10 facts about the painter Martiros Saryan

Born into a well-to-do Armenian family

Martiros Sergeyevich Saryan was born on February 28, 1880, in the Armenian town of New Nakhichevan (now a district of Rostov-on-Don). His ancestors came from the ancient Armenian capital of Ani. The family farmed a small plot of land. Childhood spent in the picturesque Azov steppes played a key role in shaping Saryan's artistic style. After finishing the Armenian-Russian school, Saryan worked at the post office, where in his free time he made sketches of visitors. Saryan's older brother, Hovhannes, supported Martiros's interest and introduced him to the artist A. Artsatbanian, who later prepared him for admission to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

Saryan in his youth. Photo: armmuseum.ru

Studied under Konstantin Korovin and Valentin Serov

In 1897 Martiros Saryan entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. At that time the school was a progressive institution undergoing educational reforms and invited artists with forward-looking views to teach. The core curriculum included classes in drawing, oil painting, watercolor and tempera, as well as landscape, genre, portrait and animal art. After completing the core course, Saryan continued his studies in the studios of Konstantin Korovin and Valentin Serov. His early works were executed in a traditional realist manner, but since the school encouraged the search for new forms and experimentation, Saryan's individual artistic voice emerged fairly early.

Was inspired by folk art

Trips to the Caucasus in the early 1900s were a revelation for Saryan. Visiting his native land strengthened his connection with his ancestors and changed the palette and mood of his works. In 1904–1907 Saryan created the watercolor cycle 'Tales and Dreams.' Works from this cycle were exhibited at the 'Scarlet Rose' and 'Blue Rose' exhibitions, which united symbolist artists. In 1908 Saryan abandoned watercolor entirely and began working in tempera. Medieval Armenian miniature painting, with its contrasting colors and concise lines, influenced the formation of Saryan's artistic style.

M. Saryan. Ararat. Sunset. 1958

Traveled in the East

From 1910 to 1913 Saryan traveled through Turkey, Egypt, Persia and Iran, studying ancient art and culture. The artist sought to convey the realism of the East, painting in tempera on white cardboard to convey the brightness and heat of the southern sun. He increased the scale of his compositions and constructed them on a single plane, achieving volume and depth through contrasting shadows. A key work of the Turkish cycle is the painting 'Constantinople Dogs,' which in 1912 participated in the second Post-Impressionist exhibition in London. Paintings such as 'Wisteria,' 'Fruit Stall,' and later 'Street. Noon' were acquired by the Tretyakov Gallery. The trip to Egypt (Cairo, Giza, Memphis, Luxor) enriched Saryan's oeuvre with new works that became a vivid expression of his distinctive style.

Was the initiator of the creation of several museums

In 1918–1919 Saryan became the initiator and first director of the Armenian Local History Museum in Rostov. In the 1920s the artist moved with his wife and two sons to Yerevan. In the Armenian capital Saryan founded the State Museum of Archaeology, Ethnography and Fine Arts, took part in establishing the Yerevan Art College and the Society of Fine Arts Workers.

M. Saryan. Gifts of Autumn. 1954

Created designs for the coat of arms and flag of Soviet Armenia

Martiros Saryan and Akop Kodjoyan developed the design for the emblem of the Armenian SSR. The state emblem included images of Greater and Lesser Ararat, the sickle and hammer under a five-pointed star, grapevines and ears of wheat. The design was surrounded by inscriptions in Armenian: 'Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic' and 'Proletarians of all countries, unite!', as well as the same slogan in Russian. The description of the emblem was enshrined in the 1922 Constitution.

State emblem of the Armenian SSR.

Held two exhibitions in Paris

Having secured a firm place in the artistic world of Russia and Armenia, Saryan went to the 'city of artists'—Paris—to refine his craft, study French Impressionism and synthesize Eastern and Western traditions. In Paris Saryan exhibited his works twice and in 1928 organized a solo exhibition at the Ch.-O. Girard salon. He also designed the play 'Zuleika' for the La Chauve-Souris (The Bat) theatre. The artist was warmly received by the Parisian public and enjoyed great success. By tragic circumstance, most of Saryan's paintings burned on the ship during his return to Armenia. Only the works he had sold and a few studies that he carried with him survived.

Worked in the portrait genre during the war years

During the years of the Great Patriotic War Saryan primarily painted portraits. The master visited military hospitals, making sketches of wounded soldiers, nurses and doctors. Works from the wartime period include: 'Self-Portrait' (1942), 'Self-Portrait. Three Ages' (1943), portraits of defenders of the motherland—Heroes of the Soviet Union S. Margulis (1942), N. Stepanyan (1943), I. Isakov (1943), and the still life 'To the Armenians — Fighters of the Great Patriotic War,' which Saryan painted in 1945 when his younger son Lazar returned from the front.

M. Saryan. To the Armenians — Fighters of the Great Patriotic War. 1945

Appeared in a documentary about himself

In 1965 the documentary film 'Martiros Saryan' was released by the Armenfilm studio. Alongside director Laert Vagarshyan, the film about Martiros Saryan involved cinematographer Marat Varzhapetyan, writer Ilya Ehrenburg and the artist's younger son, composer Lazar Saryan.

Frame from the documentary 'Martiros Saryan.' The artist paints a still life on glass.

Wrote memoirs 'From My Life'

Saryan was not only a master of the brush but also of the word. In 1966 the first edition of his autobiography 'From My Life' was published, later reissued in four languages. The book is based on letters, diaries and travel notes that the artist kept from 1910 onward.

---