Lev Razumovsky

Lev Razumovsky (1926 – 2006) was a Russian sculptor, painter, graphic artist, medal and toy designer, and writer.

Lev Razumovsky was born in Leningrad, USSR on May 1, 1926.

He survived the Siege of Leningrad.

In 1943, aged 17, he was drafted to the army, was seriously wounded in a battle near Petrozavodsk losing his left arm.

In 1945, despite his disability, he entered the Leningrad College of Art and Design (now the Saint Petersburg Art and Industry Academy) to become a sculptor.

His diploma work, the Pilot (cast bronze, 1953), was installed in Victory Park in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg.

In 1955, Razumovsky was admitted to the Union of Artists of Russia.

In sculpture, he worked in various genres: monuments, park sculpture, portraits, compositions, small-size sculpture, and medals.

War and the Holocaust were major themes in his work.

Five sculptures by Lev Razumovsky have been acquired by the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

Bulat Okudzhava wrote a letter to Lev Razumovsky about his sculpture composition "The Roads of War" (1980):

Lev Razumovsky was a professional toy designer: his toys were produced in large quantities by toy factories of Leningrad and Moscow.

He took part in numerous exhibitions – local, national and international.

His works are displayed in Russian museums and in private collections in Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Israel, and the US.

His memoirs about the siege and the army were published in the 1990s.

He has also written about 100 short stories.

In 1997, a video was made by Alexander Gref where Lev demonstrates self-invented devices helping one-armed people to manage in everyday life without having to ask someone for help.

Initially, this video was meant as an aid for disabled people.

In 2011, it was used for a short documentary Life of Full Value.

Andrew Bernhardt, London: