Welcome to The McCarthey Gallery

The Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery is one of the foremost dealers in the United States dealing with Russian Impressionistic art.  The Gallery maintains an extensive inventory of collectible works by Russia's most respected artists during the period of 1930 to 1980.  The Gallery carefully selects paintings that are historically significant, original in composition, interesting in form and beautiful in their depiction of the human spirit.  We have been working in Russia for many years and have developed close personal relationships with many of the artists and their families.  Together with our associated gallery in Russia, Dacha Art, and our Russian partners, we maintain extremely close ties with the arts community in Russia and the former Soviet republics.  In addition to our Russian specialization, the TKM Gallery is proud to work with talented artists from other countries who have the spirit of the Russian art.

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JANUARY Silent Auction!

Fedor L. Sidorov, "Roses and Fruit"
27" x 23", 1953, Oil on Canvas,
Estimated at $3,50 to $4,500- 24 karat gold Krieger-Ricks Frame
Winning Bid 1,750, by H. Brewer

Congratulations to J. Del Calzo who placed the winning bid off $2,000 for December's silent auction painting, "Warm Evening" by one of the great Russian landscape painters, Alexei Pavlovich Belykh, Estimated at $4,000 to $5,000

As our January silent auction selection, we are pleased to present a beautiful still life, "Roses and Fruit" by Fedor L. Sidorov, estimated at $4,500 to $5,500.The current high bid is just 1,250!

Fedor Leonidovich Sidorov, is a famed Russian artist. In 1975 he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR or National Artist of the USSR. This was the highest title awarded to citizens of Russia, it recognizes the most outstanding artists, whose lifetime body of work merits exceptional recognition in the sphere of the development of the performing arts. There is no greater honor bestowed for outstanding achievements in the field of the visual arts, theater, music, circus, vaudeville, and film art.

Fedor Sidorov lived a life under the harshest imaginable conditions, endured and flourished. Although best known for his portraits and landscapes, his still lifes show a profound sensitivity. Full of life and optimism. It is accompanied with internal delicacy, movement and rhythm. He is distinguished by serious attention to shape; by delicate apprehension of the color, light and shade, and by the capturing the emotional feeling of the scene.

Sidorov is a member of the Union of Artists of Russia, and was a permanent exhibitor in Moscow, republican, union, plus all-Russia and national exhibitions. In 1975, he had a one-man exhibition was in Moscow and was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR. Sidorov's works are included in the collections of many museums in Russia including the Tretyakov in Moscow, National Gallery, Museum of Russian Art in St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk Museum the Museum of Portnakhotk and in private collections in and private collections in Russia, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Japan, Italy.

Estimated at $3,500 to $4,500, the current high bid is just 1,250! The next bid is $1,500, followed by minimum bidding increments of $250. Remember, there is no reserve, at the end of the auction the high bid wins!

Bids will be taken via telephone, or e-mail until 7:00 pm MST, Wednesday, February 2nd. Follow all the bidding updates on the Gallery's website.

Note that you may place a maximum bid and the Gallery will bid on your behalf up to your maximum. By placing a maximum bid, you will be assured you are not out bid at the last minute.

FYODOR LAVRENTOVICH SIDOROV, (1922- 2001)

Soviet painter. Member of the Union of Artists of the USSR. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1991). People's Artist of the Russian Federation (1996). Graduated from the Leningrad Art Institute I.E. Repin. Student B.V. Johanson and Yu. M. Neprintseva.

Fedor L. Sidorov was born in 1922 to a peasant family in the Ivanovo region. As teenager, he worked hard at a wood processing factory, and had to wait until adulthood to develop his natural artistic gift. Only when he was independent of his parents did his dream of becoming a student of the Artist's Training School come true. Among his teacher were such famous artists as N.P. Klykov, A.F. Kotyagin, and V.N. Ovchinnikov.

In 1941, Sidorov graduated, but the war prevented him from working as an artist. In 1941 he volunteered for duty in the Armed Forces. He served in aviation and in the signals corps. He was a commander of a regiment of the Guards in Kalinin Front, he fought in the Marine Corps defending the besieged Leningrad, then he was in the 1st Belorussian Front and saw the end of the war in Germany. Three times he was severely wounded.

During the war the artist used every possibility to draw or paint. These drawings are full of dynamics an severe realism and became sketches for such war time pictures as Headquarters of the Signals Corps Near Mozhaisk, In an Earth-House, and Soldiers and Officers of the T. Kostiushko Polish Division.

After the war and hospital treatment in 1947, Sidorov entered the Leningrad Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He was a student of B.V. Iogansen and Y.M. Neprintsev. After graduation, Sidorov worked in the I.E. Grabar Restoration Workshops in Moscow. He was an active participant of the exhibitions held in the Russian capital.

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Russian & Soviet Impressionism
Russia's Rich Cultural Heritage

Russia's rich cultural heritage represents the best of human creativity. Its literature, music, visual and performing arts and architecture are among the most profound, compelling and beautiful expressions of the human spirit.

Much of this rich heritage is well known in the United States, such as the writing of Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, the music of Peter Tchaikovsky, Serge Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky, the painting of Ilya Repin and Vassily Kadinsky, the architecture of the Kremlin and State Hermitage Museum and the dance of the Bolshoi Ballet.

Less well known in this tradition of creativity is the painting of the Russian Impressionist period, lasting from approximately 1930 to 1980. Russian Impressionism made an important contribution to the cultural heritage of Russia, but until recently, little has been known of its beauty and quality and its leading artists because of Soviet isolationism. During this period much of the cultural life in the Communist Soviet Union was denied Western exposure. The demise of Communism, the lifting of the Iron Curtain and the movement towards freedom and democracy of the newly formed Commonwealth of Independent States has allowed the world the opportunity to experience a unique and important historical past through the art work.

It is now being collected and recognized by art historians, museum directors, curators and collectors as some of the best art produced in the twentieth century. 

"Soviet Impressionism"- Vern G. Swanson

From a unique set of circumstances that would be impossible to duplicate, Soviet Art from 1930 to 1980 was the 20th century's major realist school of painting. It powerfully expresses itself with a simple clarity of pictorial language, consummate adeptness and truthful portrayal of life. The Soviet artist acted as a willing collaborator with and portrayer of the aspirations of society. This contrasted with Western models where artists were typically alienated from their community. Acceptance will come, using the Soviet phrase, because it is "historically inevitable". It is already to a certain extent here with the pictures from the period increasingly passing through the sale rooms of Europe and North America. This book should give wider understanding of this underrated but artistically exciting movement in Soviet art.

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