Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm is a famous Russian artist. (1843-1914)

Last year marked the 170th anniversary of the birth of the wonderful Russian artist Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm. Today this name says a lot to art critics and practically nothing to people far from art. But it was for them that she illustrated literary works, the alphabet and enthusiastically drew holiday cards, which have long been recognized as unique.

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Elisabeth Boehm was born on February 24, 1843 into a noble family. Her father Mercury Nikolaevich Endaurov served as a collegiate assessor. At the age of 23, she married Ludwig Frantsevich Böhm (1825-1904), who was a famous violinist, like his father, who was once invited from Hungary and became a soloist of the St. Petersburg Imperial Orchestra. By the way, Franz Böhm is also known as a teacher of Russian composers Glinka, Lvov, Verstovsky. The family kept two relics for a long time - a Stradivarius violin and a letter from Beethoven.

From the age of 14, Liza Endaurova studied at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts in St. Petersburg, from which she graduated in 1864 with a silver medal. Wonderful teachers taught at this school - I. Kramskoy, P. Chistyakov, L. Primazzi, A. Beidman. Liza Endaurova’s talent was versatile; nothing stopped her from experimenting, being original and even daring - perhaps because the material side of the matter did not interest her either in her parents’ family or after marriage.

New page life

In 1968, the Boehm couple had a daughter, named, like her mother, Elizaveta. This event made the children's theme close to the artist even more interesting. She often drew peasant children from life. The kind “Aunt Bömikha” came to villages and drew pictures of children, treating them to sweets.

At that time, many artists, as well as writers, tried to attract public attention to the fate of children living in poor families, creating canvases and literary works full of tragedy. These are “Troika” by Perov and “Children Running from a Thunderstorm” by Makovsky. But the children in Boehm’s works were different - well-fed, happy with life, well dressed, often in Russian national costume. Didn't occupy her social aspect, but attracted outer beauty children, the naivety of their eyes, the purity of their smiles, spontaneity and sincerity. And they “lived” a happy, carefree life on the pages of fairy tales and alphabet books, as well as on wonderful postcards.

From watercolors to silhouettes

She managed to paint watercolors, practice lithography, and create “Silhouettes,” which were fashionable at that time. By the way, in 14 years from 1875 to 1889, 14 albums with silhouettes were released. Among them are the albums “Silhouettes from the lives of children”, “Pie”, “From village memories”, “Sayings and sayings in silhouettes”, “Proverbs in silhouettes”.

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Kramskoy himself called her silhouettes perfect. These works received a Silver medal at one of the international competitions. A bright event 1883 became the Album “Types from I. S. Turgenev’s “Notes of a Hunter” in Silhouettes.” The uniqueness of this album was obvious: black silhouettes alternated with color drawings, which was undoubtedly impressive. Fortunately, the album was released in Last year writer's life. By the way, it’s worth remembering the two silhouettes for the story “Mumu”.

Elizaveta Boehm illustrated magazines, including children's magazines "Malyutka" and "Igrushechka". Her drawings adorned great novels, including Anna Karenina, as well as famous fairy tale"Turnip", Nekrasov's poem "Red Nose Frost". Her Natasha Rostova, Tatyana Larina, Vanka Zhukov are wonderful! The drawings on biblical themes are also original.

Oddly enough, the illustrations for "ABC" - a large children's album for viewing, as well as Krylov's fables did not bring success. The criticism was merciless: the children seemed unnatural, and for some reason the book itself reminded them of a junk shop. But the drawings in it are wonderful: next to the letter A (Az) is an Angel, next to the letter B (Vedi) is a Knight...

From clay to glass

The name of Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm also entered the history of Russian decorative and applied arts. Painted prayer books and fans, designs for embroidery and lace, beaded kokoshniks, wooden ladles and clay figurines. All this was done by the artist’s hands. And there was glass and crystal! Which, however, is not particularly surprising, since the artist’s brother worked at the Dyadkovo plant.

Boehm's works are recognized as symbolic in the development of the Russian national style in glass. Based on her drawings, items of extraordinary beauty were created, which could be painted by her. Her paintings also decorated porcelain, and her drawings were used to make enamels. They had everything: originality, difficult game colors and even folk humor! That’s why the works were exhibited in Paris, Munich, Berlin, Milan, Chicago and received medals. Without a doubt it was A New Look on glass.

Böhm style

Criticism was almost always favorable to the artist, and her works were readily purchased by collectors. Among them, not only P.M. Tretyakov and I. E. Tsvetkov, but also members royal family.

It is worth mentioning one unique feature of Boehm's style - short witty signatures: jokes, proverbs, riddles, poetic lines, which were everywhere - from postcards to glassware. On a postcard with a picture of a girl drawing a doll, the inscription reads: “It’s not my fault that her face is crooked.” Or a postcard on which a girl, surrounded by nesting dolls, is preparing food for dolls: “For the holiday. Buy cabbage soup. So that the guests will come!”

One of the cards also has a unique signature - poetic lines, and under them the initials “K.R.”: “I’ll pick you a bouquet for your name day, a lot of colorful fragrant flowers: rose hips with wild jasmine and wide maple leaves". "K.R." is the poetic pseudonym of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov (1858-1915).

An impressive inscription in verse on a set for alcoholic drinks, which included fake glasses with drawn little devils calling for a drink: “for health”, “for fun”, “for enthusiasm”, “tea, coffee is not to your liking, if only vodka would suit your taste”. morning”, “where I drank, I spent the night there”, “I drank for joy, I drank for grief”, “whether you like it or not, you need to drink!” There is also an inscription on the damask: “Great, glasses, how were you? They were waiting for me. Drink, drink, you’ll see the devils.”

Holiday cards

Another milestone in Elisabeth Böhm’s work was cards, including Christmas and Easter cards. Although at that time any card could be festive, not even a themed one. Based on Boehm’s drawings, 300 postcards were published, which even today exude sincerity and warmth. Boehm's collaboration with the Community of St. Eugenia, whose publishing house began producing domestic postcards, turned out to be very fruitful. Buyers liked the artist’s postcards because they reproduced scenes from Russian, rather than foreign, life. The colors, themes, writing style, and original signatures made the postcards interesting to collectors.

Holiday cards wished for a good harvest, livestock offspring, a merry Christmas, traditional festivities and fun. And the native landscapes were closer to the Russian soul. But Boehm's postcards were special. Who became the main character, for example, in the artist’s Christmas cards? It turns out not Father Frost , not the Snow Maiden, not the Snow Woman, but children.

On one postcard, a boy and a girl are flying down a mountain not in a sled, but in giant bast shoes. Another funny postcard on which a girl and a boy are sitting in a lapta carried by a hedgehog. The inscription reads: "Winter. It's good to be away, but it's better to be at home." Here is a girl with a doll against the backdrop of a large Christmas star: “The Christmas star brought a lot of happiness. He who serves happiness does not worry about anything.” Often on her postcards, children are carrying Christmas trees or surrounded by a whirlwind of a snowstorm: “The frost is not great, but it doesn’t tell you to stand.” An interesting postcard shows a boy carrying bags on a sled: “I’m bringing happiness to New Year. Some people don't have enough - some people have enough. And to you most of all." And here is a gloomy, angry boy in winter clothes with a stick, toys in his hands and in a bag, signed: “Christmas beech.” A beautiful and rosy girl, clutching a doll and a bear to her chest, next to a Christmas tree: “You always made us happy. And they gave and caressed. How can we give you a gift? What to give for the Christmas tree?"

The boy and girl on holiday cards are the artist’s favorite duet. However, not only their image, but their captions seem somewhat adult. A boy and a girl hugging, above them the inscription: “Kiss on the mouth for the sake of the holiday of Christ.” Or a couple in the national clothes of the Caucasus: “There are many maidens in our mountains. The night and the stars are in their eyes. Living with them is an enviable lot. But the will is even sweeter!” The postcard in which a girl in a rich Russian costume looks thoughtfully at boy dolls dressed in boyar dress is also funny. The signature seems unexpected: “Wow, oh, somehow I’m going to get married! I don’t want to marry a bad guy. There’s nowhere to get a good one!” Another couple with a white dog: “Siberia is numb under the snow. You can’t live without the cold. You can’t live without cuteness!” Two girls with serious eyes, one looks attentively at the other: “Every bride is born for her groom!”

Philosophical postcards attract attention. Here is a handsome fair-haired boy sitting at the table, in front of him is a bowl and a huge mug: “I’ll sit at the table and think. How can I live? How can I be lonely!” Or a serious girl with a doll, next to a clay pot with a wooden spoon: “Happiness will come and find it on the stove.” So the topic holiday cards never sounded to anyone again. The enormous talent of Elisabeth Böhm was not repeated.

Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm passed away on June 25, 1914. And only in the 90s of the twentieth century did interest in this wonderful artist begin to revive.

November 4th, 2014

Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm (nee Endaurova; 02/24/1843, St. Petersburg - 1914, ibid.), Russian draftswoman, silhouette artist, came from an old family. Her ancestors, Tatars, bore the surname Indigir, which meant “Indian rooster.” By a charter granted to the family by Ivan III, the surname was changed to Endaurov.

She was the daughter of the Poshekhonsky landowner, collegiate assessor Mercury Nikolaevich Endaurov. Mercury Nikolaevich Endaurov (1816–1906), born in Vologda, studied at the school of guards ensigns and cadets, in 1833–1840 he served in the Moscow Life Guards Regiment, from 1840 to 1850 he served in St. Petersburg in the Commissariat Department of the Military ministry assistant accountant. In 1850, he retired from service with the rank of collegiate assessor and moved with his family to an estate - the village of Shcheptsovo, Poshekhonsky district, Yaroslavl province. Mother E.M. Boehm Yulia Ivanovna (1820–?) is the daughter of an official of the 6th class of the Boguslavsky regiment. Both parents were great lovers of art, the father was a passionate music lover and theatergoer.

In total, there were six children in the family: Catherine (1841–?), Elizaveta (1843–1914), Nikolai (1848–?), Alexander (1851–1918), Lyubov (1853–?), Alexandra. Alexander became the director of the Maltsov Crystal Factory, where his sister Elizaveta later created her glass works. Lyubov also became an artist, a follower of the Russian style, but not as famous as her sister. She became famous for her watercolors of plants, and the Community of St. Eugenie produced several series of her postcards, in which lines of poetry surrounded wildflowers.

There were many in her family famous people, including on the maternal side, uncle Alexey Afinogenovich Ilyin (1834-1889) - general and founder of the St. Petersburg cartographic establishment, famous throughout Europe, which printed using lithography technique; he published various atlases, popular magazines “Nature and People”, “World traveler". His publishing house published a large number of silhouettes of the artist.

Elizaveta Boehm was born in the capital, but spent her childhood on the Endaurov family estate in the Yaroslavl province. Until 1857, Elizaveta spent her childhood on the family estate Shcheptsovo, where she took her first steps in drawing. In the summer, the family usually went to the family estate Bratkovo near Vologda. Here, in the silence of the countryside, the girl drew with enthusiasm, because there was so much beautiful and unusual stuff around that it just “asked” to be put on paper. The artist’s parents moved to live there, in nature, when she was six years old. Elizaveta Merkuryevna’s brightest childhood memories were associated with rural life.

Like many future artists, she liked to draw since childhood:
“I had a love for drawing from a very young age,” Elizaveta later recalled, “I don’t remember myself otherwise than drawing on all the pieces of paper that came into my hands. In letters to my friends in St. Petersburg, I constantly included my drawings of dolls and animals; and this is what drew the attention of people who somewhat understood that I should take up drawing seriously.”
Life in Russia second half of the 19th century century was not particularly conducive to a woman doing anything other than home, family and children, but Elizaveta Merkuryevna’s parents turned out to be progressive people and listened to the opinion of those who “understood”. Lisa's parents did not interfere with her desire to study at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists (1857-1864), which the girl entered when she was 14 years old. The school took the education of future fellow artists seriously; the best teacher-painter of that time, P. Chistyakov, and artists I. Kramskoy, L. Primazzi, and A. Beidman taught here. Elizabeth studied diligently, becoming an excellent draftswoman who preferred to work in pencil and watercolor.

Elizaveta Merkuryevna was one of the first women to receive professional art education. “I started attending the school of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, which was then located on Vasilievsky Island, in the Exchange building. The best, happiest years were those that I studied at school! I did not have private classes, so the costs of my art education were very insignificant. Our leaders at the school were such masters as Kramskoy, Chistyakov, Beideman, Primazzi (in watercolor),” wrote E.M. Boehm. Elizaveta Merkuryevna maintained friendly relations with I. Kramskoy even after graduating from drawing school, considering him her “favorite leader.” “I will forever have the most gratifying memories of Kramskoy and deep gratitude for the benefit that he brought me. If I understand even a little about drawing, I owe it exclusively to Kramskoy.”

In 1864, having completed her studies with a medal, she returned to her parents’ estate, where she became interested in drawing animals from life; fortunately, the family’s financial situation allowed her to do this without regard to earnings; in 1865, having arrived in St. Petersburg, Elizaveta Merkuryevna received a silver medal from the Society for the Encouragement of Arts for these drawings. In St. Petersburg, the young artist settled with her friend A. Dmokhovskaya (Pinto), whose husband, declared a political criminal, fled from Italy. Deprived of all funds and property, in St. Petersburg he earned money by giving Italian lessons, and only after Victor Emmanuel’s accession to the throne was he restored to his rights and given the position of Italian consul in Russia. Thanks to this family, E.M. Boehm got to know the artistic world of the capital, became friends with the daughter of the censor Professor A. Nikitenko, through whom she met I. Goncharov and I. Turgenev. Thanks to A. Dmokhovskaya, Elizaveta Merkuryevna also met L. Tolstoy, with whom she maintained friendly relations until his death.

At exhibitions at the Imperial Academy of Arts, drawings by E. M. Boehm “Calf’s Head”, “Two Cat’s Heads”, “Dog with wild duck”, etc. Based on these drawings, E.M. Boehm made lithographs, two of which - “Calf’s Head” and “Dog with a Wild Duck” - were published in the “Art Autograph” in 1869–1870. together with lithographs by I. Shishkin, E. Lanceray, V. Makovsky and others. In 1870, the Imperial Academy of Arts awarded Elizaveta Merkuryevna a large encouragement medal for her drawings of animals made in watercolor and pencil.

In Paris, in 1870, she successfully participated in the exhibition watercolor drawings and miniatures. Her works: “Cats”, “Jacktash with Game”, “Village Children” - were awarded a Gold Medal.

For 1875-1889 the artist has released 14 albums with silhouettes. These albums were such a success that international competition in Brussels she was awarded a silver medal for these works.
In Brussels, at an international competition in watercolor and silhouette techniques, she received a Silver medal.

Later, in her diaries, Elizaveta Merkuryevna wrote: “Tatar blood partially flows in me, because my ancestors were Tatars, with the surname Indo-gur, which means “Indian chicken” - rooster. And with a charter granted by John III, the surname was renamed Endaurov.. . I loved the “Endaur” village. And I feel sorry for the city children, deprived of rural joys... And I don’t remember myself otherwise than in the village and always surrounded by children and drawing their faces or animals on any piece of paper...” “At the age of 14.” my parents appreciated my abilities and, having transported me to St. Petersburg, sent me to the school of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists. It was then located in the Exchange building on Vasilievsky... Happiest years were the ones I studied at school! And what brilliant masters taught! Chistyakov, Primazzi, Kramskoy!.. With each new job, especially brought after summer holidays, I ran to Nevsky to Kramskoy’s workshop.”

Soon it developed and personal life, in 1867, Elizaveta married a talented violinist, teacher (and later professor) of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Ludwig Frantsevich Böhm, a Russified Hungarian, with whom she was to live happily all her life. His father and first teacher, Franz Böhm, was a violinist, a passionate lover and promoter of Beethoven’s quartets, lived in St. Petersburg from the 1810s, and was a soloist. Imperial theaters. Gave music lessons royal family, girls at the Smolny Institute, as well as M. Glinka. Ludwig Franzevich received his musical education at the Vienna Conservatory, living with his uncle, the famous professor, violinist Joseph Böhm, founder of the Vienna Violin School, who was friends with Beethoven and was the teacher of a whole galaxy of famous violinists. After the death of his uncle, L.F. Boehm inherited a Stradivarius violin and a letter from Beethoven.

The creative portrait of L. Boehm was left by S. Lavrentieva. “Ludwig Franzevich Bem, Hungarian by birth, but completely Russified, was very educated person, a talented violinist and an excellent teacher, who was first Auer’s adjunct and then a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Yours musical education he received his studies at the Vienna Conservatory and then lived with his uncle, the famous violin professor, Joseph Böhm, former friend Beethoven and the teacher of a whole galaxy of famous violinists, such as: Jochim, Laub, Minkus, Ernst, etc., among whom was Auer’s teacher. Particularly friendly with Joachim, Ludwig Frantsevich lived with him with his uncle, Boehm. When L.F. was already married, he inherited from his uncle the famous Stradivarius violin and Beethoven’s letter.”

Having become a family lady, Elizaveta Merkuryevna did not stop drawing. “Loving what I do with all my heart, even after I got married and after I had a child, I still did what I loved, if not more,” she recalled.

Success in art also came, her works began to receive prizes and awards at various exhibitions with enviable consistency. Elizaveta Merkuryevna did not write large paintings, but her drawings enjoyed continued popularity. And from the mid-seventies she began to work in the technique of lithographed silhouette, which she actually created.
At first the couple lived not far from Franz Boehm - on the street. Ofitserskaya, 29, apt. 12. Then they moved to 22 on the same street, and even later - to the street. Mogilevskaya, 20. Ludwig and Elizabeth had an only daughter, born in 1868. Named after her mother, at the age of 19 she married Nikolai Grigoryevich Barsov, an inspector of students at St. Petersburg University.

Ludwig Böhm supported his wife's hobbies. Her friend, S. Lavrentieva, cites the words of the violinist in her memoirs: “You know, looking at those lovely works by Elizaveta Merkuryevna, which she used to show me during my visits to her, I thought more than once that I was not so much I would be satisfied if my wife were, for example, a musician, and I, returning from the conservatory, still full of the partially false sounds of my students, would meet at home again, even if they were good, but still musical sounds, and here I’m just relaxing on her drawings”

“The opinion has been established that with marriage a woman always or mostly ends her studies in art,” reasoned Elizaveta Merkurievna, “no matter whether it is music or painting or anything else, without finding enough time for it. At the same time, I remember the words of our great writer L.N. Tolstoy, who said that whoever has a real calling will find time for this, just as you find it to drink and eat. And this is absolutely true; I feel this from experience. Loving what I do with all my heart, even after I got married and after I gave birth to a child, I still do what I love, if not more.”

Elizaveta Merkurievna began working actively as a silhouette artist in 1875, when she began “publishing her first books of silhouettes, lithographing them herself and on stone.” It would seem that a lady would rather make silhouettes in an easy and familiar way - by cutting out black or tinted paper. But the artist chose her own path, since only the possibilities of lithography, drawing on stone, allowed her not only to immediately publish her books in small editions, but to do the finest elaboration of all the details, which would have been impossible when cutting with scissors. She carefully drew the feathers of birds and curls on the head of a village girl, the fur of a dog and lace on the dresses of dolls - the smallest details made Elizaveta Boehm’s graphics unusually subtle, sincere, lively, from them one could understand the unspoken things that remained hidden from the viewer inside her silhouettes.

It is interesting that venerable artists perceived her work with undisguised delight. Her teacher Kramskoy wrote: “And what perfection these silhouettes were! Even the expression on the faces of the little black ones could be seen in them.” Ilya Repin, having given his painting to the artist, wrote on the back of the canvas: “To Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm as a sign of my deepest respect for her talent. I love her “dark ones” more than many, many white ones.” And he even painted her portrait.

The famous critic Stasov echoed the painters, calling her “the most gifted of artists” and noting that “Bem took the Russian children’s world for her share,” and her silhouettes express “soul, feeling, thoughts, characters, whims, quirks, grace, pranks , nice ideas." But the main thing is that the opinion of fellow artists coincided with the opinion of the audience. In total, Boehm published 14 albums, which were reissued several times, including abroad. Even in America, her books of silhouettes went through several editions.

In addition, she created drawings of things made for the highest persons. Thus, in Lavrentyeva’s book there is a list (far from complete) of the objects that she painted at that time: “several prayer books with painting on parchment; fans - for the silver wedding of the Greek queen, for marriage Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, several for Grand Duchess Elisaveta Feodorovna... She made watercolors commissioned by Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and for Count S.D. Sheremetev.”

“In 1893,” said the artist, “thanks to pure chance, I tried my hand at a new industry for me, namely the artistic and industrial sector. This idea came to me during my trip to the Oryol province to the Maltsov factories, where my brother Alexander was the director of the crystal factory. I took forms for dishes from the old days, such as: brothers, ladles, feet, glasses, damasks, etc. The drawings on them were made in enamel, according to my drawings and observations; and others were engraved by me on wax, with a needle, like etchings; but with this difference that the etching was not with strong vodka, but with fluoric acid, so poisonous that you had to wear a mask when etching. Subsequently, glass items made according to my drawings at the Maltsov factory were exhibited by me at several world exhibitions in Europe and America... Everywhere they were awarded medals (gold in Milan), and everything was sold out. It should be noted that these things were more valued abroad than at home, justifying the proverb about the prophets...”

Boehm's work was highly appreciated by her contemporaries - not only by readers of her books, but also by major artists.

It would seem like some kind of not serious art - silhouettes, illustrations, postcards. But at that time, apparently, they did not think so. Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm has repeatedly participated in prestigious Russian and international exhibitions (in Paris, Berlin, Munich, Milan, Chicago) and has not been left without prizes, including gold medals. She brought her first international “gold” from Paris back in 1870 from an exhibition of watercolor drawings and miniatures. And before that there was “silver” from Brussels from an international competition in watercolor and silhouette techniques. It turns out that earlier there were even competitions among artists. It is curious that she won prizes not only at art, but also at industrial exhibitions, because she made drawings for crystal and glass products, and painted porcelain. In those days, an undoubted indicator of an artist’s recognition was the acquisition of his works by Tretyakov. Watercolors by Elizaveta Boehm were repeatedly bought by Pavel Mikhailovich, as well as other Russian art collectors. Members of the royal family also purchased them for their collections.

In 1896, when the artist was celebrated on the occasion of her twentieth anniversary creative activity, among the many telegrams of congratulations was one from the publishers of Posrednik: “On the day of your anniversary, the editors of Posrednik warmly thank you for everything you have done for popular publications, and with all their hearts hope that you will serve as your beautiful brush for a long time.” this cause for the people. Leo Tolstoy, Gorbunov-Posadov, Biryukov.” Congratulations were also sent by V. Stasov, I. Aivazovsky, I. Repin, A. Somov, I. Zabelin, A. Maikov...
In 1904, the artist was widowed. On June 7, 1904, L. Boehm died and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery. But before last day, despite all the difficulties and troubles, she continued to be creative. “At the present time,” she wrote in 1910, “that is, having 67 years behind me, having grown-up grandchildren, I still do not leave my studies, and not so much out of necessity, but still loving my work.”

With the outbreak of the First World War, in the 71st year of her life, already widowed and lonely, having long ago sold both Stradivarius and many paintings, irrevocably accompanying her grandchildren to the front, Elizaveta Merkuryevna wrote: “...I still do not give up my studies, despite the weakness of my eyesight and the pain in my worn-out hands... I work not out of necessity, but very much in love with my work... I thank God for the pleasure given to me through my calling. And how much. wonderful people It brought me so many dear, friendly relationships..."

Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm passed away on July 25, 1914, a week before the start of World War I, in her apartment on Mogilevskaya Street in St. Petersburg and was buried next to her husband at the Novodevichy Cemetery in St. Petersburg. But the memory of the talented artist continues to live, because interest in her works does not fade. Collectors are “hunting” for her postcards and albums. Exhibitions of her works are periodically held; one of the largest was a year ago in Moscow. In 2007, a monograph about the life and work of the artist was published. The clothing collection “Along on Piterskaya”, created based on her works, recently received a diploma from the exhibition-fair “Russian Flax”. And most importantly, her modest works bring kindness into our lives, which we sometimes lack.

A little about the grandchildren:

E.L. Barsova-Karakash, daughter of E.M. Bem. We managed to find little information about her. It is known that she was married twice and had four children. We present her memoirs about her mother, written in 1915 after the death of E.M. Boehm, which shed light on their relationship. "EAT. Bem was famous artist and social activist. This did not stop her from being an ideal mother and grandmother. Since I was two years old, I did not have a nanny, and I grew up and began to study exclusively under her supervision. And she came up with all sorts of things to keep me busy; she drew dolls, cut out and sculpted various figures, most of which I still have, and arranged various games. In all cases of my life, she was the closest person and friend to me [...] Subsequently, she treated her grandchildren, my children, with the same love and care. Two eldest grandchildren Nikolai and Alexander Barsov, one a university student (now a cadet at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School), the other a technologist student (now a nurse) have lived with her for the last 10 years [...]

She came to her youngest grandchildren Iva and Rafa Karakash, 10 and 5 years old, every evening and put them to bed herself. When Iva was still very small, and my husband and I had to go abroad for a long time, he lived at that time with his grandmother on the Baltic Sea in Mariengof (where she, being sick, took baths).

Last summer our whole family lived in France on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Not wanting to disturb us and knowing that at the slightest news of her illness I would certainly come, she carefully hid her ill health from me and, through her strength, wrote to us every day. Last letter was written 10 days before her death. Then the war broke out and all communications between us ceased. In all likelihood, it was the war, to which she was always so opposed, and concern for her loved ones who remained abroad that may have hastened her death.”

35. Nikolay Barsov, grandson of EM. Bem. Born in St. Petersburg. Father G. Barsov. STUDYED at St. Petersburg University and the Mikhailovsky Artillery School

36. Alexander Barsov, grandson of E.M. Bem. Born in St. Petersburg. STUDYED at the University of Technology. During the First World War he was a nurse.
http://antiklib.ru/novosti/yaroslavskaya_tema_v_tvorchestve_elizavety_bem_7.html

The subtle, soulful, living silhouettes created by Elizaveta Boehm will forever remain in the history of Russian illustrated books.

All creative heritage Elizaveta Merkuryevna's work can be divided into two stages: silhouette and watercolor.

Probably not many are interested in what happened before the revolution of 1917, that is, at a time when there was still royal Russia. But in vain! You can find a lot of interesting things there. For example, such a small thing, as it seems, like illustrations for books or simple paper postcards, of which there were many. People sometimes forget about the beauty that once existed and amazed the imagination. But Elizaveta Boehm’s illustrations adorned the shelves for a long time, even with Soviet power. And then suddenly they disappeared. Although she herself did not live to see the revolution, she passed away in 1914, but she left behind such rarities that the originals now cost a lot of money.

And these are not only silhouettes, a fashionable hobby of the 18th-19th centuries, these are illustrations for books by great authors and, of course, the famous “ABC”. Bright, colorful, but it was scary to give such an alphabet to children. She was just so pleasant to look at.

And what kind of illustrations did the artist make for encyclopedias? Find a rare edition of the “Encyclopedias” from the end of the century before last and I’m almost sure there will be excellent quality illustrations by Elisabeth Boehm. She especially loved to draw plants and mushrooms. When you see them, you just want to touch them, pick them. She was able to depict plants and animals so realistically that it seemed that this was not a drawing at all, but a photograph. She conveyed the image with such photographic precision.

This magnificent artist lived in the Yaroslavl region and it was on her estate that she created her masterpieces. Yes, yes, she was from upper strata, if you can call it that. Drawing was just her hobby, and she did it with pleasure. Boehm's works were demonstrated at the First International Exhibitions in Europe, and she was also appreciated in Russia. Especially when she was no longer there, when the empire was no longer there. Those who managed to move to Europe later purchased her works with pleasure. It was a kind of nostalgia.

By the way, her works, and these are: sets of postcards for children, “ABC” and simply illustrations for books by Tolstoy and Turgenev, were printed in a very small edition, approximately 3,000 copies. She also collaborated with children's magazines, which is why her pictures mostly feature children. The truth is in very frivolous texts. The most interesting thing is that today her drawings would be taken as propaganda of alcohol among minors and would probably be banned from publication. Although at that time it was just possible to print it and it even looked funny.

She worked in the “silhouettes” technique. It's quite complex and painstaking work with scissors and paper. And most importantly, the artist’s keen eye is needed, and for the time being she succeeded, but soon, around the 1880s, she began to rapidly lose her sight and, alas, she had to stop using this technique. Although she was a recognized genius in this direction.

Simple Pencil

Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm (1843-1914) nee Endaurova - artist, draftswoman, silhouette painter.

She came from an old family. Her ancestors, Tatars, bore the surname Indigir, which meant “Indian rooster.” By a charter granted to the family by Ivan III, the surname was changed to Endaurov.

Elizaveta Merkurievna was born in St. Petersburg and spent her childhood on the Endaurov family estate in the village of Shchiptsy, Poshekhonsky district, Yaroslavl province.

Lisa drew everything she saw: nature, animals, her village friends. Along with letters to Liza's friends, paper dolls and animals were always sent to St. Petersburg. This “attracted the attention of somewhat understanding people.”

Where the heart flies, the eye looks!

Elizaveta Merkuryevna was very lucky in her life. Maybe because she clearly felt her calling in her. I was lucky with my parents, who listened to the advice of “understanding people” and sent their daughter to study at the St. Petersburg Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, where, in general, the girls’ path was closed: in the yard there was mid-19th century.

Let's buy ourselves a village and live a small life.

We were lucky with the teachers: they taught at Liza’s school magnificent masters, the favorite of whom was Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy, the creator of the famous “Stranger”. “If I understand even a little about drawing, I owe it exclusively to Kramskoy,” the artist never tired of repeating.

Fedorka the hen and Egorka the rooster congratulate you on the holiday and wish you happiness!

Elizabeth was also lucky with her husband: he became a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Ludwig Böhm, a Hungarian by nationality, an excellent violinist, who inherited a Stradivarius violin and a handwritten letter from Beethoven from his musician uncle. The man himself is creative; he treated his wife’s activities with understanding and approval. “I just relax in her drawings,” he once said.

L.N. Tolstoy among Yasnaya Polyana children.

So Lisa avoided the fate of most of her contemporaries who were passionate about art: after getting married, she left pampering in order to devote herself entirely to raising children and household chores.

Loves! Does not love!

Elizaveta Merkuryevna’s creative life did not end after marriage: with the birth of her first child, she plunged into painting even more joyfully, and her favorite topic from now on was the world of children.

A small fish is better than a big cockroach.

She herself said about this: “I remember the words of our great writer L.N. Tolstoy, who said that whoever has a real calling will find time for it, how to find it in order to drink or eat. And this is the absolute truth “I feel this from experience. Loving my occupation with all my soul, even after I got married and after I gave birth to a child, I still do what I love, if not more.”

You are welcome to our hut!

Soon she found own style- watercolors and silhouettes. Until her old age, Elizaveta Merkuryevna’s favorite sitters remained children: as soon as she came to the village for sketches, the children shouted “Aunt Boemikha has arrived!” rushed towards her, knowing that the kind lady with an unpronounceable name generously pays for posing with toys and sweets.

Darlings scold only for fun

Elizaveta Böhm's watercolor works attracted attention not only funny characters, but also with signatures that have become the trademark of her creations. The artist used simple short poems, riddles, jokes, proverbs, talking to the people in their language. “And where do you dig them up from?” - Vladimir Stasov himself, the famous critic and researcher of Russian antiquity, used to be amazed.

What is hello, so is the answer!

Elizaveta Merkuryevna revived the silhouette genre, which had been half-forgotten by that time. “And what perfection these silhouettes were!” wrote Kramskoy. “Even the expression on the faces of the little black ones could be seen in them.” And Ilya Repin admitted that he loves her “dark ones” more than many, many “white ones.”

Wash yourself white, guests are coming!

The first “adult” silhouette of the artist was a portrait of Anton Rubinstein “with his entire figure and piano - absolute perfection, amazing in expression,” accidentally drawn at a concert in the Assembly of the Nobility on the back of the program.

Wash yourself white, the holiday is coming!

The composer himself told Elizaveta Merkuryevna that this was the best of all his portraits. Subsequently, she made many silhouette compositions to order - including for the highest persons. Yes, these are just shadows. But the shadows real people that once made up Russian life...

Elizaveta Merkuryevna willingly designed children's magazines and illustrated folk tales, fables by I.A. Krylov, poem by N.A. Nekrasov “Red Nose Frost”, stories by contemporary writers. Classics book graphics became two silhouettes for the story by I.S. Turgenev “Mumu”.

The frost is not great, but it doesn’t tell you to stand!

She was also excellent at decorative and applied arts: fans and prayer books painted by her, designs for embroidery and lace, kokoshniks embroidered with colored beads, clay roosters and wooden ladles, as well as glass works: blue, green, burgundy glasses, damasks, bowls have been preserved. .. Truly, talented person talented in everything!

Moscow is getting married

Among the sincere admirers of Elizaveta Boehm's work were Repin, Shishkin and Aivazovsky, Vasnetsov and Vrubel, Turgenev and Maikov, Goncharov, Leskov and Korolenko; her works were admired by the Wanderers and artists from the "World of Art", populist writers and grand dukes.

Moscow is getting married

The Boehm family was in good relations with Leo Tolstoy and provided him with great moral support when the writer was excommunicated from the church.

The first glass is a stake, the second is a falcon!

There is a legend that it was Elizaveta Merkurievna who, at the glass factory where her brother was the director, made a glass slab with the inscription: “You shared the fate of great people who are ahead of their century, dear Lev Nikolaevich. And before they were burned at the stake, rotted in prisons and links". Now this slab is kept in the museum in Yasnaya Polyana.

I don’t drink, and I don’t drink too much! The glass is great, and the wine is good!

Time passed as usual. Elizaveta Merkuryevna already has grandchildren. By family tradition on the patronal holiday of Christmas the whole family gathered in big house Boehmov on Vasilievsky Island. The Christmas tree was usually installed in the artist’s studio, among paintings, easels, cans of paints and brushes.

Alyoshenka Popovich's envious eyes

The holiday was always fun: forfeits were played, and the high school-age grandchildren guessed grandmother’s riddles, of which she knew a great many. And the piano certainly sounded, the violin sang, and romances were performed.

Architect.
Our Miroshka builds himself a little, lives in kindness and eats on silver!

At the beginning of the First World War, in the 71st year of her life, already widowed and seeing off her grandchildren to the front, Elizaveta Merkuryevna wrote: “I still do not give up my work, despite the weakness of my eyesight and the pain in my worn-out hands... I work not out of necessity, but very much in love with my work... I thank God for the pleasure given to me through my vocation. And how many wonderful people it is It brought me so many dear, friendly relationships..."

Grandma Arina ate and praised.

In the same 1914, the artist quietly and unnoticed passed away. But for a long time, thousands of her postcards with the cute faces of little characters continued to wander around Russia, bringing goodness and a smile to every home. They finally returned to us.

Watch out where the mermaids are!

God help you!

Dobrynyushka took a bowstring, he took heroic arrows!

There would be honey and there would be a lot of flies!

There was a fast, there will be a holiday! There was sadness, there will be joy!

I was visiting a friend and drank water there that was sweeter than honey!

We'll work on weekdays and go out on holidays!

In the winter cold everyone is young

In the new year there will be one hundred and one suitors, but only one will fall in love!

A fairy tale for you, a bunch of bagels for me!

Vasilisa and not Melentyevna!

Fun is better than wealth

If he takes a look, he will scorch it with fire; if he says his word, he will give it in rubles!

You have to fight a cockroach on the stove!

“Here, above the ears of corn in a blue wreath, a black head quickly flashed...
Do you see where the cheat ran to?... N. Nekrasov

Seasons. Spring is coming, carries warmth.

Seasons. WINTER. It's good to visit...

Seasons. SUMMER. TO THE OWNER OF THE BREAD A TURN...

Seasons. AUTUMN. WHERE THERE ARE MUSHROOMS, THERE ARE US!

Every bride is born for her groom!

You always spoiled us and gave us affection...

Choose your wife not in a round dance, but in the garden.

Exhibition " Child's world". Portraits of L. Tolstoy, A. Pushkin, A. Rubinstein, V. Vereshchagin

Where the cake and dough are, this is our place.

Where there is work, there is plenty, but in a lazy house it is empty.

Letters

Girl with a tuesk. 1903

Grandfather Elizar licked all his fingers

Time for business, time for fun!

For a dear friend and an earring from an ear

For the first meeting, exciting speeches!

A kind housewife and fatty cabbage soup - don’t look for any other good thing!

God help a good cause!

Dobrynya Nikitich, 1893 Watercolor from an exhibition in Chicago

Dear custom on the Great Day!

Friends are more valuable than money!

Duma, godfather, don’t lose your mind!

Well done Duma members, don’t rush with your language, hurry with your actions!

I’m going, I’m going, I won’t whistle, but if I run into it, I won’t let go!

I went to see Foma, but came to my godfather!

I was going to see Foma, but I came to you!

I would like to please you, but I don’t know what to do!

Live without worry. The sun will come to your window too!

We live far away behind the mountains, behind the forests. We remember you, congratulations and bows!

For the health of the one who loves whom!

For health!

For bread, for salt, for cabbage soup with kvass, for noodles, for porridge, and for your fairy tale!

And in Siberia people live and chew bread!

And Ilya grumbles angrily: Well, Vladimir, well... I’ll see, without Ilya
how will you live!

And they looked at Churilushka, marveling at his beauty so much that their eyes became clouded!

And it’s cold, and hungry, and it’s far from home!

And I was at that feast, drinking honey and mash!

Ivan, but not formidable

I’m on my way from afar, carrying three boxes of news!

From the books of Count S.D. Sheremetev

From little comes great!

Or a military man, or a merchant, or a good fellow

Who cares that I was sitting with my godfather!

The pearls and yakhont are large, the bride and groom are good.

Whoever has not been to Moscow has never seen beauty!

Who will beat whom?

Whoever bends whoever will beat him!

Who is talking about what, but we write about our own!

Who wouldn’t recognize the old Tanya, poor Tanya now, in the princess!

He who dared sat down!

Elizabeth was born in St. Petersburg on February 24, 1843, into an old noble family. Her ancestors came from the Golden Horde, whose surname Indigir (which means “Indian rooster”) was renamed Endaurov by a charter granted by John III.

In the summer, the family usually went to the family estate in the village of Shchiptsy, Yaroslavl province. “I had a love for drawing from a very young age,” Elizaveta later recalled, “I don’t remember myself otherwise than drawing on all the pieces of paper that came into my hands. In letters to my friends in St. Petersburg, I constantly included my drawings of dolls and animals; and this is what drew the attention of people who somewhat understood that I should take up drawing seriously.”


It is worth noting that in the second half of the 19th century, the attitude towards girls in advanced noble families changed, and their desire to professionally engage in music or art even began to be encouraged. Lisa’s parents did not interfere with her desire to study at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists, which the girl entered when she was 14 years old. In 1864, she graduated from school with a medal and literally plunged into creativity; fortunately, the family’s financial situation allowed her to do this without regard to earnings.

Her personal life soon developed; in 1867, Elizaveta married a talented violinist and teacher at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Ludwig Böhm, with whom she was to live happily throughout her life and have several children.

Ludwig Böhm

“You know,” said Ludwig Frantsevitz, “looking at those lovely works by Elizaveta Merkurievna, which she used to show me during my visits to her, I thought more than once that I would not be so satisfied if my wife mine was, for example, a musician, and I, returning from the conservatory, still full of the often false sounds of my students, would encounter at home again, albeit good, but still musical sounds; and here I am just relaxing on her drawings...”

An interesting fact is that Ludwig Frantsevich owned a Stradivarius violin, which he inherited from his uncle along with a letter from Beethoven.

And Elizaveta Merkuryevna reasoned: “The opinion has become established that with marriage a woman always or mostly ends her studies in art, no matter whether it is music or painting or anything else, without finding enough time for it. At the same time, I remember the words of our great writer L.N. Tolstoy, who said that whoever has a real calling will find time for this, just as you find it to drink and eat. And this is absolutely true; I feel this from experience. Loving what I do with all my heart, even after I got married and after I gave birth to a child, I still do what I love, if not more.”

The entire creative heritage of Elizaveta Merkuryevna can be divided into two stages: silhouette and watercolor.

Elizaveta Merkurievna did not paint large paintings, but her drawings were always popular. Most often she painted scenes with children. From the mid-seventies, she began to work in the technique of lithographed silhouette, which she actually created and thus revived the art of the silhouette in Russia.

It would seem that the lady would rather make silhouettes in an easy and familiar way - by cutting out black or tinted paper. But the artist chose her own path, since only the possibilities of lithography, drawing on stone, allowed her not only to immediately publish her books in small editions, but to do the finest elaboration of all the details, which would have been impossible when cutting with scissors. She carefully drew the feathers of birds and curls on the head of a village girl, the fur of a dog and lace on the dresses of dolls - the smallest details made Elizaveta Boehm’s graphics unusually subtle, sincere, lively, from them one could understand the unspoken things that remained hidden from the viewer inside her silhouettes.

It is interesting that venerable artists perceived her work with undisguised delight. Her teacher Kramskoy wrote: “And what perfection these silhouettes were! Even the expression on the faces of the little black ones could be seen in them.” Ilya Repin, having given his painting to the artist, wrote on the back of the canvas: “To Elizaveta Merkuryevna Boehm as a sign of my deepest respect for her talent. I love her “dark ones” more than many, many white ones.”

By the way, she is the author of one of the first Russian comics. In 1880, her book “Pie” was published, with successive scenes depicting children making a pie and, to the delight of a dog, dropping it. The book was very popular; not only children looked at it with pleasure.

Every summer she came to her family estate and every time, before going there, Elizaveta Merkuryevna bought armfuls of village scarves, toys and ribbons for peasant women and their children. The children loved her and called their lady “Bömikha”.

Elizaveta Merkuryevna draws peasant children

In the 80s, Elizaveta Merkuryevna began to collaborate with publishing houses as an illustrator. Her drawings were published for many years in children's magazines “Igrushechka” and “Malyutka”. Her range of interests was wide, she illustrated one and a half dozen books, including works by I. Turgenev, L. Tolstoy, A. Krylov, V. Garshin, N. Leskov, Russian folk tales, proverbs and sayings.

Cover of “Types from Notes of a Hunter” by I.S. Turgenev


Illustration for the fairy tale “Turnip”

It would seem like some kind of not serious art - silhouettes, illustrations, postcards. But Elizaveta Merkurievna repeatedly participated in prestigious Russian and international exhibitions (in Paris, Berlin, Munich, Milan, Chicago) and was not left without prizes, including gold medals. She brought her first international “gold” from Paris back in 1870 from an exhibition of watercolor drawings and miniatures. And before that there was “silver” from Brussels from an international competition in watercolor and silhouette techniques. It is curious that she won prizes not only at art, but also at industrial exhibitions, because she made drawings for crystal and glass products, and painted porcelain.

Since 1893, Boehm became interested in making glassware. This happened after a trip to the Oryol province to the Maltsov factories, where her brother Alexander was the director of the crystal factory. She made molds for dishes, focusing on ancient objects: brothers, feet, glasses, ladles. I came up with designs for enamels.

Bratina with an ornament in the Russian style. Colorless glass with enamel painting. Late XIX century. Maltsevsky factories.

In total, Boehm published 14 albums, which were reissued several times, including abroad. Even in America, her books of silhouettes went through several editions.

Already at the beginning of the 20th century, imitators of her style appeared; many of her compositions began to be transferred to porcelain dishes, used in handicrafts, on wooden plates, boxes, easter eggs. The “Böhm style” spread everywhere.

Tretyakov’s acquisition of his works also served as an indicator of the artist’s recognition. Watercolors by Elizaveta Boehm were repeatedly bought by Pavel Mikhailovich, as well as other Russian art collectors. Members of the royal family also purchased them for their collections.

With the outbreak of the First World War, in the 71st year of her life, already widowed and lonely, having long ago sold both Stradivarius and many paintings, irrevocably accompanying her grandchildren to the front, Elizaveta Merkuryevna wrote: “...I still do not give up my studies, despite the weakness of my eyesight and the pain in my worn-out hands... I work not out of necessity, but very much in love with my work... I thank God for the pleasure given to me through my calling. And how many wonderful people it has brought me, how many dear, friendly relationships it has given me. ..."