Description TARKHANOV MIKHAIL (UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN 1888-1962)Zamkovye Goroda [Castle Towns], 1937gouache and pencil on paper29.5 x 21 cm (11 5/8 x 8 1/4 in.);mounted on 42 x 31.5 cm (16 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.) paperframed dimensions: 47 x 38 cm (18 1/2 x 15 in.)signed and dated on paper lower rightLOT NOTES†Mikhail Tarkhanov was an avant-garde graphic artist known for his abstract, water-based textured compositions. He graduated from the Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry in 1915, later enrolling at VKhUTEMAS, where he studied under Vasili Kandinsky and Vladimir Favorsky. From 1932 until his death, the exhibition of abstract art was banned, so he secretly pursued his abstract work while working officially for various Soviet institutions. He was able to exhibit his beautiful, unique compositions only a handful of times from 1919 to 1931, alongside artists such as Natan Altman, El Lissitzky, Kazimir Malevich, and Alexander Rodchenko. Much of his oeuvre has remained unseen until the present. Tarkhanov's works are included in the permanent collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian State Museum, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, and at the Getty Center. This is a prime example of one of Tarkhanov's intricate designs created by a carefully crafted mixed medium, acquired directly from the artist's estate.PROVENANCEThis lot comes from the collection of Viktor Kholodkov (1948-2015), who fulfilled his passion for books, avant-garde design and paper memorabilia by devoting his life to collecting and dealing of prominent works of Russian graphic art of the first half of the 20th century. The dedicated collector acquired a multitude of books and artworks throughout decades, meticulously labeling and archiving every single item. Many came directly from the most preeminent artists of the time, as well as from their families and estates. He also possessed a vast number of drawings from the famous collection of another avant-garde enthusiast, Nikolai Khardzhiev. After leaving the USSR in 1989 and settling in California, Viktor continued his work as a Soviet art dealer and critic, actively publishing various articles and contributing to several major Russian avant-garde exhibitions across the U.S., such as the 1991 Russia Under Fire in the 40s on the West Coast and the 1992 Guggenheim exhibition The Great Utopia: The Russian and Soviet Avant-Garde. Kholodkov also contributed to the archives of the biggest American institutions. His sophisticated selection of over 2000 Russian sheet music covers was acquired by The Library of Congress, and an extensive amount of material related to VKhUTEMAS is now at the J. Paul Getty Museum.品相报告: Condition Report CONDITIONObserved in frame under glass, the work is in good condition, a thin creasing line across the paperN.B. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.