MASTERPIECES

NEMUKHIN Vladimir Nikolaevich (1925–2016) Dedication to Bulat Okudzhava. 1997

Wood tinted, metal. 46 × 20 × 9.5. Underneath the pedestal are the author's signature, name and date: НВ Dedicated to B. Okudzhava. Vl. Nemukhin. 1997

A version of the sculpture from this series is reproduced on page 313 of the monograph “Vladimir NEMUKHIN. Painting. Graphic arts. Sculpture. Porcelain” (Moscow, 2012. BONFI)

About Okudzhava. The father, the party organizer of Uralvagonzavod, was shot in 1937 on charges of attempting to assassinate his friend Sergo Ordzhonikidze. Mother was sent to camps in 1938. In 1942, as he turned 18, he volunteered for the front. They did not take him for a long time, and he begged the military commissar to send him. Mortar. He was wounded near Mozdok. Commissioned. After the war, he studied at the faculty of philology, worked as a teacher. In the 1960s, he began performing in the bard song genre. Popularity has come. In the 1960-1970s, he wrote the script for the film “Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha”, later — the famous song “Your Honor” in “The White Sun of the Desert”. There is evidence that the avant-garde composer Alfred Schnittke was the co-author of the music for the song “We won’t stand the price...” (from “Belorussky Train Station”). At the same time, Schnittke insisted that his name be not mentioned and that authorship was entirely left to Okudzhava.

SVESHNIKOV Boris Petrovich (1927–1998) Footprints in the snow. 1987. Oil on canvas. 69 × 59

The theme, size, a high degree of elaboration of details — all with it. And the work is interesting to consider. It is very improvisational: several plans, several ideas, several persons.

RUSSIAN CLASSICS

VASNETSOV Viktor Mikhailovich (1848–1926) The Sleeping Princess. 1870s

Sketches are mounted on a sheet. Size 17.5 × 16.5 (in the light). On the back — the conclusion of art critic Irina Duksina

Viktor Vasnetsov — author of the paintings “The Heroes”, “Alyonushka”, “The Knight at the Crossroads”. We can say that he is the symbol of the Tretyakov Gallery in Lavrushinsky Lane. Vasnetsov is a symbolist, the creator of the “Neo-Russian style”, in which fairy-tale fiction, folklore and elements of historical authenticity are fancifully mixed. The son of a priest, he studied at a theological seminary. In addition to easel works on epic stories, Vasnetsov worked hard on the painting of cathedrals and churches.

“Sleeping Beauty” is an old European fairy tale, known in various arrangements. Princess, evil stepmother, evil fairy, evil prophecy, spindle prick, a dream for 100 years and a wonderful salvation. This plot was used by Charles Perrault, the brothers Grimm and Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. The Russian poet wrote “The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights”. One of the versions.

Our princess is in the hands of a sorcerer. Sketches with a snake are placed on top. Perhaps, before us is the idea of an unrealized picture.

MALYAVIN Filipp Andreevich (1869–1940) Portrait of a man. 1910s. Paper, sanguine. 32 × 24.5

This is a sketch, a simple inexpensive job. But the name! Filipp Malyavin — artist of the association “World of Art”, author of the painting “Whirlwind”. His signature theme is Russian women in fluttering red skirts. Expression, energy, strength. A man from the bottom, from a poor peasant family, himself paved the way in life. Fame in Russia came to him through Paris. He painted the picture “Laughter”, which was “cut off” at the Art Council of the Imperial Academy for its lack of content. But at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, the artist was awarded a gold medal for it. Later, this painting was bought by the Italian government for a museum of modern art. At home, Malyavin’s paintings were often criticized. At one time, he generally refused to show his works. And the first solo exhibition, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, ironically arranged for him by the Bolsheviks. Malyavin painted portraits of Lenin, Lunacharsky and other revolutionaries. But in 1922 he emigrated. He went to Berlin to the exhibition and never returned.

FOR THE FIRST TIME AT OUR TRADES

LEVIKOVA Bella Alexandrovna (1939) Not only about yourself. 1977. 96 × 110

Bella Levikova is a nonconformist artist, participant of exhibitions in the city committee of graphics on Malaya Gruzinskaya. Levikova was a member of the “21” group along with Zverev, Kazarin, Vechtomov, Izmailov and others. Since the mid-1960s she has been engaged in abstraction, the art of “integral vision”. Levikova's paintings were included in the catalog of the first and only Sotheby's auction in Moscow in 1988.

POTAPOVA Olga Ananyevna (1892–1971) Stones. 1961. Burlap, oil. 67 × 67

Yes, this is Olga Ananyevna Potapova — the artist of the Lianozvov group, the wife of Evgeny Kropivnitsky, the mother of Lev Kropivnitsky and mother-in-law of Oscar Rabin. Olga Potapova, a student of Mashkov and Rozhdestvensky, in the 1920–1930s was engaged in teaching and design activities. Potapova's paintings are few in the market. She focused on creativity after sixty when her son returned from the GULAG. The painting “Stones” was seen by Valery Silaev. Pay attention to the year and size. Both are a rarity. Usually her works, which are called “silent paintings”, were smaller.

RUDAKOV Mikhail Zakharyevich (1914–1985) Bel Ami. 1955. Poster approved sketch. Ink on paper, white. 52 × 68

Mikhail Rudakov went through war, captivity and Soviet camps. Rehabilitated in 1957, got a job as an artist at Reklamfilm. Engaged, in particular, posters for films. One of which is in front of us. “Bel Ami” is a film based on the novel by Guy de Maupassant about a successful adventurer and opportunist. The novel brings the reader to the idea that the future belongs to scoundrels.

SUKHININ Afanasy Evstafievich (1923–2011) Winter. 1987. Oil on canvas. 98 × 128

Very beautiful nostalgic Russian landscape. Large, effective, on good materials. It seems that the author is a spoiled child of fate, a Soviet academician or someone who is caressed by life. But in fact, Sukhinin is another artist of the hardest biography. The war, the Stalingrad front, was wounded several times and ended up in German captivity. Spent several years there, miraculously survived, made several escape attempts. Sukhinin described the years of captivity in a published letter — and believe me, this reading is for people with very strong nerves. Nothing ceremonial, just war as it is.