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.....
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
Musicians 1961
Oil on card 12.3 x 17 cm Signed and dated Provenance: Purchased from the artistBobrusk, Belarus, May 1998; John Barkesborn.....
School Camp 1957
Oil on card 17 x 19.5 cm Signed and dated Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist’s studio, Bobrusk.....
Petrograd Tramway 1962 Oil on board 17 x 23 cm Signed and dated on reverse Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought.....
Cyclist, The Park 1959
Oil on card35 x 24 cmSigned and dated on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist's studio, St. Petersburg$1,250.....
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.....
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
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.....
Spring Planting 1960s
Oil on card 24.5 x 35.5 cm Signed on reverse; also signed by the artist’s nephew, Yevgeny Bortnichuk, on reverse Provenance: Estate of.....
His First Ship 1968
Oil on board50 x 40 cmSigned; also titled on a label on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from Roy Miles.....
Sailors on the Neva, St. Petersburg 1976
Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. Petersburg; Private collection, Canberra; Bridget McDonnell Gallery.....
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.....
The Red Skirt 1960
Oil on board 38 x 36 cm The Red Skirt 1960 Oil on board 38 x 36 cm Signed; also.....
Village Home 1957
Oil on card 11.5 x 17 cm Signed Provenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio.....
Study for Sketch Club, Royal College of Art 1944
Russian Oil on board 29.5 x 34 cm Signed and dated; also inscribed with title and date on reverse
Ideas for Pictures 1969
Oil on card29 x 50 cmSigned and dated; also signed and dated on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the.....
On the Farm 1961
Oil on card11.4 x 15.8 cmSignedProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from the artist in the artist's studio, St. PetersburgExhibited: Paintings.....
Dam Construction 1956
Oil on card24 x 34.5 cmSigned and dated on reverseProvenance: John Barkes, London, bought from Matthew Cullerne Bown, author of.....
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
Football, The Tackle, 1962
Watercolour 21 x 19 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
Village Girl 1965
Oil on card 35 x 25 cm Signed; also signed, titled and dated on reverse John Barkes, London, bought from.....
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.....
Natasha, Artists Daughter 1970
Oil on board 50 x 35 cm Signed
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.....