January 14 – Birthday of Abilkhan Kasteyev!

January 14 is the birthday of the famous Kazakh artist, one of the founders of Kazakh fine arts, People's Artist of the Kazakh SSR, Honored Worker of Arts of the Kazakh SSR, laureate of the Sh. Ualikhanov State Prize — Abylkhan Kasteyev.

He was born in 1904 in the village of Shezhin, Taldykorgan region (now Almaty region). Having lost his father at the age of three, he began working early to help his mother and younger siblings. When the construction of the Turksib railway began, he joined the construction site as a laborer along with his fellow villagers.

He studied at art studios in Almaty and Moscow.

From 1954 to 1956, he served as Chairman of the Board of the Union of Artists of the Kazakh SSR. His first works exhibited were: "Sewing," "Going to School," "Self-Portrait," "Girl in a Blue Dress," "Portrait of My Sister." The artist's portrait works — "G. Muratbayev," "Abai," "Zh. Zhabayev," "A. Imanov," "K. Azerbayev" — demonstrate examples of high mastery and taste.

Also, in historical works such as "Turksib," "Warriors of Amangeldy," "Kolkhoz Celebration," "The Bride," and others, the quality inherent in Kasteyev's brush is evident — epic scale and the vividness of national colors.

Beyond his creative work, Abylkhan Kasteyev was also engaged in public activities. He was twice elected (in 1955 and 1959) as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR from the Sairam district of the South Kazakhstan region.

At the end of 2018, according to the Forbes Kazakhstan rating, Abylkhan Kasteyev was ranked among the "expensive" Kazakhstani authors.

The renowned figure passed away in 1973.