Alexander Khudyashev is a sculptor, painter, teacher, organizer who played a prominent role in the artistic life of two Siberian cities - Tomsk and Barnaul in the 10–20s of the twentieth century. This article, based on the documents found, represents for the first time the main stages of his life and work, active participation in the All-Siberian Association of Artists «New Siberia». Until recently, very little was known about the life and work of this artist. The authors of the article, relying on archival materials, restored the biography of A. Khudyashev, in particular, more fully covered the Barnaul period of his life. On the basis of the documents found in the State Archive of the Altai Krai, the facts of the early years of the master's biography, the period of study at the Kazan Art School, and studies at private art studios in Moscow became known. The article describes his organizational work in Tomsk: on the board of the Tomsk Society of Art Lovers, participating in annual periodic art exhibitions, organizing a number of exhibitions («Exhibition of paintings and sculptures by local artists» and «Autumn exhibition of local and non-resident authors»). In Novonikolaevsk (now Novosibirsk), together with the assistant of the Leipzig Royal Academy of Arts, Czech artist F. Havelka, he participated in the preparation of the first in the history of the city art exhibition of Tomsk and Novikolaevsk professional artists and students of the Tomsk Real School and private studio F. Havelka. The pedagogical activity of the master is noted: in parallel with the creative and organizational work, Khudyashev taught sculpture in F. Havelka’s private drawing classes, drawing in the theological schooland first city women’s school, as well as in the Mariinsky female gymnasium. In 1918, the artist returned to Barnaul, where, according to A. Khudyashev's questionnaire recently discovered in the State Archive of the Altai Territory, he continued his teaching activities at the Barnaul Pedagogical Technical School and at the Workers' Faculty, and also worked in the Altai provincial department of public education. In addition, the artist was engaged in design activities. Becoming a member of the AllSiberian Society of Artists «New Siberia», he took part in the First All-Siberian exhibition of painting, sculpture, graphics and architecture, opened by members of the "New Siberia" in 1927 in Novosibirsk. The history of the Museum of Fine Arts in Barnaul, the first art museum in Altai, is connected with the name of A. Khudyashev. In difficult historical times, the change of the social and political system, the civil war, the introduction of the New Economic Policy A.V. Khudyashev sought to save a unique collection of the first art museum in Altai, understanding the importance and necessity of his work for future generations. The article introduces for the first time into the scientific parlance and analyzes three of his remaining paintings, now stored in the State Art Museum of the Altai Krai, tells about the composition and fate of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Barnaul.
Charles Arthur Lovatt Evans, 1884-1968
