Nathan Altman
Nathan Altman Biography
Nathan Isaiehvich Altman was born in Vinnitsa, a provincial town in the Malorossiyan part of the Russian Empire, now Ukraine. He lost his father early and had to count only on himself in achieving his goal to became an artist. He studied in Odessa Art School (1902-07), but left it, unsatisfied with the level of teaching. On his return to Vinnitsa, he went on working alone. At the end of 1910, he went to Paris, where he lived for about a year. The trip played an important role in his future career. His natural talent helped Altman to feel and understand the art ideas and trends of his time, and inborn professionalism helped to realize the ideas into artistic and elegant works of art. He was mostly influenced by Picasso and Braque.
Nathan Altman 10 Most Important Paintings and Artworks
- Lady With A Dog. Portrait Of Esther Schwartzmann.
1911. Oil on canvas mounted on cardboard. 67.5 x 47.5 cm. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Jug And Tomatoes.
1912. Oil on canvas. 69.5 x 49.5 cm. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Portrait Of Anna Akhmatova.
1914. Oil on canvas. 123.5 x 103.2 cm. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia. Read Note.
- Portrait Of A Young Jew (Self-Portrait).
1916. Plaster of Paris, copper, wood. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Still Life. Colored Bottles And Planes.
1918. Oil and plaster on canvas. 59.5 x 43.5 cm. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Material Painting. Still Life With A White Jug.
1919. Oil and enamel on canvas. 84.5 x 62 cm. The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Composition With Material Objects.
1920. Oil, enamel, glue, plaster and sawdust on canvas. 83 x 65.5 (oval). The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Self-Portrait.
1926. Lead pencil on paper. 44.6 x 35.9 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.
- Square In A Provincial Town.
1926. Italian and lead pencil on paper. 51.2 x 36.6 cm. The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia.
- Still Life.
Mixed technique on paper. 62.5 x 47 cm. The Museum of Russian Art. Erevan, Armenia.
Nathan Altman Bibliography
Nathan Altman. By M. Etkind. M. 1971.
Nathan Altman. Catalogue of Exhibition. M. 1978.
Nathan Altman: Theatre. Cinema. Catalogue. Leningrad. 1978.
The Art and Architecture of Russia (Pelican History Art) by George Heard Hamilton. Yale Univ Pr, 1992.
A Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Artists 1420-1970 by John Milner. Antique Collectors' Club, 1993.
The Russian Avant-Garde: Art and Architecture by Catherine Cooke. St Martins Pr, 1984.
Origins of the Russian Avant-Garde by Yengenia Petrova. Palace Editions, 2003.
