Sergei Yurievich Sudeikin

Acquired from the artist in Paris by Dr Krichesky-Rappoport in the 1920s
Thence by descent

Support This large work by Sudeikin is on a paper that has darkened a little over the years and has become brittle. At present the sheet is supported by canvas on a stretcher. The canvas is supporting some cracking to the sheet and repaired tears, which are evident throughout the composition. Medium The colours are good and bright. The darkening of the paper in exposed areas has caused a differential in contrast. This is particularly evident on the toy animals in the foreground. The artist has used a wash of white in some areas including the lower right-hand corner and over pigments in the centre, in the wavy light blue area. This is not a loss of pigment, but in my opinion the artist’s intention. However there are some surface losses to the darker pigments, particularly along the top where it has been painted over the white gouache. There is some re-touching on the tears and cracks, but the restoration on this painting has been fairly skilfully done. Conservation Note This painting should be glazed with UV protective glazing.
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The present work is typical of Sudeikin’s work from the early 1920s when he was closely involved with the legendary Chauve-Souris theatre troupe founded by Nikita Balieff, first in Paris and later in New York. Developing his characteristic stylised ‘Russian’ approach, Sudeikin largely determined the look of this production, not only in terms of set and costume designs, but also in terms of graphic materials such as posters or programs.

The present work depicts a favourite motif of the artist, traditional Russian toys, reflecting the festive side of life in pre-revolutionary Russia. The composition gathers a number of handcrafted Dymkovo toys, the famous moulded clay figurines from the eponymous village near Kirov. Ladies dancing and out walking, a female water-carrier, and animals too - birds, sheep, horses and cows. They appear as actors taking part in a performance against the backdrop of a decorative tray patterned with flowers. The primitive air of the composition and the grotesque, ornamental figures are reminiscent of Russian folk art traditions.

Sudeikin showed similar works in June 1921 at the Galerie La Boétie in Paris, as part of an exhibition of the Mir Iskusstva group (nos.199-200, titled Igrushki), as well as in the Russian exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in New York in early 1923.

We are grateful to Tamara Galeeva for providing this note.