ART RUSSE ACQUIRES STOZHAROV NORTHERN LANDSCAPE
13 Sep 14
ART RUSSE has acquired "Village at Twilight" (1966), a painting by famous Russian artist Vladimir Stozharov. The artwork is an excellent example of Stozharov's depictions of the Russian North.
The painting shows a traditional northern Russian village, built solely of wood. An unpaved road meanders between the wooden houses, tanned by time and the elements. The old buildings appear as an organic part of the landscape. An old boat lies on one side of the road and a small pile of tree trunks is stacked on the other. The grass verges and the dirt road in the front are painted with large strokes, but the houses are carefully depicted, with detailed white window frames and different shades on the roofs. The only live character in this melancholic picture is a lone woman in the centre, painted rather vaguely: the white dot of a headscarf, a blue coat, and a bright red dress.
This theme of old Russian villages is the most common subject in Vladimir Stozharov's prolific art career. He travelled extensively around the country, particularly in the North, drawing inspiration from rural Russia's pristine nature and simple wooden structures. The subject brought him both popular recognition and critical acclaim, including a State Prize in 1968. Stozharov's paintings convey the sense of a timeless Russia with its simple way of life, so distant from the dramatic events of the XX century.
Vladimir Stozharov (1926 - 1973) was a Russian artist, best known for his rural landscapes with a rich colour palette. He was born in Moscow and studied at the Moscow State V.I. Surikov Institute between 1945 and 1951. As a student he started travelling across Russia every year, and continued this tradition after graduation, visiting Siberia, Lake Baykal, the Far East, and the Russian North, accompanied by fellow artists. In 1966 he took part in the XXXIII Biennale in Venice. His works are owned by the Tretyakov State Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the UK's Royal Academy of Arts, and other museums around the world.
Village at Twilight (1966). Vladimir Stozharov. Oil on board. 20.5" x 29".
