Malysh, Gavriil

1907 - 1998

In 1907 Gavriil Malysh was born to a peasant family with six children. As long as he can remember, art was always a part of his life. His love for drawing led him to become a student at the Art Institute of Odessa. He fondly remembers his Professors T.B. Fraerman and A.F. Gaush; other influences include Russian artists I. Levitan, V. Serov, M. Vrubel and P. Kontchalovsky.

From 1935-1941, he began his artistic career in the Leningrad State Museum of Agriculture Reconstruction. The beginning of the Great Patriotic War delayed his creative plans. Together with other artists of the museum, Malysh enlisted as a volunteer to the Army. During this time he used his talents to write party slogans and illustate posters for the army.

After the war, Malysh turned his intrest to watercolor and oils. His love of life and nature led him to painting landscapes and bright decorative still lifes. Strong color schemes with bright color contrasts portray complicated states of this artist’s soul.

Malysh died in St. Petersburg in 1998.

Gavriil Malysh is listed in Matthew Bown’s A Dictionary of Twentieth Century Russian and Soviet Painters 1900-1980’s.