Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Deyneka (born May 20, 1899 – died June 12, 1969) is a famous artist of the 20th century, who worked in the style of socialist realism. Alexander Deineka’s paintings depict happy Soviet people, joyfully working in factories, plants, mines, playing sports. The artist’s work is characterized by poster-like, monumental, his characters are typical, devoid of individual traits.

Alexander Deineka sought to comprehensively understand reality, he was able to accurately convey the specifics of the urban landscape. His painting attracts with active actions, complex movements, and bright colors.

Biography of Alexander Aleksandrovich Deineka Alexander Deineka, a native of Kursk, was born on May 20, 1899 in the family of a railroad worker. The boy was fond of painting and technology since childhood. Continuing his father’s work, he entered the railway school, but a year later he left for Kharkov to receive an art education. After the revolution of 1917, classes were stopped. Alexander worked as a photographer in the criminal investigation department, headed the fine art section of the Gubnadobraz, produced posters and placards, designed propaganda trains, participated in theatrical productions.

Then followed a two-year service in the army, where the future artist headed an art studio. After the service, Deineka was sent to Moscow, where he continued his studies at the printing department of VKHUTEMAS. From the very beginning, the artist was fascinated by the depiction of human figures, the creation of narrative works. The artist also illustrated Krylov’s fables. A unique authorial style is already clearly visible in the painting “Football”, where Alexander Deineka presented half-naked athletes as a powerful unity. In young Soviet art, the artist discovered the aesthetics of technology, the architecture of production. His works feature physically strong and spiritually strong workers against the backdrop of engineering structures.

In 1928, Alexander Deineka painted the famous “Defense of Petrograd” in just one week. The painting made the artist a real star.

In the 1930s, Deineka focused on the theme of sports. He himself had been involved in gymnastics, volleyball, boxing, swimming, and running since his youth. This helped the artist masterfully convey the dynamics and plasticity of athletes in his works. He spent a lot of time at stadiums, where he made sketches of complex angles.

Depicting the physical perfection of athletes, the artist emphasized their fortitude. In 1932, Deineka created the famous work “Running”, and a year later – the poster “Physical Culture Girl”.

During the war period, the cult of health and sports in the artist’s work temporarily faded into the background. Alexander Deineka created a series of Moscow landscapes of that time, works with battle scenes.

After the war, the artist returned to his favorite subjects and was in great demand. In 1947, he painted the picture “Relay Race on Ring “B”, where he recreated the atmosphere of a sports festival with reportage accuracy: a sunny day, focused runners, enthusiastic spectators.

Deineka also dedicated sculptures to the theme of sports, created sketches for mosaics that decorated the stations of the capital’s metro. For many years, the artist was engaged in teaching: immediately after the war, he received the title of Academician of the USSR Academy of Arts. The famous Soviet artist died on June 12, 1969 in Moscow.

In his work, Deineka created an image of a happy Soviet reality. Although his characters are not endowed with individual features in the spirit of that time, thanks to the unique talent of the artist, they have gained immortality.