The Returned Names. Victor Sadkov.

I’m looking at the portrait of 4-year-old Veronika and reading in the girl’s eyes the reflection of that sacrificial love, Christian indeed, which lived in her father’s soul – Victor Nikolaevich Sadkov’s, the Russian painter of the recent XX century. Being an artist of tragic fate, V.N.Sadkov had been able, in spite of obstructions, to carry to people that main revelation, which he was given by heaven – the truth of beauty, love and mercy to the neighbour.

That very love, during the whole her life warming his daughter’s heart, in the end did rise his art from the ashes. Veronica Victorovna Sadkova gave a part of her soul to revive the memory about her father, to pass both his heritage and his love, as a baton, to next generations, one more time confirming the stubborn truth – the circle of good is eternal.

Victor Nikolaevich Sadkov was born in 1903 in Moscow in lithographer’s family. His biographical data are very scarce. Until 1918 he studied at the Department of general education of Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He learned from the artists Miloradivich, Klodt, Alexey Korin, Baksheev. From 1918 to 1920 he studied at State Art Studios from Konstantin Korovin and Mikhail Shemyakin. 1922 – 1927 – Vkhutemas-Vkhutein in the studio of I.I. Mashkov’s, one of the most important painters of the circle of “The Knave of Diamonds”.

Sadkov began his art path in 1926, being the member of society “Existence” at first and then “The Wing”, “OMKh” – organizations which had in their supervision so remarkable painters as P.P. Konchalovsky, I.E. Grabar’, S.V. Gerasimov, A.V. Kuprin, A.V. Lentulov, I.I. Mashkov, A.A. Osmerkin.



And then there were exhibitions:
1928 – 1929 – “On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Great October Revolution”; “The artists of RSFSR for the last 15 years”; “Jubilee exhibition in Moscow and Leningrad”.
1929 – The exhibition “Children in Art”.
1930 – The Second Mobile Exhibition.
1931 – Mobile Exhibition.
1935 – “The Spring exhibition of Moscow painters”; “Uralo-Kuzbass exhibition”.
1937 – Personal Exhibition.
1938 – “The Industry of Socialism”; “Exhibition of contractor artists of Moscow artists’ association”; “Sixth exhibition of The Moscow Union of artists”.
1939 – Exhibition of Soviet Artists (Kislovodsk); Exhibition of Moscow and Leningrad artists (Far East); “Food Industry”.
1940 – The seventh exhibition of The Moscow Union of Artists.

His private life developed successfully too.
As tells Tatiana Vasilievna Khvostenko, artist and restorer – the eyewitness of the events of those years – “… Sadkov Victor lived in 8 Maslovka st., in the ground floor, in communal flat. His neighbours were M.A. Kuznetsov-Volzhsky, Tolkach, A.I. Morozov.


Sadkov occupied a spacious room together with his beautiful wife Galia, whose face looked like the type “Day-dream”, and his daughter Veroka resembled her mother. The family was on friendly terms with A. Morozov, David Nurenberg, Tatlin and Tolkach…”

All these years Sadkov works hard, takes part in numerous exhibitions, goes to trips to gather material for creative work in creative brigades, which were popular then; he was appointed brigade-leader – that is he was acknowledged an authority among his equals.

Here that he created by his Personal exhibition 1937:

1934 .
1. Portrait of comrade Sokolov. Krasno-Uralsk, Brass works.
2. Overgrown gardens.
3. Landscape.

The creative brigade. Artists Sadkove, Saryan, Radimov.


1935.
4. Discussion of kolkhoz charter. Turkmenia. Sketch.
5. Meeting. Turkmenia.
6. Old Turkmenia.
7. Portrait.
8. Portrait. Sketch.
9. Azov seaside.
10. Azov seaside.
11. Evening at seaside.
12. Old launch .
13. Launch.
14. Cherry is in blossom.
15. Winter.

1936.
16. Self-portrait.
17. Portrait.
18. Sketch (pastel).
19. Sketch (pastel).
20. Suburbs of Sochi.
21. Mountains. Sochi.
22. River Khosta.
23. River Khosta. In the canyon.
24. River Khosta. Rapids.
25. Sea.
26. Road up the mountains.
27. Cloudy day.
                                                                                                        At the exhibition: artists Sadkov (on the right) and Vyalov.
28. Laurel tree.
29. Small black-cloud.
30. Mushrooms. Autumn motive.
31. Roses.
32. Palette.

1937.
33. Peach-trees in bloom.
34. Portrait of artist’s wife.
35. Wild tulips.
36. Still life.
37. Outskirts of Ashkhabad.
38. Has begun to obstinate.
Sketches for the picture “Reception by comrade Stalin the order-bearers of Turkmenia”:
39. Deputy chairman of CIK TSSR comrade Kurban Durdy Ata Muradov.
40. Head of O.T.F. Sha-Mrad Oraz-Mrad.
41. Collective farmer comrade Posy Kurban Niyaz.
42. Collective farmer Abdurakhman Klychev.
43. Collective farmers Olul’ Niyaz Aki and Gul’ Nabat Ashirova.



There comes wartime. In 1941 Sadkov is appointed responsible for the evacuation of families of artists from Maslovka. There is an interesting evidence about that period – postcard sent to Sadkov from evacuation zone by the famous artist and organization man of MDUA Fedor Bogorodsky:

“27/X 41. Dear Victor Nikolaevich.

We are all in perfect prosperity, we are healthy and preparing for spending the winter. We long for Moscow and are worried about you. I’m going to go to Moscow – probably we’ll see each other! Our luggage arrived safe and we are very glad about it.

What’s new in Moscow? Who of artists have left and who are still in Maslovka? Probably the situation has changed thoroughly and doesn’t remind our country silence!..”

All the first years of war right up to 1943 Sadkov works and lives in Moscow. The recent exhibitions in 1942 – “Landscape of our Motherland”; All-union exhibition “The Great Patriotic war”; spring exhibition of MDUA.

And suddenly, in autumn of 1943, an unexpected arrest… on November, 2 1944 by the resolution of Special Meeting Sadkov

Victor Nikolaevich was convicted by article 58 item 10 part 2 of CC RSFSR… He was deported to the Reformatory in Vologda.

Here it is Article 58 item 10: “Propaganda or agitation, containing an appeal to overthrow, undermining or weakening of the Soviet Power or to accomplishment of some counter-revolutionary crimes (items 58-2 – 58-9 of this Code)”, as well as spreading or making or keeping the literature of the same contents during mass disturbances or with use of national prejudice of the masses or in war situation or in regions declared under martial law…”

How could it happen, that famous, respected by his colleagues and the supervision of MDUA artist Sadkov , who was very recently entrusted by The Party the evacuation from Moscow the families of artists from Maslovka, who recently, in 1942, took part in All-Union exhibition “The Great Patriotic war”, whose works were exhibited in museums of Moscow, Leningrad , Sverdlovsk, Ashkhabad, Kuybyshev and other cities of Soviet Union, suddenly, abruptly began to urge to “overthrow, undermining or weakening” …, to “accomplishment of some counter-revolutionary crimes”?

The irrefragable answer to that question was given only 10 years later: V.N. Sadkov was fully rehabilitated, returned to Moscow, restored in rights (including MDUA)… Ten years of life! Or OUT of life? And were they only ten?

This is the description of the atmosphere of those merciless years given by the eyewitness, field hospital worker I.T.L.:

“In 1946 began to come in lots the former warriors of Soviet Army, who had been in encirclement or who was because of different reasons acknowledged by NKVD as a “harmful element”. Amongst them there were privates, junior and middle officers and even two colonels – division commanders. Most of them had medals and orders for the operations.

Doctors and medical assistants arrived as transports too. Amongst them there were surgeons Vlasov, Sendetskiy, physicians Suhorukov, Inoyatov, medical assistants Mikov, Rumyantsev. The fate of every one of them is a real story, epopee of life.

The investigation room was made in one of the barracks. Some of them were taken away as the investigation went on, but most of them stayed

on the spot. The article of Criminal Code was announced to them, as a rule it was 58.10 and jail term from 5 to 10 years”…

In the letter to his wife Sadkov writes:

“You wrote that you would come when I settled completely… Well, I’m waiting for you now to the address Vologda, 55 Sovietsky prospect, Reformatory colony №1.

Post address is the same “Vologda, mailbox 256/2”. I’m left to work as an artist in this colony, I’m treated very well and full of desire to justify and strengthen such treatment.”

Probably it isn’t occasional, that when one talks about the profession “artist” often adds “free”. Is it possible to call in full measure “creative work” the service for 10 years as a prison painter? Let’s not be categorical. For an artist, his creative work is only way of “natural” being, it’s the principal meaning of his life, and at times it’s the way to survive in hard, disastrous surroundings. However cynical it may sound, Sadkov was lucky in comparison with the others. He was able to work, to create, to transmit his feelings, emotional experience to people. It saved his personality.

“I greatly ask you to send me: coat, cap, socks, coarse trousers, and the main thing – oil paints: white lead, red lake and vermilion or something of that kind. A few pupil’s squirrel brushes, the cheapest ones, bristle brushes sizes 6-12, two flasks of varnish, whatman paper. One kilo of gold bronze.”

And so at the end of each letter to “the big land” – a request to send paints, brushes, canvas, paper…

“My dear, you were right about last parcel, I got only wretched set of water-colours, about seven dried brushes and some pencils, and with this simple equipment I’m making here, in the colony a portrait of my own composition of Marshal of Soviet Union, Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin.”

Yes, apparently it was a real art – how to write private letters properly, in right time sending gentle hints not to ravage equipment so necessary for creating Commander-in-Chief’s portrait. If you go too far – blacklisting and two-handed saw in wood-cutting area.

But there were breakdowns too:



“I’ve considered my situation, it’s rather poor, and materially it’s really desperate; I’ve already written to you that I have no bed, no underwear, no money, and that when I have bread I consider myself as a happy man.”

“It seems to me that these two years are going to be very hard, that I’ve never felt lately such necessity of creative work and such pungent sensation of separation. It’s vexing and hard to feel what enormous quantity of energy and health is spent without any benefit for family and art.”

The longing for freedom, for home was intensified ten times more because of separation from daughter, who he was forced to leave in such young age. Those constant anguish and despair were breaking his will, and some sort of philosophical resignation settled in his heart, helped to save his reason.

“Verokochka, my darling!” writes Sadkov as if from another irreparable world. “I miss you very much and I’m anxious knowing that you are ill. I want to see you healthy and strong, so do everything your mum and grandma tell you and be obedient. I kiss you, my dear girl…”

The release came as unexpected as the confinement began. “The father of peoples” died, another one came yet with his own extravagancy. Country had to adapt itself… But many things in people’s fates, in the very spiritual social environment have changed irreversibly since 1937. The merciless selection of souls had grown “gene pool” of caution, of animal fear and paralysis of will.

The formal Sadkov’s rehabilitation proved to be truly “formal”. Officials of art, very recently outlived the 40-s, became sensitive and discriminating in their contacts. For Sadkov everything turned out not so familiar and as before customary as he remembered in colony at nights. He was no longer young, he saw many things in colony, may be too many for a sensitive artist. He became different.

By that time his family was destroyed by the long separation. He will never visit Verkhnyaya Maslovka again… With his new wife (who was in exile too) he settled in the room in Frunzenskaya quay, his second daughter Olga was born

in the same place. Intimidated by the past and broken by the fear, they led quiet, wary way of life. And even though the situation gradually was changing, they remained such people forever. (Daughter Olga told that playing as a kid she accidentally cut with scissors the portrait of the Leader in some book. The parents immediately strictly forbade her to tell about that accident to anyone).

Sadkov continues to work in the studio in Tverskaya street, not particularly noticed by noisy art-historian fraternity. Only 10 years later (in 1963) he took part in a large exhibition again – “XXX years of MDUA”.

Sadkov’s wonderful insistence in adherence to his chosen professional path is amazing. Nevertheless in 1967 in Moscow in the Central House of Art Workers (CHAW) his personal exhibition took place. The last one.

At the exhibition there were 70 pictorial works of 1960-1966 years and 25 graphic works of the same period. The exhibition was dedicated to fortieth anniversary of Victor Nikolaevich’s creative work: the modest catalogue, the cautious introductory article by V. Lobanov…

With that exhibition, in organization of which Sadkov made so many his own efforts, he makes the last effort to breach in a blank wall of estrangement from him, disavowal of one of “the former prisoners”.

But the flywheel of oblivion implacably makes its work. His albums aren’t republished, disappear from the libraries; his works are hidden as far as possible in the museums’ store-rooms.

The rest of his life Sadkov lived in the Artists’ house in Zholtovskiy st. He worked little, practically all his time devoting to care of sick wife and little daughter.

Sadkov died on the 2nd of April 1976 after serious galloping illness, but he had time to do everything he could for his family.

What does now, after the lapse of more then half a century from the climax of his creative mission and the beginning of ordeals, remain in his native land, in the storeroom of national art heritage of Russia? Alack, n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Literally – the only one archival catalogue with the list of works from personal exhibition in 1967. Not a single album in the libraries, not a single picture in the museums. All that the little which still exists is kept only by his descendants and, unfortunately, no longer in Russia.

Yes, indeed, your resources are inexhaustible and your talents are ineradicable, Motherland! That will be enough for whole world and yet something will remain for yourself… And if we crush somebody in the heat, then, as they say, countrywomen will give birth to the new ones. But somehow it’s hard to believe – who will give birth and, above all, whose countrywomen…

There are fellow students of Vkhutemas in the picture below (about 1925). In the middle row the third from the right is Vitya Sadkov, next to him (with the necktie) is his inseparable friend Kostya Vyalov.









































Look at the faces of these youths of the beginning of the 20-s – those lean and cold years. Hard cheek-bones, tired shoulders… and at the same time their eyes – thoughtful and dreamy, full of hope and foretaste of public acknowledgement, glory, the brilliant remarkable life. Everyone will be led by his fate. What did they ever succeed in and what will never be realized? About everyone we know something and don’t know… or will never know…



P.S.

In accordance to the Returned Names project NP IZOFOND is going to publish the Victor Nikolaevich Sadkov's album.

If you are ready to help in publishing this album, please contact with us and give us your offer of cooperation. If you simply want to provide financial support, you can do it by any of the following ways:

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Опубликовано: 2005-04-07 (3443 Прочтено)