In 1890, Ivan Silych Goryushkin-Sorokopudov enrolled in the school of the artist Pavel Alekseyevich Vlasov in Astrakhan. At that time, a group of young artists was already studying there, including Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev, Alexander Ivanovich Vakhrameyev, and Illarion Avtonomovich Yelatontsev. Goryushkin-Sorokopudov maintained a lifelong friendship with Vakhrameyev, and together they were invited to teach at the Penza Art School.
The archives contain photographs of Alexander Ivanovich Vakhrameyev alongside Ivan Silych Goryushkin-Sorokopudov and his wife, Klavdiya Petrovna. Their shared interests and views on life and art brought the two artists together, leading them to work collaboratively in the drawing school and spend their leisure time together. Vakhrameyev created two portraits of Goryushkin-Sorokopudov, both of which are preserved in the collection of the Penza Art Gallery.
The exact dating of this portrait is unknown, but it is presumed to have been painted during Alexander Vakhrameyev’s stay in Penza, specifically between 1908 and 1909. At the time of Vakhrameyev’s arrival in the city, Ivan Goryushkin-Sorokopudov was 35 years old, and in the painting, he is portrayed as a man of that age. There are also photographs of Goryushkin-Sorokopudov in his studio, standing next to a portrait created by Alexander Vakhrameyev.
In 1925, while seriously ill, Alexander Vakhrameyev visited Ivan Goryushkin-Sorokopudov in Ivanovka. During his stay in Penza, the artist painted another portrait of his friend, capturing Goryushkin-Sorokopudov as somewhat tired yet focused. The portrait reflects the changes and aging of his friend, with Goryushkin-Sorokopudov’s face marked by wrinkles and his eyes, which gaze intently at the viewer, conveying a heightened sense of the severity that had characterized him even before.
The image of Ivan Goryushkin-Sorokopudov in the second work reflects his challenging life. In the 1920s, he faced a suspension from teaching at the art school due to criticism from representatives of Proletkult, who accused him of formalism. Goryushkin-Sorokopudov recounted in his memoirs,
