Geliy Korzhev facts for kids

Self-portrait (1980)

Geliy Mikhailovich Korzhev-Chuvelyov (Russian: Гелий Михайлович Коржев-Чувелёв; born July 7, 1925 – died August 27, 2012) was a famous painter from the Soviet Union and later Russia. He was known for his strong and realistic paintings.

Life as an Artist

Geliy Korzhev started his art journey early. From 1939 to 1944, he studied at the Moscow State Art School. He learned from talented teachers like Vasily Pochitalov and Mikhail Dobroserdov. After that, he continued his studies at the Moscow State Art Institute from 1944 to 1950. There, he was taught by Sergey Gerasimov and Vasily Pochitalov.

Korzhev became a painter who followed a style called socialist realism. This was an approved art style in the Soviet Union. It meant artists created works that showed the lives of ordinary people and celebrated the ideas of the time. Even after the Soviet Union ended, Korzhev kept painting and stayed true to his beliefs.

Strong Beliefs

Geliy Korzhev had very strong political views and he never changed them. In the late 1990s, the Russian government offered him a special award. However, Korzhev politely refused it. He explained his reasons in a letter:

• He was born in the Soviet Union and truly believed in its ideas.
• He felt that accepting an award from a government with different ideas would make him seem dishonest.
• He wanted his refusal to be understood as a sign of his deep commitment to his beliefs throughout his life as an artist.

Later Years and Passing

Geliy Korzhev passed away on August 27, 2012. He was buried at Alekseyevskoye Cemetery in Moscow. The monument on his grave was special because his grandson, Ivan Korzhev, designed it using sketches that Geliy Korzhev himself had made.

Gallery

• 

  Homer - the left part of the triptych "The Communists"

• 

  Raising the banner - the central part of the triptych "The Communists"

• 

  International - the right part of the triptych "The Communists"

• 

  Lovers

• 

  Mother