The ‘Peonies’ painting is one of the most striking works in the Valuy Museum of History and Art exhibition, created by a member of the Artists' Union of the USSR, Honored Artist of the RSFSR Alexander Mamontov.
The artist was born on October 30, 1928, in the Arkhangelsk province. As a child, he began to be interested in art - this hobby determined his creative choice in the future. Mamontov entered the Kharkov Art school and then continued his studies at the Kharkov State Art Institute.
In 1962, Alexander Mamontov moved to Belgorod. He worked in the genre of landscape, still life, portrait, and narrative painting. In 1963-1979, Mamontov served as the chief artist of the Belgorod regional drama theater named after Shchepkin. During 15 years of working in the theater, he designed more than 60 performances, including Othello by William Shakespeare, In the Steppes of Ukraine by Evdokim Korneychuk, Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, A Glass of Water by Eugène Scribe, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, and Konarmiya by Isaac Babel. In the mid-1960s, he was appointed Chairman of the Organization Bureau for the creation of the Belgorod branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR. From 1968 to 1970, Alexander Mamontov was the first Chairman of the Belgorod organization of the Union of artists, and for many subsequent years, he was a member of its Board.
With the participation of Alexander Mamontov, a children’s art school was opened in Belgorod, where he used to teach for several years. In different years, he was also chosen as a Deputy of the regional and city Council, Chairman of the Artistic Council, Chairman of the regional exhibition committee, member of the zonal exhibition Committee, and delegate to the Congresses of the Artists' Unions of the USSR and the Russian Federation. Mamontov also worked as the Director of the Belgorod branch of the Russian Cultural Foundation. The artist’s works are kept in the Belgorod State Art Museum, the Belgorod State Museum of local lore, Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, in art museums in Stary Oskol, Shebekino, Valuyki, as well as in private collections in Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and France.
Alexander Mamontov’s “Peonies” was transferred to the holdings of the Valuy Museum of History and Art in the 1990s from the All-Union Art Production Association named after Vuchetich of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. Here, the master used his main artistic direction - flower painting. Many times he included this flower and bouquets from it in his compositions, but it was the painting “Peonies” that became one of the most vivid and realistic. A huge bouquet stands on a small table in a cylindrical glass vase on a red-brown background. The combination of red shades creates an impression of warmth and comfort.
In 1962, Alexander Mamontov moved to Belgorod. He worked in the genre of landscape, still life, portrait, and narrative painting. In 1963-1979, Mamontov served as the chief artist of the Belgorod regional drama theater named after Shchepkin. During 15 years of working in the theater, he designed more than 60 performances, including Othello by William Shakespeare, In the Steppes of Ukraine by Evdokim Korneychuk, Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin, A Glass of Water by Eugène Scribe, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, and Konarmiya by Isaac Babel. In the mid-1960s, he was appointed Chairman of the Organization Bureau for the creation of the Belgorod branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR. From 1968 to 1970, Alexander Mamontov was the first Chairman of the Belgorod organization of the Union of artists, and for many subsequent years, he was a member of its Board.
With the participation of Alexander Mamontov, a children’s art school was opened in Belgorod, where he used to teach for several years. In different years, he was also chosen as a Deputy of the regional and city Council, Chairman of the Artistic Council, Chairman of the regional exhibition committee, member of the zonal exhibition Committee, and delegate to the Congresses of the Artists' Unions of the USSR and the Russian Federation. Mamontov also worked as the Director of the Belgorod branch of the Russian Cultural Foundation. The artist’s works are kept in the Belgorod State Art Museum, the Belgorod State Museum of local lore, Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, in art museums in Stary Oskol, Shebekino, Valuyki, as well as in private collections in Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and France.
Alexander Mamontov’s “Peonies” was transferred to the holdings of the Valuy Museum of History and Art in the 1990s from the All-Union Art Production Association named after Vuchetich of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR. Here, the master used his main artistic direction - flower painting. Many times he included this flower and bouquets from it in his compositions, but it was the painting “Peonies” that became one of the most vivid and realistic. A huge bouquet stands on a small table in a cylindrical glass vase on a red-brown background. The combination of red shades creates an impression of warmth and comfort.
