Grigory Soroka

Image:Self-portrait by G.Soroka (1840-50s, Russian museum).jpg

Grigoriy Vasilyevich Soroka ({{langx|ru|Григорий Васильевич Сорока}}, real surname Vasilyev (Васильев); {{OldStyleDate|November 27|1823|November 15}}—{{OldStyleDate|April 22|1864|April 10}}) was a Russian painter, one of the most notable members of Venetsianov school.

Life

Soroka was born as a serf in Pokrovskoye village (Tver Guberniya), owned by the Milyukov family. 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 owner'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.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} 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.B. Eklof, ‘Worlds in Conflict: Patriarchal Authority, Discipline and the Russian School, 1861-1914’, Slavic Review 50 4 (1991) 792; [http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/soroka.html Hrono.ru] His beloved Lydia poisoned herself soon after.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

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.

Image:Fishermen. View in Spasskoe by G.Soroka (1840s, Russian museum).jpg|Fishermen

Image:View on the dam in Spasskoe by G.Soroka (1840s, Russian museum).jpg|Dam in Spasskoye, Tambov Guberniya

Image:Lidia Milykova by G.Soroka (1840s, Hermitage).jpg|Lydia Milyukov, 1840s

Image:Peasant boy by G.Soroka (1840, Russian museum).jpg|Peasant boy, 1840s

Image:Reflection in the mirror by G.Soroka (c.1850, Russian museum).jpg|Reflection in a mirror, 1850s

Grigory Soroka

Life

Art

References

Further reading