Boris Grigoriev
A Russian modernist painter whose intense, often grotesque portraits captured the soul of the peasantry and the turmoil of his era.
1886–1939 (age 53)·Russian painter (1886–1939·Birthday: July 11·The Lost Generation
Biography
Boris Grigoriev was a force of artistic dissent in early 20th-century Russia. Born in 1886, he studied at the Stroganov School and the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, but quickly moved beyond academic tradition. He traveled through Europe, absorbing influences from Cézanne and the French modernists, which he fused with a distinctly Russian sensibility. Grigoriev is best known for his cycle 'Raseya' (a poetic name for Russia), a series of stark, powerfully drawn portraits of peasants that depicted them not as idealized folk but as earthy, weathered, and spiritually potent figures. After the 1917 Revolution, he emigrated, living in France, the United States, and South America. His work abroad continued to explore themes of displacement and cultural identity, executed with a vigorous, expressive line in both painting and graphic art. He died in 1939, leaving a body of work that serves as a poignant, unflinching chronicle of a vanishing world.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Boris was born in 1886, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Boris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1886
Boris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1886Born
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Started school
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Became a teenager
President: William McKinley
1902Could drive
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Could vote
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Turned 21
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Turned 30
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 40
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 50
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Died at 53
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
Key Achievements
- Created the seminal series 'Raseya', a profound and influential portrait cycle of the Russian peasantry.
- Was a prominent member of the artistic group 'World of Art' and contributed to its exhibitions.
- Authored literary works and poetry, integrating his writing with his visual art practice.
- Exhibited internationally, influencing perceptions of Russian modernism abroad after his emigration.
Did You Know?
He was also a writer and published essays, poems, and a novel.
He lived for several years in Chile, where he painted portraits of local figures and landscapes.
His work was admired by fellow artist and émigré Marc Chagall.
“A face is more interesting than any landscape.”
