Memory keeping...

At A.M.Gerasimov's life and his family were on friendly terms with a family of Ehaninyh. Nikolay Fedorovich Ehanin was the doctor, and Ivan Fedorovich Ehanin — the artist who has ended in the beginning Stroganovsky school, and then the Petersburg Academy of arts. In the book «the Tambov province. Cultural building in 1918-1928» the endurance from the report from April, 28th, 1920 of artist I.F.Ehanina to Kozlovsky district department of national education about the organisation in Kozlove the state workshops is printed: «In the session from January, 25th, 1920 the art commission at section of protection of ancient monuments and arts, wishing to give to the population of Kozlova and its district wide knowledge in is art-aesthetic education has decided: to open in Kozlove art studio, to develop the charter and position about it». At the same session teachers-artists have been chosen: S.S.Varsanofev, G.T.Romanov, I.F.Ehanin, it has been selected by the manager.
I.F.Ehanin was the gifted artist. Its products «On a balcony», «Reading of leaflets in a family of the worker», "Rabfakovtsy" (meeting of a regional art gallery) have brought the considerable contribution to history of the fine arts of Kozlova of the Tambov edge.
Except landscapes, he wrote portraits much. The artist has written I.V.Michurina's some portraits which are stored in I.V.Michurina's house museum, CGL of I.V.Michurina (nowadays — VNIIGISPR of I.V.Michurina) and at his daughter living in Kazan. Further in the memoirs grandson I.F.Ehanina Vladislav Afanasevich Svobodin describes A.M.Gerasimova's meetings with its grandfather and a family of Ehaninyh.
My grandfather, Ivan Fedorovich Ehanin, was very amicable with Alexander Mihajlovichem Gerasimov to whom in 2006 125 years from the date of a birth are executed.
Alexander Mihajlovich Gerasims, in a youth communicating with my grandfather, I.F.Ehaninym, learnt to receive, so to say, the first skills of art painting, and after death of my grandfather was the great friend of our family.
Alexander Mihajlovich Gerasims in 1881, in the city of Kozlove (nowadays Michurinsk) the Tambov province was born. All popularity has come to it the next years. It became very known person of our Native land - the national artist of the USSR, the full member of Academy of arts of the USSR, the doctor of art criticism, the president of Academy of arts of the USSR. And those far years, according to the advice of my grandfather I.F.Ehanina, it arrives in the Moscow school of painting, sculpturing and architecture.
With 1918 for 1925 A.M.Gerasimov of veins also worked in Kozlove. In 1918 according to the advice of my grandfather I.F.Ehanina with whom it together worked in art masterful Kozlova it creates in our city, in November, 1918 a creativity commune artists "Creativity". In the book «Cultural building in the Tambov province in 1918-1928», let out in Voronezh Central Black Earth book publishing house, is a letter copy (with. 174) Kozlovsky district department of national education managing the Big Soviet theatre in Kozlove about transfer of a workshop of theatre to conducting artist A.M.Gerasimova. The letter from November, 25th, 1918 where it is told:« Nonscholastic adult education political department, wishing to put the decorative party of city theatres on due height, has authorised for this senior master of a commune of artists "Creativity" A.M.Gerasimov also has transferred in its conducting a workshop of the theatre entrusted to you why we ask to render it any assistance and to notify on it the employees having contact with the marked workshop. Managing a nonscholastic adult education political department ». Communitarians wrote posters, made out club and red corners, produced scenery for statements of performances in clubs, including theatre.

And then, becoming already known artist, A.M.Gerasimov becomes the author of many known pictures which can be seen not only in A.M.Gerasimova's museum in Michurinsk, but also in Moscow and in other cities of Russia, and then the USSR.
I have very well remembered its known picture «Stalin and Voroshilov on quay Moskva River». By the way, this picture, and K.E.Voroshilov's support has played the big role A.M.Gerasimova's lives, has helped to save it from reprisals in 1937 as known creative persons from among writers, poets, artists, actors and other many creators of art at that time were exposed to it. As I already mentioned, A.M.Gerasimov after death of my grandfather did not lose touch with my family and often visited us when time gave the chance to him to visit our city. In particular, I will note, A.M.Gerasimov has written portraits of my uncle Nikolay Fedorovicha Ehanina, a portrait of his daughter Galina Ehaninoj, a portrait of his wife Ekaterina Pavlovny Ehaninoj. With my family it was in very good relations. Often visited us, liked to play from uncles Nikolay Fedorovichem Ehaninym in chess, in preference and in general shared impressions about the life. In particular, I wish to notice that two years prior to the death it, being in Michurinsk, very much worried about the family. He spoke to my aunt, Ehaninoj E.P. who worked as the private dentist in Michurinsk (and we lived in one street with Gerasimov, in the house № 117 then street Lebedjansky): «Dear Ekaterina Pavlovna, I very much worry about how after me, in case of my death, and there can be all, there is my wife, my daughter Galina». I saw for the first time, and to me then was already for 20 as this person known to all country, the clever, nice, pleasant interlocutor, cried in an office of my aunt E.P.Ehaninoj. A.M.Gerasimov was not only known, but also deeply vulnerable person.
Yes, in a life of celebrated personalities, especially people of art, there are tragical moments in a life. A.M.Gerasimov was very sociable, cleverest person. It was very interesting to me to observe of it. In our family creative people, people of art often gathered. Except A.M.Gerasimova, there was the friend of our family N.I.Stomorev living in CGL of I.V.Michurina. Known actors of Michurinsk theatre visited our house: E.Baratov, Bezborodov, the manager of theatre Kornilov, the father of actress Mashenki Kornilovoj, and M.Kornilova, and in early years visited our family known Russian, the Soviet writer Konstantin Fedin working then in our city, the author of known products «First pleasures», «Unusual summer».

A.M.Gerasimov was the author of many pictures. He has much created portraits of members of the Political bureau of the CPSU, went from I.V.Stalinym during the Teheran conference to Iran, drew in Iran many portraits and pictures.
Daughter A.M.Gerasimova, Galina, also very well drew K.E.Voroshilova, A.I.Mikojana's portraits and others.
A.M.Gerasimov in 1963 has died.
Here such memoirs have visited me about my grandfather and our friend of the family Alexander Mihajloviche Gerasimov. Eternal to it memory. And now I would like to address to inhabitants of our city of Michurinsk, especially young generation. Dear friends! There are no absolutely stale, indifferent people, there are also good.
In our city lived and created the products many talented people, there lived heroes of the Great Patriotic War, scientific, large military leaders — all of them have glorified our city.
In our city there are some monuments, except V.I.Leninu's monument, such as I.V.Michurinu which name names our city, is N.A.Filippovu's monument, to the Hero of Soviet Union, there are many memorable memorial boards to war heroes, writer K.Fedinu, etc. Is in our city and a monument to Alexander Mihajlovichu Gerasimov, the famous artist of the country, to the good person.
There is Gerasimov's street where there is a monument to it, near to Bogolyubsky of a temple and its memorial museum. And so, passing by houses where there are memorial plates, passing by monuments, detain the sight at least for a minute, think, recollect these people, and can, who will put one or several colours to their memorial plates and monuments. To this you will give memory to known people-heroes, scientific, to artists including to Alexander Mihajlovichu Gerasimov, and the Lord will send you for it to the answer something good, for respect for your feelings.
P.S. There can be a reasonable question, and why Svobodin V. A, instead of Ehanin. I will answer: as I already mentioned, Ehanin I.F. was my grandfather on a parent line. My father, Svobodin Athanasius Ivanovich, was the large party worker of our city of Kozlova after revolution. During pre-revolutionary time for propagation in imperial army of revolutionary ideas has been condemned on penal servitude, to Poland under a pseudonym Svobodin (a real name of Farm laborers) whence ran. After revolution has arrived from Poland to Russia and became the party worker. Has died in 1932. It was married to niece I.F.Ehanina — Ehaninoj Serafime Pavlovne.