Friends!

Friends, on this day in 1919 died Oleksandr Murashko - Ukrainian painter, educator and social activist. He was called the first European from Ukraine. And he went into history as an unrivaled Ukrainian portrait painter.

Oleksandr Murashko was born on the 7th of September, 1875 in Kiev. Up to 7 years, his grandmother brought him up in the town Borzny in Chernihiv. She told the grandson about Cossack times, told stories, made the most important - awakened the imagination of the child. Subsequently, his mother eventually took the child with her. She moved with her son to new husband Olexander in Chernigov.

Stepfather Olexander had his own workshop on iconography and began to attract a guy into his work. The new father was offered a job in Kiev - so the whole family moved to the famous house on the street Mala Zhitomyrska, 14. Small Olexander saw a grand event - the decoration of the Volodymyr cathedral. He fell in love with painting.

As often happens, Olexander Murashko first did not find a common language with his stepfather and at the age of 15 he had to start earning money for living. But hard work, living from hand to mouth and nights on the street confounded signs - boy felt ill. He returned to the family. Stepfather adopted the boy and gave him his name. And yet - prepared to enter the academy. Along with stepfather uncle Mykola Murashko taught him drawing.

In autumn 1894, Olexander Murashko entered the Higher Art School at the St. Petersburg Academy, and in 1896 became a student of the famous workshop of Ilya Repin. Like his stepfather, first relationship with r Repin did not evolve. But vanity of young talent eventually passed. Under the mentoring Repin, he even won a contest for a trip abroad. He visited Rome and Venice, lived in Munich and Rome.

Olexander worked hard on self-improvement and it gave a result. For example, the picture of "Carousel", written in 1906, brought international recognition to the artist. It was presented at the Munich International Exhibition, where it received a gold medal. Talented artist was invited to different European capitals.

The artist opened the way to a better world not only for himself, but for the whole Ukrainian art. He raised it to the European level. After such excitement Olexander returned home - in 1907 he moved to Kyiv. In two years, he met his soul mate - married Margaret Krueger. Later they adopted girl Catherine.

Olexander dreamed of a great achievement not only for himself, but also for the entire Kyiv. He wanted to turn it into a big art center, such as Munich and Paris, opened the Academy of Arts. He taught others to draw - first taught at the Kyiv Art School, and later opened his own art studio.

Talented artist really burned about his work, he had many artistic plans. One of his dreams was implemented - in 1917 was opened the Ukrainian Academy of Fine Arts. But the life of Olexander Murashko was taken by KGB. He returned home with his wife when he was shot in the head. Instead, press then wrote that he "was robbed and killed by bandits." Oleksandr Murashko was buried near his home in Lukyanovka cemetery.

But it was impossible to deceive people from art circles, they were among the first, who noticed bloody red terror. After the death of the talented artist all gathered at the largest exhibition of his works initiated by Theodore Ernst.

Eternal memory to this talented man.