Grigory Vasilyevich Soroka

Paintings

Fishermen. Spasskoye

Dam in the estate Spasskoye. Tambov Gubernia

Grigoriy Vasilyevich Soroka (Russian: Григорий Васильевич Сорока, real surname Vasilyev (Васильев); November 27 [O.S. November 15] 1823—April 22 [O.S. April 10] 1864) was a Russian painter, one of the most notable members of Venetsianov school.

Life

Soroka was born in Pokrovskoye village (Tver Guberniya), in the family of landowner Milyukov. In 1842-1847 he studied art from Alexey Venetsianov then he was returned to his owner. In the 1850s-1860s he resided in his home village. He fell in love with his owners's daughter Lydia but was forcibly married to a serf woman. After the emancipation reform of 1861 in Russia, Soroka remained under the serfdom system. He made a formal complaint but it was rejected and he was flogged. Soroka's body was found in the baking room where he had hanged himself.[1] His beloved Lydia poisoned herself soon after.

Art

Though Soroka's surviving output is relatively small and includes no more than 20 undated paintings, Soroka proved himself to be a gifted draughtsman. He also painted several icons for local churches, among them Saviour Not Made by Hands.

Fishermen

Dam in Spasskoye, Tambov Guberniya

Lydia Milyukov, 1840s

Peasant boy, 1840s

Reflection in a mirror, 1850s

References

B. Eklof, ‘Worlds in Conflict: Patriarchal Authority, Discipline and the Russian School, 1861-1914’, Slavic Review 50 4 (1991) 792; Hrono.ru