Background
Baba Aliyev was born in 1915, in Baku, Russian Empire (present-day Baku, Azerbaijan).
1931
Baba Aliyev in 1931.
1965
Baba Aliyev in 1965.
Baba Aliyev among his artist friends.
Baba Aliyev among his artist friends.
From right to left: Baba Aliyev, Nadir Abdurrahmanov and Boyukaga Mirzazade.
Baba Aliyev among his artist friends.
Baba Aliyev with his family.
Tovarischesky lane, 30, Moscow, Russian Federation, 109004
From 1937 till 1941, Baba studied at the Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute.
Baba Aliyev was born in 1915, in Baku, Russian Empire (present-day Baku, Azerbaijan).
In 1937, Baba graduated from the Azerbaijan Art School and the same year, he entered the Surikov Moscow State Academic Art Institute, graduating in 1941.
In 1941, the works "Sick Nizami Surrounded by People" and "Nizami Among Artists" were created by Baba. Through these works, the artist introduced himself as the representative of the Realism movement. Being multifigured compositions, both of these works demonstrated the artist's desire to create complex artworks.
During the Great Patriotic War, Baba Aliyev was mobilized to the Red Army and fought against fascist invaders on the frontline. Though he was wounded several times, he returned to the frontline again and again and strived for fulfilling his civic duty. During those years, Baba created his work "A Portrait of the Hero of the Soviet Union S. Suprun", which brought him fame and popularity. At that period of time, Aliyev also created a portrait of a commissar Novruz Aslanov. After his military service, Azerbaijani national heroic fighters and the subject of war itself became an integral part of the artist's oeuvre.
During the post-war years, the artist Aliyev created with enthusiasm a number of multifugured compositions, depicting the labour of peasants, working people, as well as selfless labor and rest of oilmen. Indeed, these works formed the baseline of the artist oeuvre and brought him great success and fame. These works include "The Shepherds", "The Seekers of New Oil Deposit" and others.
In 1946, Baba was elected a member of the Azerbaijan Artists Community. In 1951, he was made the chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists Community. The same year, in 1951, Baba, together with his friends Abdul Khalig and A. Zarubin went on a creative assignment to Agdam, where they could observe hardworking peasants, engaged in cotton harvesting. Upon their return to their homeland, the artist presented the work "Handing In the Cotton to the State" at the regular Republic Exhibition. This work was based on his impressions he had after that working trip. That piece was considered to be a great work not only of that period, but of all art history in general. One of the most important features of the work is its bright, optimistic color palette.
As has already been mentioned, besides the works, dedicated to country life and peasant labor, Baba also created a series of works, dedicated to the daily routine of oil workers and their professional life, which is often full of drama. In the 1950's and 1960's, the artist created works, that could be considered the most important pieces in his oeuvre. "Oil Workers Having A Rest" (1964) is among these works.
In the 1960's, Baba traveled to the regions of Azerbaijan. Together with the artists S. Salamzade and Abdul Khalig, he visited Zagatala. During this journey, Aliyev created portraits, landscapes and other genre paintings. In 1962, he arranged the "Nature and People" exhibition, after which many of his works were granted to the Zagatala Museum. In his later years, the artist continued traveling and created numerous works, including "A Monument to Betkhoven" (1964), "The Karlovy Vary Church" (1964) and others. In 1969, the artist produced one of his most important works - "Mother's heart". Later in his lifetime, Aliyev returned to historical subjects.
Besides his work as an artist, Baba also served as a teacher at the Azim Azimzade Art School in Baku during the period from 1946 till 1950.
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
(Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)
During his lifetime, Baba was a follower of the Realism art movement. However, he was never indifferent to a lively, vivid and colorful manner of painting, attributable to Azerbaijani artistic heritage.