Profesor from the Academy of Arts : Vladimir Aleksandrovich Beklemishev

myminifactory

In 1878 Beklemishev relocated to Saint Petersburg where he began his studies at the Imperial Academy of Arts, opting for the sculpture class under renowned instructors Alexander von Bok and Nikolay Laveretsky. By 1885 Beklemishev had received three Lesser Silver Medals and one Grand Silver Medal from his Academy, establishing himself as a talented young sculptor. In 1886 he won the prestigious Grand Gold Medal for his masterpiece "The Entombment" (Polojenniye v Grob), earning him the right to receive a government stipend to study abroad. By January 1888 Beklemishev had moved to Paris and then on to Rome, where he would produce some of his most remarkable works. Beklemishev's "Early Christian Woman," created during this period in Rome, stands out as a masterpiece of his oeuvre, while also marking the beginning of his foray into sculpture portraits. In 1892 Beklemishev returned to Russia, where he was awarded the title of Academician for his works produced in Rome, including the famous sculpture "How Beautiful, How Fresh Were the Roses," inspired by the story of Ivan Turgenev. Beklemishev's academic career continued to flourish as he became a Professor of the Academy in 1894. Among his notable students were renowned sculptors Anna Golubkina, Vsevolod Lishev, Matvey Manizer, and Leonid Sherwood. In 1900 Beklemishev was elected to the Academy's Council, while in 1906 he took on the role of rector of the Sculpture Department. During his tenure as rector, Beklemishev created a number of striking sculpture portraits, including those of physicist Nikolay Beketov, painter Konstantin Makovsky, musicians Mitrofan Belyayev and Vasily Safonov. In 1914 he crafted a bust of the celebrated painter Arkhip Kuindzhi, which was later placed on the artist's grave at Tikhvin Cemetery in Saint Petersburg. Beklemishev also designed large-scale sculptures for public monuments, including a monument to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky for the Saint Petersburg Conservatory (1897), a monument to Alexander Griboyedov for the Russian Embassy in Tehran, Iran; and a monument to Yermak Timofeyevich in Novocherkassk. In 1908 Beklemishev created a monument to doctor Sergey Botkin installed at the entrance to the Imperial Military Medical Academy. In the summer of 1917 Beklemishev served as a member of the commission preparing the new constitution of the Academy and headed the Petrograd Department for Protections of Historical and Artistic monuments. On September 6, 1919, he was arrested by Cheka for his membership in the Constitutional Democratic Party. On September 18, 1919, Beklemishev was released from jail, only to be forced to relocate from Petrograd (St. Peterburg) to Novorzhev in Pskov Governorate on December 1, 1919. Tragically, he passed away on December 21, 1919.