Original ethnographic etching by the listed Russian artist Oleg Andreev 'Quadrille Dance.' This vintage etching offers a vivid representation of Siberian folklore. It was created in 1985 as a part of Andreev's most prominent work – a series of unique etchings 'Ust-Tsilem Gorka' which he began working on in 1982. Ust-Tsilma is a village in the Komi Republic in Russia and one of the oldest inhabited places in European Siberia. Andreev was preoccupied with preserving the area's culture by creating its visual representations.
The artwork is signed by the artist and has an inscription in Russian: 'Celebration in Ust-Tsilem Gorka. Dances, 1-9', indicating its position in the Ust Tsilma series. The back of the etching has an appraisal certificate (in Russian) from the Moscow Artist House from 1987, valuing the work at 1,000 (thousand) rubles. The etching is framed in wood and matted, but both will probably need to be replaced as the matting has separated from the etching in several places and warped - please inspect the pictures carefully. Please also note some age-related discoloration on the etching.
Measurements:
Dimensions with frame: 12.25" x 16" (31 x 40.5).
Dimensions of artwork inside the frame: 9.25" x 12" (23.5 x 30.5 cm).
This etching depicts a traditional square dance, Quadrille, popular in many parts of Russia and showing great regional variety. The artwork's numerous characters are engaging in a dance, observing, and walking nearby. One of the central characters is playing balalaika - a traditional Russian stringed musical instrument. The details here are truly amazing. One can clearly see the emotions on people's faces: joyful dance of young women, a smiling balalaika player, a sad old man standing in the middle, a little girl cheering from the sidelines, and a solemn looking couple walking nearby. Andreev meticulously depicted the elements of the traditional clothes worn by the characters. Other details also add to the ethnographic feel of the work: the nearby river with a cargo boat, traditional roofs of houses, wildflowers.
Oleg Alexeevitch Andreev (b. 1927) is known for his ethnographic visual works, representing cultural traditions and folklore of different parts of Russia and the former Soviet Union, including Siberia, the Arctic, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. He uses a variety of media - color chalk, pencil, watercolor - but is most famous for his one-of-a-kind etchings. Andreev's works are featured in museums and are rarely available outside of Russia.
