Boris Ignatovich (1899-1976)
Youth, 1937
Vintage gelatin silver print mounted on board
Title and date in pencil in Russian on verso
Photographer's stamp in ink on verso
16 1/2 x 21 15/16 in. (41.9 x 55.7 cm)
Among Ignatovich's most beloved works of art, this photograph is a timeless celebration of the joy and energy of youth. The artist positioned his subjects in a triangle composition that successfully corresponds to the rounded shape of the camera lens, and the interaction of light and shadow gives the photograph a warm vitality. He gave the image a warm vitality by masterfully balancing depth and tone, light and shadow — a technical control of light that he developed in the 1920s. This photograph has become an icon of Soviet photography, and this large-size print was made for an exhibition and is very rare.
Sergey Shimansky (1898-1972)
Moldova Harvest, 1930s
Vintage gelatin silver print on heavyweight paper
Image: 15 5/8 x 23 1/8 in. (39.5 x 58.5 cm)
Paper: 15 7/8 x 23 1/8 in. (39.7 x 58.5 cm)
Moldova Harvest is a rare exhibition-size vintage gelatin silver print from the 1930s and is a masterpiece of socialist realist photography. A young girl with a jug occupies the entire frame in the impressive composition, emanating optimism and representing the idyllic life of a farmer.
EMMANUIL EVZERIKHIN (1911-1984)
Paratroopers: Preparations to an Air Force
Parade in Tushino for the Celebration of
the All-Union Day of Soviet Aviation, 1939-1940
Vintage gelatin silver print, mounted
Signed and titled on verso
22 x 12 inches
Evzerikhin’s tight vertical framing accentuates the great height and range of the many parachutes, some of which are so small as to be almost indistinguishable; on the grass below, some paratroopers in the distance are gathering their gear, while one large balloon in the foreground is still full of air, its pattern and size on proud display, anchoring the composition.
Alexey Titarenko (b. 1962)
Worker, 1988
Nomenklatura of Signs series
Vintage gelatin silver photomontage, mounted
Artist’s name, title, date and signature on verso
8 x 9 1/4 inches
Alexey Titarenko (b. 1962)
Biblio, Leningrad, 1988
Nomenklatura of Signs series
Toned gelatin silver photomontage
Signed and dated on verso
8 x 8 inches
Alexey Titarenko (b. 1962)
White Dresses, St. Petersburg, 1995
Unique toned gelatin silver print, handmade in the darkroom by the artist
Signed, titled, dated, and editioned by the artist on verso
Image size: 17 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches
Paper size: 22 1/4 x 19 1/2 inches
ICP Exhibition "We Are Here: Scenes from the Street" 2024-2025
Alexey Titarenko (b. 1962)
Evening Smog (Asking for a Cigarette), St. Petersburg, 1995
Unique toned gelatin silver print, handmade in the darkroom by the artist
Signed, titled, dated, and editioned by the artist on verso
Image size: 16 x 16 inches
Paper size: 21 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches
Alexey Titarenko (b. 1962)
Vasileostrovskaya Metro Station (Variant 2 Crowd 2), St. Petersburg, 1992
Unique toned gelatin silver print, handmade in the darkroom by the artist
Signed, titled, dated, and editioned by the artist on verso
12 x 12 inches, edition 7 of 10
During the collapse of the USSR, Titarenko searched for a visual language to express the new reality. His experiments with long exposure and innovative printmaking techniques in the context of street photography led to the series City of Shadows (1991-1994). This series brought him international acclaim and was shown around the world, including at the Réattu Museum during the Arles International Photography Festival (2002).
The Crowd images captured at the Vasileostrovskaya Metro Station (1991-1992) have become iconic. These images are charged with both angst and deep empathy. By transcending time, they have become symblic of human suffering in different places and periods throughoutt history. Titarenko creates each print by hand in his darkroom, producing a rich, subtle range of tones that renders each piece unique.
