ART RUSSE ACQUIRES TWO PAINTINGS BY TKACHEV BROTHERS
18 Aug 14
ART RUSSE has acquired 'Good Morning' and 'By the Well' two rare canvases by the famous brothers Sergey and Alexey Tkachev. The two artworks are great examples of the brothers' style, characterised by joyful atmosphere and energetic brushstrokes.
'By the Well' (1960) depicts a scene by the well in a Russian village. A woman pours a bucket of water on a shirtless man, who is washing himself. The other woman stands behind and lifts another bucket from the well. A wooden trough and the small pools of water in the muddy ground reflect a clear blue sky. The canvas is painted in vibrant colours, with deep bluish shadows, highlighting the summer light. The thick, impressionistic brushstrokes reinforce the illusion of movement and spontaneity. The canvas is a perfect example of the Tkachev brothers' famous portrayals of rural life.
'Good Morning' (Late XXth century) shows another scene from rural Russia: a two-wheel horse-driven carriage is moving along a village street, with two children in the carriage, looking calm and relaxed. The small bright green leafs on a tree suggest that it is late spring. A lone white rooster stands still in the forefront. Large strokes on the ground and the shadows create an impression of the carriage's swift movement. The rich pallet consists of contrasting tones: green leafs and red shirt contrast with the light beige and dirty purple of the dusty street. This painting demonstrates a remarkable mastery of colour.
SERGEY TKACHEV (born 1922) and ALEXEY TKACHEV (born 1925) are famous Russian artists. Both were full members of the Academy of Arts of the USSR, the People's Artists of the USSR and laureates of the Repin State Prize and the State Prize of the USSR. The brothers were born in a village in the Bryansk region. During the war, Sergey served in the army, while Alexey worked at a defence factory in the Urals. After the war, both Alexey and Sergey graduated from the famous Surikov Institute, where they studied under the well-known artist S.V. Gerasimov. Since 1950, the brothers have worked together on the same canvases, creating remarkable masterpieces. They have also worked independently, each of them developing their own individual styles. The Tkachev brothers' works are owned by the State Tretykov Gallery, the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the Tkachev Brothers Museum in Bryansk and other museums and private galleries. Their paintings have been exhibited among others at the Smithsonian International Gallery in Washington, D.C, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
'By the Well' (1955). Sergey Tkachev and Alexey Tkachev.
'Good Morning' (1965). Sergey Tkachev and Alexey Tkachev.
