Kulich, wine and grapes: in Veliky Novgorod for 1.6 million rubles sell Easter still life, which once decorated one of the Soviet sanatoriums

On the secondary art market in Veliky Novgorod, an unusual offer appeared: a large-format painting painted in oil on canvas is being sold, which about half a century ago decorated the interior of a Soviet health resort. The cost of the canvas is 1.6 million rubles. The announcement of the sale was published on one of the popular online trading platforms.

According to the description of the announcement, we are talking about a large-scale still life of 160 by 110 centimeters. The canvas depicts Easter cake, wine and grapes – traditional gospel symbols. According to the current owner, who has owned the painting for more than 45 years, creating a work with such open religious overtones during the Soviet era was a “risky and fraught” step for the artist.

According to the seller, about 50 years ago, this work decorated the hall or dining room of one of the sanatoriums. Despite the era of creation, the picture is made not in the style of “Soviet industrialism” characteristic of that period, but in the best traditions of classical Dutch still life.

“This is the artist’s message to all who see the painting. She is beautiful, calm, but with royal dignity. It does not dominate the interior, but harmoniously complements it. This is a thing that does not age, and its value from time to time only increases, says the seller, adding that the canvas will be a good investment in both aesthetics and assets.

The painting is sold on a subframe, without baguette. The seller also notes the possibility of organizing delivery on prepayment, taking into account transportation costs.

The uniqueness of the offer lies not only in the solid age of the canvas and its non-trivial theme for the USSR, but also in good condition, which makes it a potentially interesting object for collectors and connoisseurs of vintage art.