65. Vasily Sitnikov (Russian, 1915-1987) Balade en charrette/ Cart ride signé en cyrillique et daté "16.VII.1984" (verso) huile sur toile 80 x 150cm (31 1/2 x 59 1/16in). sans cadre signed in Cyrillic and dated "16.VII.1984" (verso) oil on canvas unframed Provenance Acquired from Sitnikov's friend in New York Private collection, Europe Vasiliy, being a key influential bohemian figure of the underground Soviet non-conformist art movement, faced a life of great difficulty as a self-taught artist. His struggles reached their peak in 1941 when he was arrested by Soviet authorities and narrowly escaped execution, spending time in several prisons and mental hospitals. However, his life took a turn for the better in the 1950s when he started his informal academy, "The School of Sitnikov," where he taught with a focus on the methodology of épatage and paradox. Later in life, after emigrating to America in 1980s, Vasiliy's approach toward art became even more absurd and unique. There was a shift in his brushwork, subjects, and overall tone of his works. Notably, Sitnikov began to focus more on depicting the female nudes, portraying them as plump and almost grotesque, lacking individuality as though they were painted from memory. Despite their visual volume, the bodies of these nudes have an ethereal quality. The Nudes which Sitnikov produced at the end of his life in America are reminiscent of the nudes that he and his students created at his art school back in Moscow. During this "late" period, Sitnikov's distinctive technique involved using white pigment to create form, with bold and chaotic brushstrokes. The colour palette was also more monochrome, with various shades of blue, black, and grey prevailing. Sitnikov adopted a sarcastic, carefree, and unorthodox methodology, such as using a shoe brush instead of the standard paintbrush. He also became obsessed with self-portraits during this phase, often hiding his figure within his works or sketching himself as a caricature of a laughing and ugly fool. This not only reflected the impact of his past on his art and writing, but also showcased dark humour, experimentation, and self-expression as key elements of his oeuvre. One of his notable works, "Cart ride," showcases a technique he invented while making academic studies of surrealistic eroticism, which can be seen on the figures in the painting. For both the figures and the environment, he employs an elaborate graphic shading method, paired with a gentle blue colour palette that envelops the canvas, creating an airy ripple effect reminiscent of mist, fog, or a gentle haze, akin to a dream. This painting could symbolize his unpredictable journey as an artist, being pulled along in a cart by life to his final destination after a long and bumpy ride. In the end, despite the difficulties, he is seemingly content, as though it is all a dream. Even after his lifetime, Sitnikov achieved success in terms of recognition, with his works featured in the MoMa museum in New York, a personal exhibition in the "Our Artists" alley in Moscow, and a documentary made about his life and art in 2009. He was beloved by those around him, with his contemporaries describing him as a "disadvantaged painter with a flash of genius."