (NARKOMPROS). In 1918 he published his programmatic essay Tasks of Contemporary Art in the News of the Petrograd Council.
From 1920 to 1930 Shterenberg taught at the VKhUTEMAS
VKhUTEMAS
Vkhutemas ) was the Russian state art and technical school founded in 1920 in Moscow, replacing the Moscow Svomas. The workshops were established by a decree from Vladimir Lenin with the intentions, in the words of the Soviet government, "to prepare master artists of the highest qualifications for...
. He showed at an exhibition of Jewish artists in Moscow in 1922 which also featured Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
. In the same year he wrote an essay for the catalogue of the First Russian Art Exhibition at the Gallery van Diemen, in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. However his independent style ceased to find favour with the Soviet authorities and gradually his work was withdrawn from public view. After the 1930s he was forced to work in a more 'realistic' style. By his death in 1948 he was virtually forgotten. He is buried in Vagankovo Cemetery
Vagankovo Cemetery
Vagan'kovskoye Cemetery , established in 1771, is located in the Krasnaya Presnya district of Moscow...
in Moscow.
Shterenberg was deeply conscious of his Jewish roots. He wrote to his wife Nadezhda:
Today his work is on view in public galleries in Moscow (Tretyakov Gallery
Tretyakov Gallery
The State Tretyakov Gallery is an art gallery in Moscow, Russia, the foremost depository of Russian fine art in the world.The gallery's history starts in 1856 when the Moscow merchant Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov acquired works by Russian artists of his day with the aim of creating a collection,...
and Pushkin Museum
Pushkin Museum
The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts is the largest museum of European art in Moscow, located in Volkhonka street, just opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour....
), St. Petersburg (Russian Museum
Russian Museum
The State Russian Museum is the largest depository of Russian fine art in St Petersburg....
) and Ekaterinburg. Much is still held in private collections in Russia.
Links to pictures
- Breakfast, (1916), (as a magazine cover for 2001 issue of Gastronomica)
- Still life with lamp and herring, (1920)
- The artist's wife
- Brigade during a break (1931 - in the 'approved' style)