Bidspirit auction | RUSSIAN LEV KROPIVNITSKY PORTRAIT OIL

RUSSIAN LEV KROPIVNITSKY PORTRAIT OIL ON BOARD PAINTING - This lot features ”Portrait, ” an original oil on board by Russian artist Lev Kropivnitsky, executed in the 1960s. The painting is rendered in a vivid, abstract expressionist style, utilizing extraordinarily thick, sculptural impasto to form the contours and features of the subject's face, showcasing the artist's shift toward non-figurative expression. The verso bears the artist's signature in Cyrillic, visible through a precise cutout in the frame's paper backing. Presented in a bold red frame with a mounted brass nameplate, the work carries a distinguished provenance. It was acquired at the ”Antiquar” auction in Moscow in 2020 and features a printed label on the reverse for the ”Khodorkovsky art collection usa.” Furthermore, the painting was prominently exhibited at the Wende Museum in Culver City, California, during the 2024 exhibition ”Visions of Transcendence: Creating Space in East and West, ” and is illustrated in the accompanying exhibition publication. Russian post-war art, Soviet nonconformist, abstract expressionism, thick impasto portrait, Wende Museum exhibition, Khodorkovsky collection provenance, Cyrillic signature, mid-century modern painting Dimensions Frame: 14 x 20 in. Image: 12 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. Condition Based on visual inspection, the painting is in stable overall condition. The heavily applied impasto surface appears well-preserved with no immediate evidence of cracking, flaking, or paint loss visible in the provided photographs. The artwork is framed and sealed with paper backing, with a window cut out to reveal the signature. The piece has not been examined outside the frame or under UV light.