Spring Day (Russian: Весенний день (картина Н. Позднеева) is a painting by Russian artist Nikolai Matveevich PozdneevDirectory of Members of the Union of Artists of USSR. Volume 2.- Moscow: Soviet artist, 1979. P. 216. (1930–1978). It was painted in 1959.
History Spring Day was one of the first original genre compositions by Pozdneev. He developed the theme for the first time raised three years earlier in his graduate painting From the School (1956, now in the Pskov Painting Gallery). The first version of the painting was shown in 1960 in the principal Art Show in LeningradExhibition of works by Leningrad artists of 1960. Exhibition catalogue. - Leningrad: Khudozhnik RSFSR, 1961. P. 33. and in Moscow.The Soviet Russia. The Republic Exhibition of 1960. Exhibition catalogue. - Moscow: Soviet Artist, 1960. P. 65. The artist was not fully satisfied and repainted the picture, making it a more extended vertically. A group of children was shifted from the center to the upper left corner. The bold decision proved justified: composition of the painting acquired aspiration, which is consistent with the general concept of the work. The palette of the picture became lighter. As a result, in the work began to fully feel the air of spring and hope, in tune with the mood of the era turn of the decades.
From 1960 to 1980, Spring Day was kept in the artist's family. In 1994, after a long pause, it was featured at the Painting of 1940-1990s. The Leningrad School Art Show in the Exhibition Halls of the Saint Petersburg Union of Artists.Paintings of 1950-1980s by the Leningrad School's artists. Exhibition catalogue. Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg Union of Artists, 1994. P.4.
In 1995–1996, Spring Day was exhibited in Saint Petersburg in the Nekrasov Memorial Museum at the exhibitions The Lyrical motive in painting of artists of the WWII generation,Lyrical motives in the works of artists of the WWII generation. Painting, drawings. Exhibition catalogue. Saint Petersburg, Nikolai Nekrasov Memorial museum, 1995. P.6. and Painting of 1940-1990s. The Leningrad School.Painting of 1940-1990s. The Leningrad School. Exhibition catalogue. Saint Petersburg, Nikolai Nekrasov Memorial museum, 1996. P.6.
The painting was reproduced on the official poster and cover of the exhibition catalog.
In 2007, Spring Day was reproduced and described among 350 art works by Leningrad artists in the book Unknown Socialist Realism. The Leningrad School,Sergei V. Ivanov. Unknown Socialist Realism. The Leningrad School. Saint Petersburg, NP-Print Edition, 2007. P.201. published in Russian and English.
In 2019 the painting was reproduced in the book The Leningrad School of Painting. Essays on the History,Sergei V. Ivanov. «The Leningrad School of Painting. Essays on the History». St Petersburg, ARKA Gallery Publishing, 2019. P.134. published in Russian and English.
See also Artist Nikolai Pozdneev (1930—1978) Leningrad School of Painting
References
Bibliography Exhibition of works by Leningrad artists of 1960. Exhibition catalogue. - Leningrad: Khudozhnik RSFSR, 1961. P. 33. The Soviet Russia. The Republic Exhibition of 1960. Exhibition catalogue. - Moscow: Soviet Artist, 1960. P. 65. Directory of Members of the Union of Artists of USSR. Volume 2.- Moscow: Soviet artist, 1979. P. 216. Paintings of 1950-1980s by the Leningrad School's artists. Exhibition catalogue. - Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg Union of Artists, 1994. P. 4. Lyrical motives in the works of artists of the WWII generation. Painting, drawings. Exhibition catalogue. - Saint Petersburg, Nikolai Nekrasov Memorial museum, 1995. P. 6. Painting of 1940-1990s. The Leningrad School. Exhibition catalogue. - Saint Petersburg, Nikolai Nekrasov Memorial museum, 1996. P. 6. Matthew C. Bown. Dictionary of 20th Century Russian and Soviet Painters 1900-1980s. - London: Izomar, 1998. , . Sergei V. Ivanov. Unknown Socialist Realism. The Leningrad School. Saint Petersburg, NP-Print Edition, 2007. P.201. , .
External links Spring Day (painting of 1959) on Solo Exhibition of Russian Artist Nikolai Pozdneev in the Museum of Art Spring Day (painting of 1959) on Solo Exhibition of Artist Nikolai Pozdneev in ARKA Fine Art Gallery Painting «Spring Day» on VIDEO "Artist Nikolai Pozdneev. Paintings of 1950-1970s"