{"product_id":"still-life","title":"Still Life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlexander Tickhonovich Pushnin 1921 - 1991, was a Russian painter and Professor of Art at the Repin Institute of Arts and was known for teaching impressionist painting. He lived and worked in Leningrad and was regarded as representative of the Leningrad School of painting with his typical style of work. His work consisted of landscapes , portraits and historical compositions and some genre subjects. This particular work is unusual in that he is not known for still life pictures. However this picture we believe to have been a deliberate attempt to display his skills and compare his efforts to that of Vincent Van Gogh, we are further given to understand that there was a calculated effort by the Russians in the 1950's to undermine the West and it is from this that our assumed position is that this may have been an attempt in impersonating painting by Van Gogh which may have been an innocent attempt to compare the painter's skills or perhaps unconvincingly we think that perhaps sales would follow. Clearly when we appointed the skills of a well known pigment analyst they arrived and there was an intense look of astonishment when they first saw the picture. It was quite obvious by their questioning that they thought they were in the presence of an undiscovered Van Gogh. Furthermore the painting when under analysis was completely comparable with the work of Van Gogh but one of the pigments taken disclosed that the work had been painted post 1930 and consequently with further evidence in that it had been subjected to conservation in 1991 in Moscow and we think almost certainly by persons unknown and possibly at the Repin Institute, is the conclusion of the painter being Pushnin. He had died in 1991 and it is widely known when an artist dies that the contents of their studio are either sold or redistributed and this painting which we think looks to have been painted on an earlier canvas and re-lined appears to have been stretchered and prepared for sale in 1991. It is a remarkable effort by the painter in comparison to the brushwork, subject and pigments of Van Gogh and it maybe that the artist had deliberately chosen certain elements within the composition in that he was not attempting financial reward but a genuine effort to test his skills against the master. Clearly an important work by a well known Russian painter, the fragmented make up of the work, old canvas , relining, pigments and heavy impasto imply an almost John Le Carre type of biography, Pushnin was certainly a dedicated teacher and impressionist painter, this is a masterful work whatever the intentions. This picture is unsigned. I have included a further scholarly biography for your interest. Alexander Tikhonovich Pushnin (March 28, 1921 – September 5, 1991) was a prominent Soviet Russian painter and educator associated with the Leningrad School of Painting. Early Life and Academic Background Origins: Born in Morshansk, Tambov Province, Pushnin showed early artistic promise. Education: In 1943, he enrolled in the painting department of the Leningrad Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (later known as the Repin Institute of Arts). Mentors: He studied under renowned Soviet artists including Mikhail Avilov, Yuri Neprintsev, and Aleksandr Gerasimov. Graduation: He graduated in 1950 from the studio of Rudolf Frentz. His diploma work, a historical piece titled \"Vladimir Lenin in Kazan University,\" depicted Lenin's early involvement in student demonstrations. Artistic Style and Major Works Genres: Pushnin was highly regarded for his mastery of portraiture and historical painting, though his oeuvre also included landscapes, genre compositions, and watercolors. Stylistic Elements: His work is characterized by a \"powerful pictorial language,\" dynamic use of perspective from unusual angles, and a robust, broad painting style. Key Works: \"Near the Market\" (1958). \"At the Pier\" (1959). \"Pioneer Oath\" (1960s). Academic Career and Legacy Teaching: Pushnin spent much of his career at the Repin Institute, becoming a Professor in 1986. Scholarship: He earned the degree of Doctor of Art-criticism (Candidate of Art History) in 1952. Exhibitions: A member of the Leningrad Union of Artists since 1950, he participated in major exhibitions beginning in 1948 and held a significant solo exhibition in Leningrad in 1982. Collections: His paintings are currently preserved in the State Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg, as well as in private and public collections across the UK, USA, France, China, and Japan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Attributed to: Alexander Tickhonovich Pushnin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57538584641881,"sku":null,"price":22500.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0969\/9957\/1801\/files\/1_15d2b269-5a5e-48dc-ae43-75d33c449b60.png?v=1776684277","url":"https:\/\/vaughanfineart.im\/products\/still-life","provider":"Vaughan Fine Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}