Koltsov Sergey Vasilyevich

Sculptor, painter, graphic artist. Studied at the Saratov Arts-and-Crafts College (1907-1916) with N. A. Andreev, T. P. Pashkov, S.-V. Noakovskiy; graduated with the diploma of First-Degree Artist and a Gold Medal.

Lived in Moscow. Worked on monumental, monumental-decorative and indoor sculpture in different materials (plaster, wood, bronze marble). Painted portraits of historical persons (N. V. Gogol, N. A. Dobrolyubov, K. Marx, F. Engels) and contemporaries (industrial workers, builders, sportsmen), nudes. In 1918 he created a monument of Ivan Bolotnikov for Moscow in accordance with the monumental propaganda plan (plaster; was not inaugurated). Painted; used various graphic techniques (watercolour, pencil, sanguine, sepia).

Took part in exhibitions from 1915 on (“Free Creation”). Exhibited his works at the First Russian Art Exhibition at the Van Diemen Gallery in Berlin (1922), the Permanent Art Exhibition in Moscow (1922). Member of the board, chairman of the sculpture section and exhibitor of the Association of Revolutionary Russian Artists (1926-1929).

Went to Paris in 1928 on behalf of the People’s Commissariat of Education together with his wife, the artist A. G. Koltsova-Bychkova. Exhibited his works at the Autumn Salon, in independent salons and “Bareiro”. Had a personal exhibition at the “Senate” Gallery (1920). Upon his return (1930) had a personal exhibition in Moscow (1931. Introductory text to the catalogue by A.V. Lunacharskiy), in which he presented the sculptures and drawings (genre sketches, landscapes, portraits) done in Paris. In 1930-40 he worked on a number of sculptures for the building of the V. I. Lenin Library (architects V. G. Gelfreyh, V. A. Shchuko) and the project of a monument in honour of the 20th anniversary of the Workers’- and-Farmers’ Red Army. During the Second World War he worked on the reconstruction of the figures of Terpsichore and the Flying Genius on the facade of the Bolshoi Theatre, hit during a bomb attack (1941-1943). He created the series of paintings “Farmers at the Construction Site” (1932), “Social Support Facilities” (1932-1933, pastel), “Azerbaijan” (1936, pencil, sanguine), “Sportsmen” (1930) and others.

From 1932 on member of the Artists’ Union of the USSR, member of the board of the sculptors’ section of the Moscow Section of the Soviet Artists’ Union, from 1941-1948 chairman of the sculptors’ section. Took part in jubilee exhibitions “Artists of the RSFSR for 15 years” (1932-1934), “15th anniversary of the Workers’-and-Farmers’ Red Army” (1933-1934) in Leningrad and Moscow, in many Union-wide exhibitions.

Taught at the Higher Arts-and-Crafts College in Moscow (1945-1951), assistant professor, dean of the School of Architectural-Decorative Sculpture. Exhibitions of the artist’s works were held in Moscow (1974, 2007).

Koltsov’s works are present in many museum collections, among them the State Tretyakov Gallery, The State Russian Museum, The State Literature Museum, the Museum of Russian Art in Kiev and others.