Aleksandr Nikolaevich Samokhvalov

Leningrad, Vystavka proizvedenii leningradskikh khudozhnikov, 1960

Vystavka proizvedenii leningradskikh khudozhnikov, 1960. Katalog, Leningrad: Khudozhnik RSFSR, 1963, p.16 listed 
S.Ivanov, Unknown Socialist Realism. The Leningrad School, St Petersburg: NP Print Edition, 2007, pp.2-3 illustrated; p.346 listed

The board appears sound. There is a layer of light surface dirt. There are some minor surface scratches in places, including a narrow intermittent scratch approximately 8cm long running across the top right quadrant. There is some paint loss and creasing to the top right corner of the board. There is a fleck of paint loss in the lower right corner and a few minor flecks in places elsewhere. There is evidence of some vertical media staining running centrally through the lower half. UV light reveals no apparent signs of retouching. Held in a simple white painted 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."

Samokhvalov painted the present work in the mid-1950s at the zenith of his career. Not long beforehand, Samokhvalov had married his young wife Maria Alekseevna Kleschar, who became his muse and faithful assistant. Captivated by her beauty and youthfulness, Samokhvalov found her to be a source of true inspiration. The present work conveys the artist’s fascination with beauty and youth, as depicted by the central seated figure, for which Samokhvalov’s wife served as a model. The graceful inclination of her head and the curve of her shoulders evince her delicate beauty. Portrayed on the left in a blue suit and straw hat is Samokhvalov’s friend, the artist Evgeny Kibrik, who was a student of Pavel Filonov, and Kibrik’s wife, the artist Lidia Timoshenko, who is shown in a yellow dress, as well as Samkhvalov himself, also in a straw hat and just visible over Kibrik’s shoulder. The optimism and joy of the scene stem from the overall mood during the Thaw of the post-Stalinist period and is delightfully conveyed by Samokhvalov in the offered lot.