Vladimir Ovchinnikov

Acquired directly from the artist

Original canvas. The painting is clean and ready to hang. UV light reveals a slightly uneven layer of varnish and no apparent signs of retouching. Held in a simple wooden frame. Unexamined out of frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"All my life, I have been building cultural bridges between East and West"

Although a journalist by profession, the Silesian born Norbert Kuchinke (b.1940) is perhaps best know for his role as the Danish Professor Hansen in the Classic Russian film, Autumn Marathon (1978). A talented Russian linguist, Kuchinke was passionate about Russia, and worked as the Moscow correspondent for Stern, one of the first Western magazines to be set up in Russia in the early 1970s. 

Kuchinke is a religious person and deeply affected by the destruction of churches and religious monuments by the Soviet State. It was at this point that he turned his attention to actively supporting the Orthodox church. His dedication to this cause has earned him a decoration from the State. He is the only Westerner to have received this Order.
His involvement with contemporary Russian culture led him to meet the leading artists of the Moscow underground, including Leonid Purygin. Purygin subsequently asked Kuchinke to become godfather to his daughter, Dunya.