To 2nd April Muscovites have a tremendous opportunity to touch the world of Russian estate of Muraviev-Apostol (Museum of Matthew Muraviev-Apostol), and to observe “Magic light” exposition of Russian landscape painter of German origin Ivan F. Choultse (1874-1939).
Ivan Choultse belongs to the artists whose name is not mentioned in most of national dictionaries and encyclopedias of Russian art as well as the name of his teacher, Konstantin Y. Kryzhitsky. Despite the fact that less talented and sometimes mediocre artists of the later time are well known to masses. It’s very simple – if your pictures are not in the museums, nobody writes about you, and then you simply don’t exist.
Ivan Choultse became a famous artist in the days of the Russian Empire (it was exhibited from 1906). But it was not common to write about him in Soviet times, because he belonged to the category of ideologically alien, the realistic artists. After emigrating Choultse became popular in the West and in community of art collectors. Now the main creative heritage of the artist is kept mainly in private collections all over the world.
Choultse draws the nature accompanied by a play of sunbeam and unusual combinations of fruity colors. Plots are so artistic and poetic that seems fantastic: lace of snow in the mountains, huts, beautiful forests and picturesque ruins. This kind of painting looks great on the postcards and Post office well used it.
Collections of Choultse paintings began to form in Russia (they were owned by members of the Imperial family, by Faberge). American and European collections were formed in1920-1930 years, where 30-50 of his works were exhibited and sold annually. Exhibition of Ivan F. Choultse at Muraviev-Apostol estate includes 60 paintings from different periods and commemorative postcards with inscriptions of the author.
Christopher Muraviev-Apostol, a descendant of the famous Russian family, who returned to Russia in 1990-e years, in the annotations of the catalogue says: “Ivan Choultse is a great artist, who was called the “magician of light”, received recognition in Russia; he was forced to leave country in the early XX century. Fame in the West and obscurity in Russia were waiting him”. He perceives lending of his house for the exhibition as the return of “pages of Russian art history” to Russia.
This is the second exhibition in Russia. As the first one in Samara in 2016, it was organized by Swiss Ivan Choultse Foundation. The current exhibition – is the largest one of the artist in the last 100 years. It is supported by philanthropists Anisimovs. Curator of the exhibition and author of the catalogue – Vadim Goncharenko, expert of the Fund and the Head of the Russian department of Koller auction house (Switzerland).
