Life Class, Repin Academy 1970
Oil on paper21 x 17.5 cmSignedProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St.Petersburg
Russian Oil Sketches
At the end of the Soviet system the professional artists were left high and dry. They were given ownership of their apartments, and were left with the contents of their studios, a lifetime of paintings.
Apart from the unsold finished paintings, the studios were full of preparatory sketches. These immediate impressions of life by these highly trained artists were a revelation.
The finished, exhibited works had to be idealized to conform to Stalin's definition of Socialist Realism and, or all except a very few artists, this process took away all the spontaneity so apparent in the preparatory works.
www.leningradschool.com has a chronology of the Artists' Union of St Petersburg, with many of our aritsts prominent in the annual listing of exhibitions.
extract "Art in Russia" Letter from John Barkes, 2011
illustrated
Valeri Roslyakov Loading Nickel Ore, Yenisei River 1973
Sailors in the Cafe 1970
Oil on board 19 x 20 cm Born Leningrad. 1964 graduated Repin Institute under Prof Oreshnikov. Member St Petersburg Union of.....
Market Day 1963
Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. Petersburg Oil on board 12.5 x 18.....
Village Girl 1963
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Sorting Tobacco, Bakhchiserai, Crimea 1974
Oil on board 50 x 35 cm Signed and dated; also signed and dated on back Provenance: John Barkes, London.....
Football, Goalkeeper takes the Ball 1960s
Watercolour 21.5 x.18 cm Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St.Petersburg
Footballers 1962
Watercolour18.4 x 20.4 cmSigned Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St.Petersburg $1,200
Flying a Red Flag 1956
Oil on card11 x 16 cmSigned and dated Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist’s studio.....
Snow in the Village 1975
Oil on board 21.7 x 23.5 cm Signed and dated on reverse
Study for The Great Transformation 1957
John Barkes, London, bought from artist's son in St. Petersburg, 1996 Literature: The Great Transformation is illustrated in A Dictionary.....
A Breezy Day 1979
Oil on board 26 x 33 Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist's studio St Petersburg
Foundry Study 1971
A Study for the artist's Diploma Painting Exhibited: Paintings from St Petersburg, Siberia and Ukraine, Bridget McDonnell Gallery, Hampton, 2009.....
Kerch Trawler Black Sea 1970
Oil on board16.3 x 24.3 cmSigned; also titled and dated on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in.....
Going to Work 1963
Oil on board21.5 x 46 cmSigned; also signed, dated and titled on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist.....
Village Girls 1980
Oil on card 27 x 15.3 cm Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London; acquired from the artist, St. Petersburg...
The Last Day of the War 1969
Oil on board46 x 33 cm From a series painted by the artist over many years
Washing Day 1959
Gouache44 x 50 cmSignedProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. Petersburg
Sketching in the Country 1963
Oil on card35 x 24 cmSigned; also signed and dated on reverse Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist.....
Chess in the Park c1970
Oil on canvas50 x 60 cmSignedProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. Petersburg...
River Landscape 1953
Oil on board 16.5 x 33.5 cm Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. Petersburg Oleg.....
Yalta Harbour After Rain 2002
Oil on board 16 x 30 cm Provenance: the artist’s studio 2005; John Barkes
Black Sea Coast 1952
Oil on card (sand in oil paint)17 x 25 cmProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's.....
Dima, The Boyfriend 2005
Oil on card 28.5 x 38 cm Signed
Family Holiday Feodosia, 1962
Oil on card 24 x 33.5 cm Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, Simferopol.....
The Artist 1958
Oil on board 31 x 26 cm Signed and dated Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist’s studio, Bobrusk, Belarusse, 1998.....