Art and Faith

Monday, 28 July 2008

Zinaida Serebryakova. A Portrait of Yvette Choviret. 1962

Filed under: Impressionist, Russian, early modern, fine art, human study, portrait — 01varvara @ 1330

A Portrait of Yvette Choviret (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1962)

Since Zinaida Serebryakova is my favourite artist, I am presenting ten works from her output, perversely offered in reverse order, that is, latest to earliest. WHY? Blame it on the Bossa Nova, the dance of love…

Zinaida Serebryakova. A Portrait of Graf Platon Zubov. 1956

Filed under: Impressionist, Russian, early modern, fine art, human study, portrait — 01varvara @ 1330

A Portrait of Graf Platon Zubov (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1956)

Ms Serebryakova made her living painting portraits. She was not the only Russian émigré artist to do so, it was something of a cottage industry.

Zinaida Serebryakova. A Still Life with a Jug. 1952

A Still Life with a Jug (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1952)

A neo-Impressionist offering, of a still life.

Zinaida Serebryakova. The Luxembourg Gardens. 1946

Filed under: Impressionist, Russian, early modern, fine art, landscape/nature — 01varvara @ 1330

The Luxembourg Gardens (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1946)

A nice neo-Impressionist landscape, I would say.

Zinaida Serebryakova. A Basket with Flowers. 1934

Filed under: Russian, early modern, fine art, flowers, still life — 01varvara @ 1330

A Basket with Flowers (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1934)

Zinaida Serebryakova. Lit by the Sun. 1928

Filed under: Russian, early modern, fine art, human study, portrait — 01varvara @ 1330

Lit by the Sun (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1928).

A very nice study of a Moroccan girl from Marrakech, probably in the suk. You would hardly know that the artist was in exile from her motherland.

Zinaida Serebryakova. The Breadseller from the Rue Lepic. 1927

Filed under: Russian, domestic, early modern, fine art, human study, portrait, town scene — 01varvara @ 1330

The Breadseller from the Rue Lepic (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1927)

This is a work dating from the time of her Paris life in the emigration. Again, we see the concern for the dignity of the “common man” (or, should we say, “common woman”). There is a strength and groundedness in this portrayal. You are not going to fool her, thank you very much!

Zinaida Serebryakova. On the Terrace in Kharkov. 1919

Filed under: Russian, domestic, early modern, fine art, human study, town scene — 01varvara @ 1330

On the Terrace in Kharkov (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1919)

You would hardly guess from the quiet and normal domestic scene that this is in the midst of the calamity of the Civil War, and that Ms Serebryakova and her family had been forced to move several times. Life DOES go on despite it all, and the children are the least affected. Would we be able to paint such a tableaux in the midst of such tempestuous times? A good question… 

Zinaida Serebryakova. Tata and Katia (In the Mirror). 1917

Filed under: Russian, domestic, early modern, fine art, human study, town scene — 01varvara @ 1330

Tata and Katia (In the Mirror) (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1917)

Serebryakova was the mistress of the domestic, familial, and homely (in the English sense). This scene dates from the year of the two revolutions, but, these political upheavals did not affect ordinary life at first. Their domestic tranquility is not to last, though…

Zinaida Serebryakova. Peasants at Lunch. 1914

Filed under: Russian, domestic, early modern, fine art, human study, rural scene — 01varvara @ 1330

Peasants at Lunch (Zinaida Serebryakova, 1914)

Here is a painting that illustrates the common and shared dignity and humanity of all people. They are humble, but, they have no pretense about themselves, and there is a simplicity and honour in their attitude. Here are two people who know which end is up, and they don’t need a facilitator to give them lessons! I say that 10 peasants are worth 100 professors. 

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