MASTERPIECES

MALYAVIN Filipp Andreevich (1869–1940) Peasant woman. Early 1900s. Pastel on paper. 79 × 57 (light)

Portraits of women and peasant women are the most recognizable themes in the work of Filipp Malyavin. So we have the right genre and year — just everything that is needed. And, of course, provenance. The work comes from the collection of Valery Dudakov and is published in the catalog of his collection.

Myalavin is undoubtedly one of the first names in Russian art. He was a member of the “World of Art” and the “Union of Russian Artists” associations. A man of amazing and characteristic fate. Fame in Russia came to him after recognition abroad. Academicians of the Imperial Academy criticized his masterpiece “Laughter”. But at the world exhibition in Paris, it was given a gold medal. Besides, “Italians who understand nothing in art” bought a painting for their museum of modern art. There is no prophet in his own country. And at home, meanwhile, they continued to teach the artist content. Educate. And they were brought up to such an extent that Malyavin stopped showing his works. He was honored with a personal exhibition in Russia after the revolution. Ironically, it was not the imperial academicians who organized it, but the Bolsheviks.At first, the artist met the arrival of the new government with enthusiasm, and even created a series of portraits of Lenin. But he quickly became disillusioned and in 1922 left his homeland by cunning. The artist died in France, in Nice in 1940.

SUDEIKIN Sergey Yurievich (1882–1946) Portrait of a Woman. 1930 — first half of the 1940s. Canvas, oil. 71 × 56

Someone will say: just was and here again. Again, but different. That was graphics, and now painting. A very recognizable female portrait of the American period, most likely the 1930s. Let me remind you about the author. Sudeikin is an artist of the famous Blue Rose association. Harlequins, columbines, theater, ballets. In the 1920s, Sudeikin emigrated to the United States, worked on Stravinsky's ballets, and was involved as an artist for Hollywood films. The examination was made at the Research Independent Expertise named after P.M. Tretyakov (NINE) in 2013.

LUCK

ZVEREV Anatoly Timofeevich (1931–1986) Roses. 1963. Watercolor and pencil on paper. 41 × 59.

The theme, the year, and the skill are all just space. In our opinion, this is one of the best watercolors by Zverev, which we held in our hands. Roses written in one movement. Masterly graphics of the genius of post-war unofficial art at the peak of his creative form. Provenance — Dudakov's collection. And, as it should be with Zverev, there is an oral confirmation of Silaev.

FOR THE FIRST TIME AT OUR TRADES

LEPORSKAYA Anna Aleksandrovna (1900–1982) Sketch of forms and paintings for the ceremonial service. 1958. Watercolor and gouache on paper. 59 × 79

The thing is actually worthy of the rubric of masterpieces. But here the author is presented for the first time, so the heading is appropriate. Anna Leporskaya is Malevich's youngest student of the GINHUK period 1923–1926. In the future, she is a faithful keeper of his archive, who has kept it for the Russian Museum. Leporskaya is the wife of two closest associates of Malevich: first Konstantin Rozhdestvensky, and then Nikolai Suetin. You can't immediately think: strict beauty, glasses. But yes, the femme fatale: Rozhdestvensky even wanted to shoot Suetin because of her.

Why porcelain? It was Suetin who attracted Leporskaya to work on ceramics, who in the 1940s was the chief artist of the Leningrad Porcelain Factory. He knew that Leporskaya had always gravitated towards plastic, owned Malevich's system, but was not alien to neoclassicism. And then the stars converged. Anna Leporskaya's talent in the field of porcelain was fully manifested. Leporskaya's works are presented in the Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery.

SINEZUBOV Nikolay Vasilievich (1891–1956) Arc de Triomphe. Paris. 1937. Oil on cardboard. 19 × 33

Sinezubov — artist from the Encyclopedia of the Russian avant-garde. It is curious that Sinezubov, like Kandinsky (with whom they were not only well acquainted, but later became associates), studied to be a lawyer. But art won. Instead of bright speeches in the courts, fate prepared for him a bright page in the history of Russian art: participation in the exhibitions “World of Art” and “Exhibition of Four”. The latter is named after the names of key participants: Vasily Kandinsky, Alexander Rodchenko, Varvara Stepanova and Nikolay Sinezubov. After the revolution Sinezubov taught at VKHUTEMAS and directed the Proletkult workshop in Moscow. Later, in the 1920s, he was a member of the Makovets association and took part in major exhibitions. In 1928, Sinezubov emigrated to France, to the homeland of his beloved artist Cezanne. The work presented at our auction is a view of one of the main attractions of Paris — the Arc de Triomphe, erected by order of Napoleon in honor of the victories of his Great Army.

UGAROV Boris Sergeevich (1922–1991) Pugachevshchina. 1978. Oil on canvas. 88 × 147

One of the most poignant works by Boris Ugarov is Leningradka (in the forty-first). Feeling, soaked in pain, intense. It can be seen that it was created by a person who has seen life and drank sorrow. And there is so. Volunteer Ugarov decided to become an artist during the war. Yes, in peacetime he attended an art studio, but he made his final life choice in the trenches. He returned from the war, entered the Institute of Repin, studied at the workshop of Grabar. The original powerful Ugarov appears in the late 1950s. He is interested in the themes of the drama of history and the strength of the national character. A stingy palette, almost monochrome, spot-faces, low expressionist detailing — all these are features of the Ugarian style. Which is fully revealed in the picture presented.

Before us are the consequences of the Russian revolt. As Pushkin wrote — “senseless and merciless”. The moment is depicted when the uprising has already been suppressed. Plakha. Wheel. Probably, this is already Moscow, where Pugachev was brought. The mood of the picture resembles “The Morning of the Strelets' Execution” by Vasily Surikov. Ugarov's “Pugachevshchina” is a whole cycle. You can find other large canvases on the Internet with the dramatic twists and turns of the uprising. There is evidence that Ugarov was not patted on the head in the seventies for this series, despite all the merits. He was given to understand that he should not continue with this series. “Why do we need Pugachevism now? Where are we calling the youth? Forgot what an artist needs to do?” The topic of the Pugachev revolt, the essence of the anti-government uprising or even the civil war, at all times in Russia, artists and writers were forced to present carefully. And, if Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter was published for the first time without an indication of the author and a chapter thrown out for censorship reasons, then why censor Pugachevism in a country of victorious democracy? It means that not everything was so smooth. In a word, before us is not just a picture, but a kind of historical evidence of two eras and a monument to the eternal questions that torment Russia: who is to blame and what to do?

BUKH Aron Froimovich (1923–2006) Plein air landscape. 1999. Hardboard, oil. 60 × 60

This is a fast, virtuoso emotional landscape that Bukh made in nature. Probably on the beloved river Pakhra. This is his standard hardboard 60 × 60, with a signature in the right corner and precise calculated color spots. Bukh is an amazing artist. From a rather monotonous socialist realist, he suddenly turned into a bright expressionist. He dramatically changed his life in adulthood, got rid of the past, burned his previous works and started from scratch. The picture was brought by a person who was friends with Bukh, helped him, played chess with him and enjoyed the performance of creativity. Bukh's act of creation was a certain performance: fingers, palette knives, everything in a row were used. It happened that in the finale, the artist threw a rag into the canvas with all his might and only then sat back in a chair contentedly — that's it, take it.

VASILIEV Yuri Ivanovich (1924–1975) Mokshanki. 1970. Oil on canvas. 119 × 110

There are several Yuri Vasilievs. This is Vasiliev Yuri Ivanovich, who died in 1975. Before us is a large finished picture of 1970, made with great attention to the details of folk life and the color of the national costume. Who are the Mokshan women? Mokshas or Mokshans is one of the three main ethnic groups of the Mordovians. The republic with its capital in Saransk is inhabited by Mokshas, Shokshas and Erzyas. From Moscow to Mordovia, to Saransk — about eight to nine hours by car. The place is very interesting, a kind of nature reserve. With preserved rich folk culture. With its own special way. Even when you go by car it is striking that even if it is not rich, everything is very neat and clean. Mordovia, by the way, gave Russia such major artists as Fedot Sychkov and Stepan Erzya. In the center of Saransk there is a large modern Mordovian Republican Museum of Fine Arts named after S. D. Erzya, where, in addition to their own luxurious collection, they also show exhibitions brought from Moscow. On occasion, go, you will definitely not regret it.