"*FILONOV, PAVEL (1883-1941) Analytical Head indistinctly numbered 'N 19' in blue and red pencil on the reverse Watercolour and blue, red and black ink on paper, 22.5 by 21 cm. Provenance: Acquired from the student of Pavel Filonov, Pavel Kondratiev. Private collection, Europe. Authenticity has been confirmed by John E. Bowlt and Alla Povelikhina. Filonov worked on the Analytical Heads series over a period of almost twenty years. The work embodies Filonov's innovative theoretical principles and demonstrates superbly his intricate manner and highly complex stylistic devices, revealing subtle nuances of the artist's analytical abstract vision. It is extremely rare for works by one of the most important Russian artists of the XX century to appear on the market. Every work found and announced for sale inevitably attracts close attention, evoking both surprise and lively debate among specialists regarding its attribution to Filonov or, on the contrary, to his numerous students, of whom there were more than fifty. The artist almost never sold his works, and hoped to create a Museum of Analytical Art. At his bequest, Filonov's entire body of work was given to the Russian Museum in Leningrad by his sister. Even among the people closest to the artist there was no one who owned an oil painting by Filonov. The artist sometimes gave small works on paper to his favourite students, for whom each of his works had a totemic significance. We know with certainty that Kurdov, Poret, Sulimo-Samuilo, Novikov, Evgrafov and Kondratiev were all fortunate to be in possession of a unique work by their beloved teacher. Most of them did not part with their valuable gifts during their lifetime. The existence of these works was known to their closest friends and to researchers studying the artist's work. The present work is from the estate of one of the students closest to Filonov, the artist Pavel Kondratiev. Based on this information and on close analysis of Filonov's work itself, there are grounds to state with certainty that the work presented here for auction is authentic. Regarding the controversial issue of the authenticity of Pavel Filonov's works, it is very important to note that the analytical method of this astonishing artist and the principle of 'madeness' promulgated by him were in reality, in its essence, not achieved by any, even the most ambitious of his students. At best, the positive influence of Filonov's lessons on the creative development of his students became apparent later, outside the walls of the studio. Many talents fostered by Filonov were conscious that any attempt at an original transformation of the very essence of Filonov's art was futile, and they were naturally compelled to distance themselves from their teacher. Those who attempted mechanical imitation of his manner created a qualitatively finished, but mediocre “product” which was essentially a gross simplification or, more precisely, “utilisation” of the creative work of ""this unique master of his time."""""""