Mikhail Chapiro

Mikhail Chapiro was born on July 6, 1938, in Novozybkov, near Belarus, Russia. He showed an early talent for drawing and painting, and was admitted to the Moscow State Art Institute in 1957, where he studied under Dmitry Zhilinsky, a renowned realist painter. He graduated in 1963 and became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. He also joined the World of Art movement, a group of artists who sought to revive the traditions of the Russian art and culture. He painted many portraits and historical scenes of Russia and Europe, such as "The Last Day of Pompeii" (1966), "The Siege of Pskov" (1970), and "The Judas Kiss" (1972). He also painted some landscapes, still lifes, and abstract compositions. He was influenced by the works of the Italian masters, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio, as well as by the Russian icons and folk art. He developed his own style of modern art, combining realism and expressionism, with rich colours and dynamic forms. He was one of the most influential and versatile Russian painters of the latter half of the 20th century, whose work reflected his deep connection to his roots and his empathy for the human condition. He received many honours and awards, such as the Order of Friendship (1994), the State Prize of the Russian Federation (1996), the G. S. Mosin Prize (2002), and the Medal of Honor of the Russian Academy of Arts (2010). He died in Moscow on December 1, 2019, at the age of 81. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most original artists of the 20th century, whose work influenced many artistic movements and genres. He is also celebrated as a major Jewish artist, whose work reflects his Jewish heritage and his sympathy for the Jewish people.