Kossenkov, Vassiliy Petrovich

Vassiliy Petrovich Kossenkov

takes his place among other renowned Soviet landscape painters such as Efrem I. Zverkov, Nikolai Efimovich Timkov, Vladimir Y. Yukin, and Vladimir Fedorovich Tokarev.  These masters are brought together by openness, simplicity and delicacy.  The emotional intensity of their paintings is rooted in their tender allegiance to their native land.

Kossenkov was born in 1919 in the Smolenski Russian Region, or “Smolenshchina.”  His father, who was a master carpenter and well-educated man, taught Kossenkov from childhood a great appreciation for art and beauty.  He remained close to nature throughout his life, and traveled extensively throughout Russia, painting on location in all seasons and weather conditions.

In 1937 Kossenkov attended the Dulevskoye Art Ceramic School.  From there, he was specially chosen to advance to the Stroganovskoye School,  now known as the Moscow Institute of Applied and Decorative Art.  Later, he would be chosen to attend the Surikov Art Institute.  However, disaster struck just as his intense art education was getting underway.  His father died, and Kossenkov was obliged to earn his daily bread himself, frequently working at night.  He continued his studies, however, until more hardship came, this time by way of the Great Patriotic War.

During the 1940’s the Great Patriotic War waged on, and art students were evacuated to Samarkand.  Scholarships ran out, any extra money was nearly impossible to earn.  Students went hungry, but students and teachers stuck together, and continued their studies despite the difficulties.

Kossenkov attempted four times to enlist in the army, begging to go to the frontline. However, his applications were vehemently blocked by none other than Sergey Vassilievich Gerasimov, one of his instructors, and himself a Master Soviet Era Impressionist.  Finally, Kossenkov applied again, and this time was accepted.  He was sent to Stalingrad as a platoon leader, where he was almost fatally wounded on December 20, 1942.  His entire artillery section was killed, his friends all perishing during the 4 months and 18 day siege.  Kossenkov dragged himself to the Russian encampment, and spent the next one and a half years in hospitals around the Ural Region.  He won three tributes:  The First and Second Order Great Patriotic War, and the Order of the Red Star.  But the war haunted him physically and mentally, and he never turned to war themes as subject matter for his artworks.

Kossenkov returned to the V. I. Surikov Art Institute, where he graduated.  Igor Emanuilovich Grabar was head of the institute, and later Sergey Gerasimov took his place.  It was Nikolai Kharitonovich Maximov who recommended Kossenkov for entry to the institute.  So it was that Kossenkov achieved the opportunity to study at arguably the best art institute, and under some of the best Soviet Masters of that time and place.  Among them:  Dmitri Konstantinovich Mochalski, V.V. Pochitalov, I.I. Chkmalov, Aristarkh V. Lentulov, Tkachev, and Vladimir N. Gavrilov.

Kossenkov aslo attended the Surikov Art Institute with Elena Borisovna Popova, who would become his true friend, devoted companion throughout all of his journeys, and wife.

Elena would later say of Kossenkov’s work:  “Vassiliy belonged to that type of person who could discover beauty and joy in life and share it with others.  The same is applicable to his art.  He had an ability to see the unusual in ordinary things.  He didn’t strive after the spectacular states of nature; he adored painting what other people passed by, having taken no notice of:  A bush in a spring puddle, the depths of the forest, an overwintered autumnal twig of the birch.  He liked to paint point-blank a blooming apple tree or a cherry tree, as well as things quickly passing away, such as drifting clouds, splashes of sunlight on the water surface, fog and falling snow.  He seemed to stop moments inviting us to adore the beauty of nature together.”

Kossenkov’s travels took him to the Kola Penisula on a geological expedition.  The day-to-day life and hard work of the geologists in the field inspired important and monumental paintings.  He also studied wildlife, even spending time with reindeer breeders on Kolsky Island.

Kossenkov was an accomplished athlete, and was a ski instructor, gaining much practice on Mount Elbrus.

Kossenkov exhibited his paintings beginning at an unusually young age.

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