The Azgur Museum
Treasury of Greatness and Art
The Memorial Museum-Studio of Z.I. Azgur is one of the few monographic museums in Belarus, founded based on the artist’s creative workshop. For 11 years, it served as the creative workshop of the USSR Academy of Arts in Belarus and Azgur’s personal studio.
The museum building was constructed in 1984 according to the design by architect V.N. Aladov. Since 1999, it has been included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus.
The “Memorial Museum-Studio of Z.I. Azgur” was established after the artist’s death in 1996, by the decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 10 dated January 4, 1996, “On perpetuating the memory of the People’s Artist of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labor Z.I. Azgur.”
The collection “Sculpture by Z.I. Azgur” comprises 434 exhibits created by the artist between 1936 and 1992. These predominantly include original plaster works. Some works in the collection are made from solid materials: the model of the monument to M. Frunze (aluminum); portraits of E. Vuchetich, P. Masherov, R. Wagner, S. Ruder, K. Marx, V. Lenin (bronze); A. Molodchy (copper); I. Chibisov, “Lily” (marble); Z. Byaduli (ceramics). The museum features both studio portraits (A. Datchenko, V. Tseslyuk, N. Kislik, and others) and monumental sculptures – models of monuments (to I. Stalin, V. Lenin, K. Marx, Lu Xun, Rabindranath Tagore, Ya. Kolos, Ya. Kupala, F. Dzerzhinsky, F. Bogushevich, among others) by Azgur. Alongside completed works, preparatory sketch materials are preserved, allowing visitors to trace the stages of creation from concept to realization.
Dates and Events
Guide to the Life and Creativity of Zair Azgur
2 (15) January 1908 – born in the village of Molchany, Sennensky District, Vitebsk Province.
1921-1922 – studied at the private studio of Yu.M. Pen.
1922-1923 – studied at the Vitebsk Artistic-Practical Institute under S.B. Yudovin.
1923-1925 – studied at the Vitebsk Art Technical School under M.A. Kerzin.
1925 – participated in the First All-Belarusian Art Exhibition.
1927 – participated in the Second All-Belarusian Art Exhibition.
1925-1928 – studied at the Higher Art and Technical Institute (VKhUTEIN) in Leningrad under R.R. Bah, V.V. Lishev, M.G. Manizer, V.L. Simonov.
1928-1929 – studied at the Kiev State Art Institute, at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts under Ya.I. Nikoladze, E.E. Lansere.
1930 – began creative activity in Minsk.
1932-1933 – worked on portraits of F.E. Dzerzhinsky, A.F. Myasnikov, Grakha Baboev for the Government House in Minsk.
1931 – participated in the Fourth All-Belarusian Art Exhibition.
1932 – participated in the Fifth All-Belarusian Art Exhibition.
1935, 1938, 1940 – participated in exhibitions of Belarusian art in Moscow.
1938 – worked on portraits of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin for the library of the Government House in Minsk.
1940 – awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, accepted as a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR.
1941 – worked in Gomel as an illustrator for the poster-newspaper “Crush the fascist vermin,” collaborated in front-line press.
1942-1944 – creative work at the Central Headquarters of the partisan movement in Moscow.
1944 – awarded the honorary title of People’s Artist of the BSSR. Returned to Minsk, worked as the chief artist of the Government House.
1945 – awarded the medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”
1946 – awarded the State Prize of the USSR for portraits of twice Hero of the Soviet Union A.I. Molodchego (1943), Heroes of the Soviet Union A.I. Rodimtsev (1943), M.F. Silnitsky (1943).
1947 – elected corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR.
1947-1967 and from 1971 – deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR.
1948 – awarded the State Prize of the USSR for the portrait of F.E. Dzerzhinsky.
1949 – awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
1952 – awarded the honorary title of Honored Artist of the Arts of the Dagestan ASSR.
1955 – awarded the Order of Lenin for participation in the exhibition of works by Belarusian artists during the Decade of Belarusian Literature and Art in Moscow.
1958 – elected full member of the Academy of Arts of the USSR. Awarded the Gold Medal of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR and the Silver Medal at the World Exhibition in Brussels for the portrait of Rabindranath Tagore.
1962 – published the book of memoirs “Unforgettable” (Minsk).
1968 – elected deputy chairman of the Republican Committee for Peace Defense.
1969 – awarded the medal of the Soviet Peace Fund and the Gold Medal “Fighter for Peace.”
1970 – published the book of Z.I. Azgur “What is remembered…” (Moscow).
1971 – awarded the Order of the October Revolution.
1973 – awarded the honorary title of People’s Artist of the USSR. Elected chairman of the Republican Commission to assist the Soviet Peace Fund.
1977 – published the first book of memoirs Z.I. Azgur “What is remembered…” (Minsk).
1978 – awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Medal “Hammer and Sickle.”
From 1981 – head of the creative workshop of the Academy of Arts of the USSR in Minsk.
1980 – awarded the Gold Medal of the Italian Academy of Fine Arts.
1982 – awarded the medal “Veteran of Labor.”
1984 – published the second book of memoirs “What is remembered…” (Minsk).
1988 – awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples. The third book of memoirs “What is remembered…” (Minsk) was published.
1992 – awarded the medal of Francysk Skaryna. The fourth book of memoirs “What is remembered…” (Minsk) was published.
1994 – the fifth book of memoirs “What is remembered…” was published in Minsk.
18 February 1995 – died, buried in the Moscow cemetery in Minsk.
