This detailed miniature was painted by Fedoskino artist A. Kriger with astounding detail. The composition is an interpretation of a canvas-on-oil painting called "Hunters Taking a Break". Painted in 1871 by Vasily Gregorievich Perov, it currently hangs in the Tretyakov Gallery.
Vasily Perov (1834-1882) studied intermittently from 1846 to 1849 at the Art School of Alexander Stupin and during the 1850s at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under Sergey Zaryanko. The work of Pavel Fedotov, pictorial satire in the press and genre scenes by the Old Dutch masters and William Hogarth were the greatest formative influences on Perov. His early works combine detailed brushwork with anecdotal narrative and aim at criticizing social behavior. Within his paintings is a conflict between feelings of love and hatred, and between an intimate knowledge of the daily life of the people and an alienating irony. Perov's success as a genre painter reached its peak in the latter half of the 1860s. His compositions become more laconic and expressive; overcoming an undisciplined use of color, he achieved an impressive unity with an austere greyish-brown palette. His other works include Portrait of Dostoevsky, Village Burial, and Troika (that shows three young apprentices pulling a sled).
The three hunters depicted have found a nice hillside on which to relax, eat, have a drink, and most importantly tell a few stories. The moment captured here shows the oldest of the three animatedly telling a story so outrageous that the hunter in the middle can only scratch his head and laugh. But the young inexperienced hunter on the right listens with the utmost interest, naive to the embellishments and untruths the storyteller is adding to his tale. At least the hunters have had some success today--several game birds and a hare lie next to their rifles.
Many kinds of brushstrokes and techniques have been used here to create the necessary effect to bring this composition to life. The amount of attention to all the elements of the scene is incredible. The faces are especially detailed and reproduce the expressions of the original beautifully. The painting fills the entire surface of the lid, maintaining focus on the composition. The sides of the box are then decorated with a unique and very precisely drawn filigree in metallic gold. Each of the corners of the box have an embellishment in the filigree for an added touch.
The lid is hinged from the top of the composition, and the box rests flat. The piece is in prime condition. It is signed by Kriger in the bottom right corner.
Materials: paper-mache, black and red lacquer, oil paints, gold.
More of Perov's works can be found online:
frontpage.webzone.net/maxf/Russian/Perov.htm, which includes "Hunters Taking a Break"
www.auburn.edu/academic/liberal_arts/foreign/russian/art/#Perov, Auburn University's Russian Department
Biographical information on Vasiliy Perov taken from www.artnet.com
About Artist Kriger, Alexander Alexandrovich:
Kriger Alexander Alexandrovich was born in 1973 in the village of Urek, Kemerov Region. Now he resides in the village of Fedoskino.
In 1993 the artist finished the Fedoskino Art School. His teachers were Frolov V.N. and Antonov V.D. His diploma work included the compositions: a landscape “Visiting Solokha” and a copy “Agasha”.
Alexander Alexandrovich paints in oils in the style of Fedoskino lacquered miniature. Themes of his works – genre scenes and fairy-tales.
Alexander Alexandrovich thinks quality of painting is the most important element in work.
Beginning to paint a composition he intends to make a good work. Finishes painting, when additional details are unnecessary and subsequ
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read about Kriger, Alexander Alexandrovich
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Item Specifications:
- Title: "Hunters Taking A Break 2000"
- Price: $930.00
- Status: SOLD
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