NIKOLAI TYRSA (1887–1942) Rural landscape

inscribed in Cyrillic in pencil ‘N. Tyrsa’, ownership stamp of the Igor Dichenko Collection (on the reverse) watercolour on paper 22 x 30 cm Executed circa 1930s PROVENANCE: Collection of Igor Dichenko (Ihor Dychenko) (1946-2015), Soviet and Ukrainian collector, art historian, and painter; one of the ideologists of the Ukrainian avant-garde, Kyiv. Private collection, Europe Nikolai Tyrsa occupies a distinctive place in Soviet art. At a time when the official aesthetic of the 1930s celebrated monumental, idealized figures, he chose instead to depict the quiet poetry of everyday life. Tyrsa studied architecture in St. Petersburg while attending Elizaveta Zvantseva’s art school, where he was taught by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky and Léon Bakst. He regarded himself as an heir to the World of Art (Mir Iskusstva) tradition. Following the Revolution, he helped found VKhUTEMAS before later devoting himself to book illustration, becoming one of the leading illustrators of his generation while continuing his independent artistic practice. 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.