Anatoly Zverev, (Russian, 1931-1986)

Portrait of Vladimir Piatnitsky, 1983

Portrait of Vladimir Piatnitsky, 1983
signed with artist's monogram (lower right)
mixed media on paper
47 x 36cm (18 1/2 x 14 3/16in).

Provenance
Collection of Larisa Piatnitskaya (1940 ? 2014)
Thence by descent

Exhibited
Moscow, Museum of Anatoly Zverev, AZ - eto Ya kak raz!, May - October 2015

Literature
L. Piatnitskaya, A second on the left, a second on the right, Moscow, 2004, illustrated p. 20
T. Reshetov et al., Lorik. The Apostle of Love, Moscow, 2015, illustrated p. 55
"AZ - eto Ya kak raz!," in Museum of Anatoly Zverev Almanac, no. 1, 2015, illustrated photograph of the AZ - eto Ya kak raz! exhibition display in the Museum of Anatoly Zverev, p. 52
Anatoly Zverev. Round & About, Moscow, Museum of Anatoly Zverev, 2015, illustrated pp. 38-39

The present lot, Portrait of Vladimir Piatnitsky, may be viewed as a tribute to a special friendship that bonded the Russian "tachist" Anatoly Zverev with Vladimir and Larisa Piatnitsky. Zverev's art is, in fact, seldom considered outside the context of his numerous affections, admirers, patrons and friends. According to the memoirs of one of the latter, an artist "without a home", Zverev frequently stayed and worked with his friends and often left his works as a token of gratitude to his hosts (N. Shmelkova, Anatoly Zverev in the memoirs of contemporaries, 2006). It seems that the eccentric Zverev was admired and welcome everywhere he went, especially at the home of Piatnitskaya.

As documented by Piatnitskaya, it was on one of these visits that the present portrait was created:
"In July 1983, Zverev stayed with me for three days on Filevskaya, as he wanted to do something significantly pleasant for me: he painted a portrait of my never-forgotten, early deceased husband Vladimir Piatnitsky. Piatnitsky had been gone for 5 years then. I had many photographs of him. He chose what was, in his opinion, the most notable one and painted a portrait of the artist Piatnitsky on a large sheet of paper in gouache and watercolour. It took the genius Zverev three days to complete this simple job. After that, saying that he was going out on business, Anatoly Timofeyevich left" (quoted in Anatoly Zverev. Round & About, Moscow, 2015, p. 38).

Based on a photograph from the family archive, as well as Zverev's own memories of Piatnitsky, this portrait reveals the artist's deep sensitivity towards the complex psychological character of his age-old friend. Zverev masterfully conveys Piatnitsky's most distinctive facial features, even the iconic subtle smile and squinting gaze. Yet, by leaving the eyes out of focus, as if intentionally abridging direct eye contact with the sitter, the artist obliquely presents Piatnitsky as if at the threshold of the real and the irrational worlds.

The portrait cycle is central to Zverev's work. Throughout his lifetime, the artist passionately portrayed family members, friends, acquaintances, strangers and even himself in the magnificent series in self-portraits from different years. In this body of work, Zverev strives to capture not so much of a physical resemblance but rather a distinctive character, emotional and psychological state of his sitters. At the same time, Zverev's portraits line up into a single depiction of an entire era of Anatoly Zverev, an era which both Zverev and Piatnitsky are worthily inscribed in.

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