Coming home

The exhibition “Ivan Peske. The Dialog of Cultures” was opened in the Kyiv National Museum of Russian Art. Ivan Peske (1870-1949) graduated from a Ukrainian gymnasium and a drawing school, at the age of 15 he was forced to leave his native country. His creative formation took place in France. Today his name is widely known in the West, and his works are presented in collections of the best museums of Paris, Marseilles, Warsaw and Geneva. However, Ukrainian audience practically does not know him.

Critics call Peske a founder of the so-called “Paris School” of artists that emerged in France in the early 20th century. Artists that came from different countries (Italy, Bulgaria, Russia, Lithuania, Poland), belonged to this group; they dwelled mainly in the Paris district of artistic bohemia – Montparnasse. They created their own versions of expressionism, a characteristic feature of which was its fantastic nature and expressive intimacy of images. This artistic phenomenon gave the world such geniuses as Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Marc Chagall and Oleksandr Archipenko, Sonia Delaunay and Oleksii Gryshchenko.

“Peske remains among the best, among those who, after continuing impressionism and then abandoning this technique, were able to resist extra-picturesque challenges, who steadfastly went the way that was meant only for them. His creativity is such as it is: firm! And this master can stand next to the famous ones,” this is how the author of the term “Paris School” Andre Warnod estimated the artist’s contribution.

Having seen pictures at the exhibition, one noticed that Peske’s artistic style is diverse and very bright. He managed to implement his expressionistic ideas in pastel, watercolor, charcoal and oil both on board and canvas. The 70 paintings have clear themes of nature (leitmotifs, which largely concern to Ukraine) and motherhood. According to opinion of the collector who brought the artist’s work to Kyiv, Heorhii Hatsenkov, Peske’s unique style was formed due to his residence in France, which was at that time swirling with all innovative ideas.

“But despite this,” said in his comments to The Day the Ambassador of France to Ukraine Jacques Faure, who was present at the exhibition, “there is a noticeable synthesis of elements of Ukrainian and French art in the presented works. Especially in the theme of nature.”