- 149
Geliy Mikhailovich Korzhev
Estimate
120,000 - 180,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Geliy Mikhailovich Korzhev
- Conversation
- signed in Cyrillic l.r.; further signed, titled and dated 1998 on the reverse
- oil on canvas
- 80 by 120cm, 31 1/2 by 47 1/4 in.
Provenance
The artist's studio
The collection of Raymond and Susan Johnson
Private collection, United States
Acquired from the above by the present owner
The collection of Raymond and Susan Johnson
Private collection, United States
Acquired from the above by the present owner
Condition
Original canvas. There are minor frame abrasions along all four edges. There is a light layer of surface dirt with spots in places. Inspection under UV light does not reveal any apparent signs of retouching. Held in a stained 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Recently celebrated with a major retrospective at the State Tretyakov Gallery, Geliy Korzhev is now recognised as a key figure in post-war Soviet art and one of the most individual painters of his generation. Part of the Soviet artistic establishment, occupying leading posts in the Union of Artists and honoured with every imaginable accolade, including People’s Artist, Korzhev remained fiercely independent in his work, proving that art can rise above state imposed ideology. He once said that ‘in [my] work I value freedom above all, the freedom to paint what I want, as I want and as I am able.’
Still lifes occupy a central place in Korzhev’s oeuvre. The artist turned to this genre to solve compositional problems, to explore the effects of light and shade as well as different textures. The present lot combines two key elements of Korzhev’s work: his interest in the world’s cultural heritage, in particular literature, and in everyday, unpretentious objects. Here, a cheap, mass-produced patterned curtain contrasts with the classical busts and provides an accent of colour. On the opposite side of the composition, a red carnation in a typical Soviet table glass, or granyony stakan, echoes the red. Carnations were a popular flower in Soviet Russia, symbolising the Revolution and later the victory in the Second World War, the key event which marked Korzhev’s generation.
Conversation is the first major piece from Korzhev’s post-Soviet period to appear at international auction and presents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a large-scale work by the artist.
Still lifes occupy a central place in Korzhev’s oeuvre. The artist turned to this genre to solve compositional problems, to explore the effects of light and shade as well as different textures. The present lot combines two key elements of Korzhev’s work: his interest in the world’s cultural heritage, in particular literature, and in everyday, unpretentious objects. Here, a cheap, mass-produced patterned curtain contrasts with the classical busts and provides an accent of colour. On the opposite side of the composition, a red carnation in a typical Soviet table glass, or granyony stakan, echoes the red. Carnations were a popular flower in Soviet Russia, symbolising the Revolution and later the victory in the Second World War, the key event which marked Korzhev’s generation.
Conversation is the first major piece from Korzhev’s post-Soviet period to appear at international auction and presents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a large-scale work by the artist.