Still Life with Antique bust and Jug
Korzhev, Geli Mikhailovich
1925 - 2012
Still Life with Antique bust and Jug
Oil on canvas
102 x 58cm
1990
Signed lower right
PROVENANCE:
Collection of the artist
Union of Russian designers
Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery, 444 Main st, Park City, Utah, USA
Private collection, USA
LITERATURE:
Included in the Korzhev online database http://www.artlib.ru/index.php?id=11&idp=30&fp=2&uid=261&idg=0&user_serie=0
Art of the Soviet Union, Still Lifes, Unicorn Press, London, 2018, illustrated p. 146.
Korzhev self portrait
Geli Korzhev is considered by the curators of the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow to be the most important Russian artist of the later part of the 20th century. In 2005 Korzhev’s famous painting, Raising the Flag, depicting a determined worker heroically raising a red flag plucked from a fallen comrade was chosen to represent 700 years of Russian art. Korzhev’s work is now always selected for important 20th century shows in Russia at the Tretyakov and Russian Museum and was also included in the ‘Russia!’ show in 2005 at the Guggenheim museum in New York.
In 2007 Korzhev became the first ‘Severe School’ artist to be given his own exhibition outside of Russia. The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) showed 42 of his paintings from September 8th 2007 – January 5th 2008 in the show entitled, ‘Raising the Banner.’ Alisa Lyubimova, curator of 20th century paintings at the State Russian museum in St Petersburg, who lent 8 paintings to the show said at the time, “It is very important to us to show Russian art abroad, but I am a little jealous that this will be the first full Korzhev exhibition and it is happening here and not in our museum.” Korzhev had declined several invitations for a major retrospective of his work at the Tretyakov gallery in Moscow without ever giving a reason.
Korzhev in Italy in 1965
Korzhev was born in Moscow in 1925. His father was an architect and member of the Association of New Architects – the leading Avant Garde group of the 1920’s. Korzhev studied at the Moscow Intermediate Art School from 1939 – 1944 and later at the Surikov Institute in Moscow from 1944 – 1950, graduating from the studio of Sergei Gerasimov. He soon won recognition as the outstanding painter of his generation with his painting, In the days of War (1954) but it is considered that his own voice only really emerged with the execution of Lovers in 1959, a portrayal of a middle aged couple sitting together on the seashore lost in their own memories. This introduced one of Korzhev’s favourite subjects, men and women in middle age weary from traumatic experience and deep in their own thoughts. He bravely injected a tough psychological authenticity into Soviet painting a time when artists were expected to adhere to the strict guidelines governing Soviet subject matter which preferred happy workers enjoying a Soviet paradise. The 1960’s series, “Scorched by the War,” established Korzhev as the most powerful realist of his generation and examined themes of compassion and forgiveness that Korzhev would keep exploring through the 1980’s and 1990’s. When asked why the Soviet authorities tolerated Korzhev’s work Lyubimova said, “the authorities, even in strict times, could understand what was good and bad, right and wrong” before adding, “and he was so strong a person they couldn’t take away his art.”
Antique Bust with a Jug is an important example of Korzhev’s still lifes. During his career Korzhev kept a selection of favourite antique busts and studio props such as jugs and dishes which he often painted in different ways whilst experimenting with technique, light and colour. In a 2005 interview Korzhev said that he believes that these still lifes will in time come to be considered among his most important work. The painting shows a Roman head of a boy placed on a pedestal and inclined to his left. A small brown earthenware jug sits in front of the bust and a white sheet is hung behind the two objects providing a back drop. All these items are well known to anyone who has studied the work of Korzhev as they become familiar from appearing in different angles in different paintings. They all remain in the artist’s former studio today. The composition is carefully balanced and the colours harmonious showing the effort put into these still lifes by the artist. Korzhev displays his usual skill in carefully revealing the different textures of the sheet, the marble bust and the terracotta earthenware jug. The painting is an imposing size being over 1m tall and has all the technical skill and mystery for which the artist has become famous.
The Antique bust of the boy in Korzhev's studio
There are very few painting of this date and quality remaining outside of Russian museums and this beautiful painting stayed in Korzhev’s own collection for several years before passing into the collection of the Union of Russian Designers who bought it directly from the artist. Korzhev preferred selling or giving his works to museums and it was always difficult for private collectors to collect his work as he normally refused to sell them anything. The painting later passed the through the hands of the Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery in Park City, Utah, before entering a US private collection. The painting is listed on the Catalogue Raisonee/List of the Korzhev’s more important works being compiled on the internet by the Russian Art Library at www.artlib.ru and was recently included in the volume devoted to Still Lifes in the the Unicorn Press's four volume 'Art of the Soviet Union.'
