The Ulyanovsk Museum of Local History named after Ivan Goncharov houses the 1881 plaster bust of Ivan Goncharov by Leopold Bernstam. The sculptor, who was a non-degree student at the Russian Academy of Arts at the time, created this image of the writer from nature. A Russian writer and journalist Semyon Spitzer mentioned the bust in his article “The Forgotten Classic” while describing Goncharov’s apartment,
Bust of Ivan Goncharov
Creation period
1881
Dimensions
63x50x27 cm
Technique
plaster
Collection
Exhibition
4
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A good plaster bust of the deceased writer rests on a tall mount in the corner of the room. This bust is one of the best sculptural images of I.A. Goncharov.
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Leopold Bernstam was born in Riga in 1859. In 1872, the Bernstam family moved to Saint Petersburg, where young Leopold met a Dutch sculptor David Jensen and entered his studio. He also attended sculpture classes at the Drawing School organized by the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. In 1877, the future sculptor enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts as a non-matriculated student. Not long before graduating, Bernstam received a grand silver medal for the busts of the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Russian doctor Anton Krasovsky.
By 1883, Leopold Bernstam had already established himself as a talented sculptor. He created sculptures of celebrated Russian writers, scientists and musicians. The busts of Denis Fonvizin, Anton Rubinstein, Alexander Pushkin and Ivan Aivazovsky were considered his best works. Bernstam’s sculpture of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin was even erected at the writer’s grave.
In 1884, Bernstam decided to go abroad — as many other Academy graduates had done before him — to improve his skills and learn from talented foreign masters. He spent a year in Rome and then Florence, where he studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze and learned to work with various mediums, including marble. During that period, he created the sculptures “Neapolitan Fisherman”, “David” and “Monk”s Head”, which received praise from Italian art critics. Later, Bernstam returned to Russia, but only for a while: he soon settled in France, where he would continue making sculptures of his contemporaries. All told, he sculpted approximately various 300 portraits.
By 1883, Leopold Bernstam had already established himself as a talented sculptor. He created sculptures of celebrated Russian writers, scientists and musicians. The busts of Denis Fonvizin, Anton Rubinstein, Alexander Pushkin and Ivan Aivazovsky were considered his best works. Bernstam’s sculpture of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin was even erected at the writer’s grave.
In 1884, Bernstam decided to go abroad — as many other Academy graduates had done before him — to improve his skills and learn from talented foreign masters. He spent a year in Rome and then Florence, where he studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze and learned to work with various mediums, including marble. During that period, he created the sculptures “Neapolitan Fisherman”, “David” and “Monk”s Head”, which received praise from Italian art critics. Later, Bernstam returned to Russia, but only for a while: he soon settled in France, where he would continue making sculptures of his contemporaries. All told, he sculpted approximately various 300 portraits.
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Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
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Bust of Ivan Goncharov
Creation period
1881
Dimensions
63x50x27 cm
Technique
plaster
Collection
Exhibition
4
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