Lot 619: David Burliuk O/B Portrait of a Woman in Blue, 1918

David Davidovich Burliuk (New York/Russian Federation/Ukraine, 1882-1967) oil on board bust length portrait of a woman with dark hair, lined face, and wide blue eyes. She sits before a blue background, turned in three quarter view, wearing a blue dress, gazing forlornly past the viewer. Signed lower right and dated 1918. Wide molded wood frame with silvered accents and a cream painted wood mat with gilt sight edge. Panel 12 1/2 in. H x 9 in. W. Frame: 21 in. H x 18 in. W. Note: inscription in pen, en verso, identifies the sitter as Pavla (Paula?) Kuzminichnu Curyanova, “wife of doctor who was lost by her 1917; husband had 9 times tifus [sic] fever / David Butler collection.” An additional pen inscription suggests the title of the painting is “Mary the Winter”. Biography:  “Born into a privileged class of Russian Society, David Burliuk became a central figure in the history of the Russian avant-garde movement as an accomplished poet, art critic, and exhibition organizer. He studied at the Kazan School of Fine Arts in 1898, then in Odessa, Moscow, Munich, and in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, however, as a breaker of artistic tradition, he found himself expelled from the Moscow Institute in 1911. His early works were Fauve-like and were exhibited with the Blue Riders in Munich. With the advent of World War I, he left Russia and traveled for four years. He moved to America in 1922 and settled on Long Island where he continued to paint until his death in 1967.” (Source: Michael David Zellman, 300 Years of American Art). 

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Stacy Widelitz. Mr. Widelitz was an award winning composer and songwriter, and a noted photographer. He led numerous arts boards in Nashville after relocating from Los Angeles in 2000, and served as an Oak Hill (TN) City Commissioner 2016-2020.

CONDITION: Overall very good condition, with a couple of scattered lines of craquelure. There is a small 1/2 in. spot of retouch to paint in the background, upper left corner, visible under UV light. At the subject’s shoulder, lower right, the paint is thin, with print from the support board partially visible. Frame exhibits some intentional and unintentional wear, with small area of loss lower left corner.