 |
Fuad AbdurahmanovA prominent Azerbaijani sculptor and monumentalist, Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. Laureate of two Stalin Prizes (1947, 1951). Member of the CPSU since 1962.
Date of Birth: 11.05.1915
Country:  Azerbaijan |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Recognition and Early Works
- Monumental Sculpture and the Nizami Monument
- Influence and Recognition
- Member of the Soviet Art Establishment
- Contribution and Legacy
Early Life and Education
Fuad Abdurahmanov, a renowned Azerbaijani sculptor and monumental artist, was born on May 11, 1915 in the city of Nuha (Sheki). His father, Hasan Jafar oglu Abdurakhmanov, was a government official.
In 1929, the Abdurakhmanov family relocated to Evlakh and later to Baku. In Baku, they rented a two-room apartment in Icheri Sheher on Mamedyarov Street. That same year, Fuad entered the Baku School of Painting.
Abdurahmanov continued his education at the Academy of Arts in Leningrad from 1935 to 1940, where he studied under the tutelage of Matvey Genrikhovich Manizer.
Recognition and Early Works
At the age of 19, Abdurahmanov's small composition entitled "Archer" was exhibited at the exhibition dedicated to the millennium of the poet Ferdowsi. This work became a permanent part of the Rustam Mustafayev Museum of Arts.
In 1938, Abdurahmanov began working on the statue of Fizuli, marking the beginning of his pantheon of eminent Azerbaijani poets and writers installed in the loggia of the Nizami Museum in Baku.
Monumental Sculpture and the Nizami Monument
Abdurahmanov's monumental sculptures played a significant role in the artistic landscape of Azerbaijan in the late 1930s. He participated in competitions for a portrait of Nizami Ganjavi and a monument to commemorate the poet's 800th anniversary.
The jury awarded Abdurahmanov, along with architects S. Dadashev and Mikail Useynov, the responsibility of developing the monument project. The Nizami Monument, installed in Ganja in 1947, received the prestigious Stalin Prize, marking a turning point in Abdurahmanov's career.
Influence and Recognition
Abdurahmanov's masterpiece, the Nizami Monument in Baku (1949), is considered a pivotal work in Azerbaijani monumental sculpture. The harmonious balance between the monument and its pedestal set a benchmark for architectural design in Baku.
His creative interests extended to historical figures and heroes, including Guuseynbala Aliyev, Khydyr Mustafaev, and Babak. He collaborated with Tokay Mamedov and Omar Eldarov on the Avicenna monument in Bukhara.
Member of the Soviet Art Establishment
Abdurahmanov became the first Azerbaijani to be elected a corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR. He was an early adopter of hard materials in sculpting.
His works, ranging from portraits to monumental compositions, showcased his versatility and artistic prowess. He created portrait busts of Cholbalsan and Sukhe-Bator for their mausoleum in Ulaanbaatar, the Lenin portrait in the Museum of History of Azerbaijan, and numerous other portraits.
Contribution and Legacy
Fuad Abdurahmanov's monumental sculptures adorned the streets and squares of Baku, shaping the artistic identity of the city. His contributions to the development of Azerbaijani monumental and easel sculpture earned him the title of the founder of Azerbaijani monumental sculpture, according to art historian Jamila Novruzova.
Streets in Baku and Sheki bear his name, and memorial plaques commemorate the buildings where he lived. The Children's School of Painting in Sheki is named after the renowned artist.
