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ALEXANDER KHARITONOV (RUSSIAN 1932-1933) Izba, 1977 oil on canvas 22 x 33 cm (8 5/8 x 13 in.) framed dimensions: 31 x 42 cm (12 1/4 x 16 1/2 in.) signed and dated on the verso PROVENANCE Acquired directly from the artist Private Collection, Moscow Private Collection, France MacDougall's, November 26, 2014, Lot 217 Private Collection, New York LOT NOTES Alexander Kharitonov is widely regarded as one of the most singular voices in the Soviet nonconformist movement. Although lacking full formal training, he emerged in the late 1950s as part of the “Other Art” circle in Moscow, mounting his first solo exhibition in 1958 at Moscow State University. Over subsequent decades, he forged a deeply personal visual language that merged spiritual symbolism, Byzantine and Old Russian iconographic traditions, folk motifs, and the meticulous touch of miniature and needlework aesthetics.  Kharitonov himself described his painting as built on three pillars: Byzantine & old Russian icon painting, and the decorative tradition of Church embroidery (beads, pearls, precious stones). He often invoked a pantheon of spiritual and literary mentors - Dostoevsky, Gogol, Savrasov, Florensky, and even Mozart - to suggest that his work inhabited a realm beyond purely visual expression.  His career is often divided into two overlapping phases: an earlier period (late 1950s to late 1960s) marked by allegorical, fantastical imagery, and a mature period (1970s onward) in which he turned increasingly toward contemplative landscapes, vernacular architecture, and Christian-inflected rural scenes.  In 1977, amid this shift, Kharitonov produced Izba, a quietly potent depiction of the rural Russian house. In Izba, one senses a fusion of the humble vernacular structure with metaphysical presence. The building does not merely sit in the landscape; it embodies timelessness, memory, and interior mystery. The delicacy of touch - tiny rhythmic brushstrokes, subtle modulation of tone - gives the structure a hushed reverence. The composition suggests more than domestic dwelling: it gestures toward spiritual sanctuary, rooted in the land but reaching beyond it. CONDITION This painting is in very good condition, with no issues to report. N.B. Condition reports are available upon request. All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by Shapiro Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. Shapiro Auctions, LLC., including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Keywords: Russian art, Russian nonconformist painting, Other Art, Soviet painting, Haritonoff, Soviet