By Aygun Samadova.
Without any overstatement, I find the paintings of Sattar Bahlulzade to be some of the most exciting works I have seen in Azerbaijan and have always admired him for his outstanding skill of the art of drawing. I remember going to Baku Arts Museum at the age of 13 or 14 and discovering his works – and I still feel that great excitement whenever I see them today, though at that time I did not quite perceive what I was seeing.
Flourishing field
Charming and the most mysterious
I was introduced to Sattar’s brilliant compositions in the late 1990s by my sister who took me to a museum before I even knew much about his art. The other day I was looking at his work on a website dedicated to him, and was once again simply fascinated by them and decided to write my next article about him. You will ask why? I consider, Sattar Bahlulzade to be one the most charming and mysterious of all the great 20th century landscape painters of Azerbaijan. His artistic creativity holds an astounding and exceptional place in Azerbaijani history. The fascinating thing about Sattar, is that he turned away from the traditional style of painting inside a studio and found his personal style. It’s his way of painting that makes him so special. Just one glance at his pictures is enough to take you on an enigmatic, yet pleasant journey through colours. You can look at them over and over and keep finding something new.
Noticed by Marc Chagall
Born in 1909, in Amirjan village outside of Baku, he received his professional education at the National Art Institute. Among his art teachers was a well-known Azerbaijani artist Azim Azimzade, who recognized his talent and recommended him to work at the newspaper where he himself was employed as an art director. Sattar started his professional life producing caricatures that touched mainly on aspects of domestic life. Experienced colourist Marc Chagall was Sattar’s teacher, and had already noticed in his sketches the future landscape painter with a developed sense of colour.
Outside the village of Laza
“Singer of his country’s nature”
His magic talent to turn paint into the living world is astonishing. Sattar was dubbed as “the singer of his country’s nature”. You will not be surprised if you read the art critics’ explanation: it was simply because he drew mountains and forests, rivers and fields, ancient architectural monuments and sculptures, Caspian Sea, coastal villages, the regions of Azerbaijan with love and in quite a different way. He changed the way the audience viewed landscape painting. He was fascinated and unusually stimulated with colour, and this effect of colour became a major influence on his art. Sattar traveled extensively to all parts of Azerbaijan on foot and painted landscapes throughout his life. Being in love with light and the natural world, he found a way to bring them into his paintings regularly. When you look at his paintings, it seems as if his landscapes are not real, but always imaginary. They possess “fairy-tale sceneries” and had a great influence on the painters of the next generation. Sattar drew from nature enthusiastically and every picture of his tells us a story.
Rowanberry
He painted with oil, ink and pencil. Sattar’s landscape paintings have enigmatic and mysterious expressions. He enjoyed painting in the environs of Azerbaijan. His paintings “Flourishing field”, “Bazarduzu”, “Old Shamakhi”, “Outside the village of Laza”, “Rowanberry”, “Still life with Saffron” combine his perfect painting technique along with fantastic imaginations. The mountain Shahdag is present in all his works belonging to Guba series. Sometimes when you first look at his paintings everything seems still. They have calm and gleaming feel about them. After a while you become aware of their vivacity and realize that you are looking at something in movement.
A glow of light and richness of colour
During his youth, Sattar loved painting flowers – roses, tulips, narcissus, chrysanthemum; later fruits began to appear in his works. His famous still life paintings include “Ash Berry”, “Tangerines of Astara”, “Fruits”, “Oranges and Pomegranates”, etc. Industrial landscapes also occupy a special period in Sattar Bahlulzade’s creativity. They include “Oil Rocks”, “Evening in Caspian Sea”, “Caspian Beauty” and hundreds of other sketches and pictures. Sattar demonstrated that painting is peculiarly suited for rendering the appearances of things with a glow of light and richness of colour. And in doing so, he pointed the way for the artists who followed. Sattar brought the truth of nature and the truth of the heart closer together than any other painter before him. His still life paintings are also notable for their peculiar originality.
Wonderful rhythm
His still life paintings make you feel various sensations, such as a joyous spirit and creative energy. When I saw his painting “Still life with Saffron” for the first time I just instantly fell in love with it and was immediately blown away. The painting has wonderful rhythm and an interesting composition – saffron with an incredibly beautiful flowery and colorful background. I find the overall composition to be one of the most fascinating works by him. This is a painting I always think of when I consider the greatness of Sattar. When you look deeper into the painting, it becomes extremely beautiful.
Still life with Shamakhi coverlet
The most extraordinary brain in the history of painting
Sattar kept diaries for many years. In thick albums and sketch-books he made notes about his impressions of his meetings and talks. The notes he made are in the Azerbaijani language, using the old Arabic alphabet. Some of these sketch-books have yet to be decoded. His works have been exhibited in many cities all over the world including Cairo and Damascus, Beirut and Baghdad, Paris and Napoli, Vienna and Berlin, Montreal and Havana and many other cities. His contemporaries called him the most extraordinary brain in the history of painting. Unfortunately, Sattar passed away in 1974 due to blood poisoning. He is buried in his native village where he was born and lived all his life. His portraits were drawn by some other famous Azerbaijani artists such as Gafar Seyfullayev and Tagi Tagiyev. A monument to him was created by Fuad Abdurrahmanov and now it is kept at the Fund of Art Museum.
Still life with Saffron
Honored Artist and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan
Sattar Bahlulzade was awarded with many prizes for his works. He received the title of Honoured Artist and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan. A memorial museum was established in his native village of Amirjan. His artistic legacy includes landscape paintings, hundreds of still life pictures and sketches. Almost all of his painting contains extremely deep content which goes beyond the simple meaning. Some of them have fragile beauty and I believe it is worth seeing them all. You will be very impressed with their vibrant and breathtaking colours. His paintings are very beautiful to look at and you can feel the uniqueness. These paintings can also result in being a key to understand the enigmatic and fantastic.
Monument of Sattar Bahlulzade (Photo courtesy of Turan information agency)
For all the readers who don’t have time to visit art museums, but would like to learn more about his art of painting, I can think of no better online exhibit than those at: AZgallery.org.
Images credited to azgallery.org
