Ogtay Sadigzade

Background

Ogtay Sadigzade was born on February 21, 1921 in Xizi, Azerbaijan. He was born into a family of eminent writers: Seyid Huseyn, a writer, and Ummugulsum khanim, a poetess.

Ogtay Sadigzade’s family had long been established in Baku. His great-grandfather Seyid Sadig was a true seyid who had earned the respect of the people of Icheri Sheher with his kindness and nobility.

Ogtay’s father was the eminent writer Seyid Huseyn. He took an interest in almost all the social events of the time and wrote frequently for different newspapers and magazines. His mother Ummugulsum was also keenly interested in poetry and ideas of national liberation.

Ogtay Sadigzade had three siblings: Jighatay, Toghrul and Gumral. Only Gumral would follow her father's steps, becoming a writer; Ogtay and Toghrul would become artists, while Jighatay would die at the age of 24 from tuberculosis as a result of hard labour in a labour camp.

Education

Ogtay Sadigzade was a very curious child who wanted to learn everything. For some time he was interested in physics and mechanics. He was curious about how different devices were made; he would construct a small model house and try to install electricity there, and strove to make his own photographic or film camera. He had a great enthusiasm for creating, but finally, he chose art.

Ogtay Sadigzade went to the Art School in Baku in 1935. One of his teachers was the artist Piralov. Ogtay Sadigzade studied in the same year with Mikayil Abdullayev, Boyukagha Mirzazadeh, Abdulkhalig and Gafar Seyfullayev.

The school years were productive for Sadigzade, not only because he learned painting, but also for the bonds of friendship built with his classmates that lasted a lifetime.

However, Ogtay’s parents were arrested as "public enemies" in 1937. Ogtay Sadigzade never managed to see them again and suddenly became head of the family. He had to earn money and continue his education. He graduated from the Art School in 1939. He wanted very much to continue his education in Moscow alongside his friends, however, it was impossible due to the responsibility and financial difficulties.

Career

Ogtay Sadigzade participated in the exhibitions and his works were highly rated by the exhibition committees. In 1940 a commission from Moscow chose two paintings for the All-Union exhibition that was to open at the Tretyakov Art Gallery, and one of them was Sadigzade's work "Conscripts".

However, this success was not to be enjoyed for long. In 1941 he was exiled to Altai Territory as the "son of a public enemy". He was only 20 years old at the time. Moreover, he was able to return to Baku only in 1946.

In 1955 he was invited to join "Azemeshr" as head literary editor. In all the years he worked at the publishing house, he tried to promote the printing industry and began drawing illustrations for the books. His first works were the images he drew for Alexander Ostrovsky’s plays, the children’s storybook "Alibaba and the Forty Thieves" and "Fitna", a children’s storybook adapted from Nizami Ganjavi’s work. He later developed illustrations for many books, published by "Ushaggenjneshr" and "Azemeshr".

Even though at that time Sadigzade did not like to venture far from Baku, he often took working trips to Moscow, Leningrad, Riga and Tallinn, meeting and discussing with eminent masters of book graphics and visiting different museums and exhibitions.

He had built cordial friendship with the eminent writer Gilman Ilkin, who was the director of "Azemeshr". That understanding between the director and head literary editor produced great results.

In the 1980s and 1990s Ogtay Sadigzade painted many portraits that were differed in colour, composition and approach to the image. Besides, the last 15 years had seen a completely new stage in the quality of Sadigzade’s art. First of all, he abandoned graphics and engaged in painting only. Secondly, the images he created were more philosophical, lively and richer. There were mainly portraits of women.

Besides, in 2000 Sadigzade began working as a teacher at Azerbaijan Art Academy.

In addition, the exhibition dedicated to the Ogtay Sadigzade’s 90th birthday was organized at the National Museum of Art in 2011. It displayed the artist’s creative panorama and the clear integrity of his interests and achievements in both painting and graphics. The exhibition showcased 45 works gathered from different museums and collections. They included city landscapes full of fresh, tender feelings from the early 1940s onwards and paintings dedicated to the Second World War, as well as the portraits created in the 2000s. Sadigzade admited that the opening day of this exhibition was one of the most exciting and happiest in his life.

Achievements

• Ogtay Sadigzade was awarded the honorary title "Honoured Art Worker of Azerbaijan" in 1977. In 1992 he was awarded the honorary title "People’s Artist of Azerbaijan".
  
  Moreover, two years later, in 1999 Sadigzade was awarded the "Shohret" Order of the Republic of Azerbaijan by decree of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani nation Heydar Aliyev.
  
  In addition, in 2011 Sadigzade was awarded the "Sheref" order by President Ilham Aliyev.
  
  

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Bazarov Visiting his Parents

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • At the Ball Night

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • Bazarov’s Debate

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • Bazarov’s Death

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • Children at the Stone Elephant

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Two Women in front of the House

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1970
  • A Scene near the Church

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1970
  • In Thenardier House

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Jean Valjean with a Candle Stick

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1970
  • Fantine

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1970
  • Eponine among Robbers

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Eponine Protects Jean Valjean’s House from Robbers

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Javier is Leaving

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Lonely Jean Valjean

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Cosette

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1970
  • Cosette in front of a Mirror

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Jean Valjean in the Tunnel

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Last hours of Jean Valjean’s life

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Feride in the village

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Doctor Hayrullah bey

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Feride

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Kamran bey

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Crying peasant

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • Four Men Figures in the Yard

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • A Peasant at the Gate

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • Illustration to J. Mammadguluzade’s "Stories of Danabash Village"

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • In the dark stall

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • Illustration to J. Mammadguluzade’s "Stories of Danabash Village"

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • Two men at the bazaar

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1959
  • Seeing off Red Army Soldiers

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1940
  • Women Carrying Products for Partizans

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1953
  • In Front the Announcement

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1953
  • Attempt on Mikhaylo’s Life

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1953
  • Mehdi on the Attic

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1953
  • Vasya’s Death

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1953
  • Arrest of P. A. Japaridze during Don’s Committee Meeting of RSDLP

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1980
  • Knyaz Baratov

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1980
  • New Year Present

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • Children

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1950
  • Promenade

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1939
  • Portrait of Mammad Emin Rasulzade

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

  • Portrait of an Academician Zarifa khanum Aliyeva

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    2000
  • Portrait of Asiyat Yusupova

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1968
  • A Girl’s Portrait

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1966
  • Portrait of Seyid Huseyn

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Portrait of Khurshidbanu Natavan

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1983
  • Baku Giri

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1975
  • A Girl’s Portrait

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1964
  • Tanya

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1978
  • Nizami and Azerbaijan Culture

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1999
  • European Culture Figures

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1999
  • Nizami’s Followers

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1999
  • Nizami’s predecessor

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1999
  • Philosopher of Ancient Greece

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1999
  • Portrait of Fidan Gasimova

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1988
  • A Girl’s Portrait

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1963
  • Tea Planting Specialists Rahimova and Bayramova

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1965
  • Portrait of Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    2002
  • Illustration to “Sedition” story from “Seven Beauties” poem by Nizami Ganjavi

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960
  • Illustration to “Sedition” story from “Seven Beauties” poem by Nizami Ganjavi

    (Azerbaijan National Museum of Art)

    1960

Interests

• Writers

  Flaubert, Balzac, Hugo, Dickens, Rabelais, Tolstoy

Connections

Father:

Seyid Huseyn

Mother:

Ummugulsum khanim

Great-grandfather:

Seyid Sadig

Brother:

Jighatay

Brother:

Toghrul

Sister:

Gumral

References

• "Servet" series of albums. The National Heritage project. As part of The National Heritage project implemented by Xalq Bank, Azerbaijan National Museum of Art under the head of Chingiz Farzaliyev prepared the "Servet" series of albums dedicated to the masters of Azerbaijani art.
  2013