Rufin Sudkovsky

Rufin Sudkovsky (1885)

Rufin Gavrilovich Sudkovsky (Ukrainian: Руфін Гаврилович Судковський; 19 April 1850, Ochakiv - 16 February 1885, Ochakiv) Was a Ukrainian painter who specialized in naval and maritime scenes.

Biography

He was the son of a priest in the Diocese of Kherson. Originally, he planned to follow in his father's footsteps, studying first at the local religious school, then at the Odessa Theological Seminary,[1] but he soon lost interest. He had been attracted to drawing since he was a child, and began to frequent the Odessa Drawing School at the local art society. Under the influence of Odessa's status as a major port, his focus soon turned to maritime themes.

Surf at the Pier (1879)

In 1868, he left the seminary and went to Saint Petersburg, where he was accepted on a provisional basis at the Imperial Academy of Arts. He eventually became a full student, remaining for three years and being awarded several medals. He returned to Ochakiv in 1871 and began a series of sketches of the Black Sea coastline.[1] Most of these early works were derivative, and were not successful when they were exhibited in Saint Petersburg. His technique and originality improved during a trip to Germany and France in 1874.[2] Three years later, a new exhibit at the Academy earned him the title of "Free Artist" (second degree). In 1879, he was promoted to first degree.[1]

Darial Gorge (1884)

Plagiarism?

He continued to exhibit in Saint Petersburg, sometimes together with Julius von Klever.[2] In 1882, his painting, "Tempest near Ochakiv", won him the title of Academician. The following year, he was married and became embroiled in a controversy when Arkhip Kuindzhi (a former roommate at the Academy) accused him of plagiarism. Although the critics and press took his side, several artists (Kramskoi, Maximov, Volkov and Repin) published a letter in the New Times, stating that Sudovsky had "directly borrowed" from Kuindzhi.[3]

Two years later, at the height of his career, he fell ill with typhus during an exhibition in Kiev, and was taken back to Ochakiv, where he died.[2] Despite his short life, he was able to complete a large number of canvases, which were presented by his friends in a retrospective, shortly after his death. His widow, Elena (also an artist), married the military painter, Mykola Samokysh in 1889 and became a popular illustrator.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Судковский, Руфим Гаврилович". Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary: In 86 Volumes (82 Volumes and 4 Additional Volumes). St. Petersburg. 1890–1907.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brief biography @ Imperia.
  3. ↑ Brief biography @ the Museum of Ukrainian Art, Dnipropetrovsk.

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