Aleksandr Alekseevich Gritsai was born December 10, 1950 in Leningrad, Russia. Alexandr is the son of the internationally recognized artist, Aleksei Mikhailovich Gritsai. Aleksandr Gritsai came from a generation of painters who formed their aesthetic viewpoints in the 1960-1970 era. Alexandr studied painting at the Surikov Art Institute in Moscow and was tutored by V.M. Sibirsky, D.D. Zhilinsky, and, of course, A.M. Gritsai. His diploma from the Surikov Institute was received in 1975 upon completion of the painting “The Rest Of The Haymakers”. Following completion of his compulsory service in the armed forces in 1976 Gritsai traveled extensively throughout Northern Russia and many of the autonomous Eastern Soviet Republics. His early works reveal a sensitivity to the beautiful natural landscape, the harsh condition of rural peasant life, and the degeneration of traditional practices in the Russian North. Gritsai was brought up in a cultured urban family, however, he developed a craving for the experience of the Northern village life. His paintings reveal his indebtedness to the heritage of classical art, yet he uses innovative stylistic devices including areas of non-perspective to depict near empty desolate village scenes. His portrayal of wind beaten, yet solid village houses is done with feeling and often include a hint of impending danger. “It was in the depths of Volga that he found that which was harmonious with his soul. Living there for a long time and finding the village Belyaeka to be to his fancy, he painted dozens of magnificent landscapes and portraits… The whole atmosphere of the town, the peasant way of life was much like Sasha himself, he took to it like a duck to water. With deep pain he sniffed out the coming destruction, the death of the doomed peasantry… Sasha told us with such pain how already in his eyes it was deserted, how the rich, lively traditions of the village and small town had fallen into decay and desolation.” From the book: Alexander Gritsai, Exhibition catalog. Sovetsky khudozhnik, Moscow 1991, pg 9-11, 14 Intelligent, widely erudite, adherent to the Russian classical tradition in art, he loved ancient spiritual music and idolized the personality and creativity of FM Dostoyevsky. At the same time, life, its wealth and immediacy, breadth and versatility were for the artist the main sources and stimuli of creativity. He always found interesting people everywhere, talked with them at length, admired the natural intelligence and beauty of the peasants’ spiritual world. An idealist in the best sense of the word, he was a man who sensed a lack of goodness, sincerity, and fusion with nature in the city’s everyday life. Alexander naturally, without any visible effort, fit into the peasant environment. Village people trusted him, appreciated and respected in him the openness of the soul, and attention to the cares of his neighbor. According to those who knew him well, he helped people, interceded when they found trouble. To the remote villages, he often brought gifts, willingly fulfilling the requests of the peasants. Aleksandr traveled to Western Europe, Japan, and Italy during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. His painting “The Night Shift” was awarded best picture honors at the annual Russian Federation Union of Artists Exhibition in 1982. His paintings were extensively exhibited in regional and national showings throughout the 1980’s. Aleksandr Alekseevich Gritsai died in Moscow on December 11, 1988 at 38 years of age.