Ivan Pokhitonov

de Olivier Bertrand

Ivan Pokitonov was born in the Russian village of Matrionovka in 1851. As a young man he went to Moscow to study agriculture and forestry. Caught up in a revolutionary student movement he was sentenced to return to his native village in 1869 where he discovered his inclination to art. As a self-taught artist Pokitonov showed great talent in depicting landscapes with wide horizons, the sheer immensity of the steppes, the day-to-day life of his family and peasants of his home town. The first opportunity to expose his exquisitely detailed, miniature paintings was granted to Pokitonow by an art gallery in Geneva (Switzerland) in 1872. The exposition was a surprising success and his works were instantly sold out. Pokitonov's visit of the 5th exhibition of the travelling Russian painters (Peredvijniki) in 1876 in Odessa marked the turning point of his life. Inspired by the originality of the paintings he became part of this artistic circle. He left his home and settled in Paris in 1877, the capital of 19th century art. The catalogue raisonné will be published in 3 volumes, divided by genre.