OREST VEREYSKY (1915-1993) After the battle, Heilsberg

signed, inscribed in Cyrillic and dated ‘G. Heilsberger / O Vereyski / 45’ (lower right), signed again, inscribed and dated (on the reverse) watercolour and ink on paper 31.5 × 43.5 cm Executed in 1945. Executed in 1945, shortly after the capture of Heilsberg (present-day Lidzbark Warminski, Poland) during the Soviet East Prussian campaign, the present work depicts the aftermath of the Heilsberg Offensive, one of the final major Soviet operations in East Prussia in the final months of the Second World War. Orest Vereysky, a graduate of the Leningrad Institute of Painting, served as an artist-correspondent for the Soviet Army newspaper Krasnoarmeyskaya Pravda throughout the Second World War. He accompanied the Red Army from the defence of Moscow to the East Prussian campaign, documenting military life and the destruction left in the wake of the fighting. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War, the Medal for Battle Merit, and the Medal for the Defence of Moscow for his wartime service. After the war, Vereysky became one of the Soviet Union’s leading book illustrators. He was awarded the USSR State Prize, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and several other distinctions. Upon the buyer’s request, we are pleased to provide a general condition report for the Lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise prospective buyers to conduct their own inspection or consult a specialist or restorer of their choice for a comprehensive professional assessment. Any condition descriptions provided in the catalogue or through any correspondence are for guidance only and should not be considered a substitute for a firsthand evaluation. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD ‘AS IS’ IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.