Victor Ivanov

Victor Ivanov
Men resting during harvest

The heroics of everyday life of Soviet people is customarily considered as the main theme in the art of the masters of the austere style. In the works of Victor Ivanov (born 1924), that everyday life unfolds mostly in the countryside. Both wartime and post-war Ryazan countryside features prominently in his canvases. One of such paintings, Men Resting During Harvest (board, oil, 85 cm x 135 cm) has been selected to adorn a label of Chateau La Grace Dieu des Prieurs, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2018 by Art Russe.

This work is perhaps one of the classic examples of the austere style in painting, both in plot and execution. The vast expanses of the sky and the stubble field in the artist’s “summertime” palette are restrained and coldish, while the silhouettes of the resting farmers are graphically outlined in an understated manner. Yet a sense of calm and repose literally fills the painting. What century is this? What era? In this work, Victor Ivanov fades away and any connection to a specific time or political system loses any significance. Centuries will go by, but somewhere near Ryazan, Russian farmers will still mow hay fields and rest, with their scythes leaned against the haystacks. It is their life and work that was celebrated by the wonderful artist Victor Ivanov.