Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kuznetsov

Phillips London, Russian Art, 2 April 1990, lot 9

The canvas is original, with minor abrasions to edges, especially to the upper right hand corner. The paint surface slightly dirty. There are minor flecks of paint loss to the lower right quadrant. There are patterns of craquelure to the lower and left sections of the canvas and in places elsewhere, however this is not distracting to the eye. There is a large area of opaque varnish. Under UV light, several small areas of retouching are apparent around the edges of the canvas, and few spots of retouching to the skirt of the woman in the lower right section. Unframed.
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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."

Trained at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts under Vladimir Makovsky, Kuznetsov continued the tradition of the Russian Realist school into the 20th century. Many of his paintings depict life in remote areas of the Urals. His most celebrated work, God's People, hangs in the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg alongside another one of his paintings, Portrait of Emperor Nicolas II. Other works hang in regional museums, such as The Evening Before (Savitsky Art Gallery) and Public Merrymaking (Gorlovka Art Museum).

Back from the Fields represents a rare opportunity to admire Kuznetsov’s work outside Russia. Its bright palette, expressive figures and monumental dimensions make this a superb masterwork of the Realist genre.