Zinovy or Zalman Moiseyevich Vilensky (Russian: Зиновий Моисеевич Виленский, 1899–1984) was a Soviet and Russian sculptor worked and lived in Moscow. Famous for his monumental portraits exhibited at landmarks of Russia such as Moscow, Tretyakov Gallery and many others. He was awarded Stalin Prize in 1948, Became a corresponding member of USSR Academy of Arts and a People's Painter of the USSR in 1980.

Zinovy Vilensky
Зиновий Виленский
Born
Zalman Moiseyevich Vilensky

(1899-10-15)October 15, 1899
DiedOctober 13, 1984(1984-10-13) (aged 84)
Moscow, USSR
NationalityRussian
Known forSculpture
MovementMonumental sculpture portraits
AwardsPeople's Painter of the USSR (1980)

Biography

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Old Z.M.Vilensky

Zinovy was born on 15(3) October 1899 in Koriukivka, Chernigov Governorate.[1] He finished the school at the Sugar Factory in Chernigovshina and then in 1914 entered Kiev Art College were studied till 1919 and before he had graduated moved back to his motherland, village Korukovka. He worked as a decorator in the theatre of Sugar Factory and also worked as a teacher of drawing in technical secondary school of Korukovka.[2] Then he moved to Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) and studied in Municipal free art workshops (Academy of Arts) preparing to enter Vkhutemas. There were no places in the School Fine Art where he wanted to enter so he entered the School of Sculpture and studied there in 1922–1928. Among his teachers were Joseph Chaikov, Ivan Efimov and Anton Lavinsky.

In 1930s he started participating in biggest art exhibitions while working on Portrait Busts and Monuments. He took part in the Exhibition organised in favour of 15 years anniversary of the Red Army in 1933 with two works in plaster: "Recon" and "Patrol". His first famous works were: monument of Vladimir Lenin in Azov, Portrait of Mikhail Kalinin and Bust of Sergei Kirov in Manufacturing plant "Dinamo"; Portraits of such well-known musicians as Konstantin Igumnov (1939) and Alexander Goldenweiser (1940).

During World War II Vilensky was working in metallurgical plant where he created his famous "Ural Series" of terracotta sculptures (1941–1943).[3]

Personal exhibitions:
1943, 1944 Perm
1955, 1967, 1975 and 1980 Moscow

After the war he lived in Moscow where he died on 15 October 1984.

Notable works

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Sculptures

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Konstantin Igumnov (1939) - Plaster - Tretyakov Gallery
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1949) - Marble - Tretyakov Gallery
Semen Alekseevich Lavochkin (1947) - Marble - Tretyakov Gallery
Stepan Elizarovich Artemenko (1948) - Bronze - Rasulovo, Odessa region
Ivan Harlamovich Mihaylichenko (1948–1949) - Bronze - Almazniy, Lugank region
Sergey Alekseevich Chaplygin (1950) - Plaster - NMM Zhukovsky
Bertrand Russell (1966) - Bronze
Mikhail Gromov (1970) - Bronze
Sergei Korolev (1981) - Marble

Monuments

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Sergei Kirov - Borovichi
Vladimir Lenin (1957) - Bronze - Sochi, Russia
A P Vinogradov (1977) - Marble - Alley of Heroes, St.Peterburg
Sergei Korolev (1980) - Marble - Korolev, Russia
G P Svishev (1982) - Marble - Alley of Heroes, St.Peterburg

Awards

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Stalin Prize 1948,
Corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Arts 1966,
People's Painter of the RSFSR 1969,
People's Painter of the USSR 1980

References

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  1. ^ Vilensky Zinovy Moiseevich in Great Soviet Encyclopedia
  2. ^ Catalogue for art exhibition "15 years of RKKA (Red Army)", Moscow 1933
  3. ^ Khudojestvenniy kalendar "Sto Pamyatnih Dat", Sovetskiy Khudojnik, Moscow 1978
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