“The Luminous Sea”

Beautiful luminous painting of a calm glistening sea by the Russian born artist (who later lived in New York), Fedor Zakharov. Signed lower right by the artist. Condition is excellent. Oil paint on board. Circa 1955. The painting is framed in a custom handmade gold leaf frame by Summit Frames in San Diego, California. Overall framed measurements are 19 by 22.75 inches. Provenance: A Long Island, New York estate

Fedor (Feodor) Ivanovich Zakharov was born in 1882 in Astrakhan, Russia, into a family of a factory worker. In 1910-1916 he studied a the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture (MUZhVZ). In 1915 Zakharov gained his first success – several of his etchings were acquired by Moscow Rumyantsev Museum. From 1912 onwards he regularly participated in various art exhibitions: Moscow Association of Artists (MTKh), “World of Art” (“Mir Iskusstva”), “Union of Russian Artists”, etc. In 1918-1920 he taught at the “Moscow State Free Art Workshop”. He was also a well-known book illustrator at that time.
In 1923, a member of the organizational committee of forthcoming exhibition of Russian Art in the USA (see our images nr.10-13), he travelled to New York. Zakharov was also the author of the exhibition poster (image nr.13). He enjoyed great success as an exponent during the exhibition selling a great number of works there, including an oil portrait of Russian painter V.M. Vasnetsov (images nr. 21). After the exhibition’s finale Zakharov remained in the USA.
He soon became a very popular painter of portraits in interior or with landscape backgrounds, receiving, respectively, numerous commissions. The latter were kindly overseen by his sponsor, former US Ambassador in China and great collector, Charles Crane.
Already in 1924, Zakharov had his first personal exhibition in the USA (in Dubasov-store, Philadelphia). In 1933 another one of his exhibitions took place in Parisian gallery Polovtsev, followed in 1934 by one in New York Gallery “Durand-Ruel”. In 1925 he also participated in international exhibition of Modern Art in Pittsburg Carnegie Institute (as exponent of Russian section). In following years he showed his works at numerous US exhibitions, and was few times awarded different prizes. His works were also illustrated in various art magazines: among others in famous “Studio”. Zakharov’s works were also acquired by American museums, including such prominent collection as that of White House, Washington.
In his last years, due to grave illness, the artist became bedridden and partially blind. He died in New York on August 28th 1967.