Welcome to The McCarthey Gallery

The Thomas Kearns McCarthey Gallery is one of the foremost dealers in the United States dealing with Russian Impressionistic art.  The Gallery maintains an extensive inventory of collectible works by Russia's most respected artists during the period of 1930 to 1980.  The Gallery carefully selects paintings that are historically significant, original in composition, interesting in form and beautiful in their depiction of the human spirit.  We have been working in Russia for many years and have developed close personal relationships with many of the artists and their families.  Together with our associated gallery in Russia, Dacha Art, and our Russian partners, we maintain extremely close ties with the arts community in Russia and the former Soviet republics.  In addition to our Russian specialization, the TKM Gallery is proud to work with talented artists from other countries who have the spirit of the Russian art.

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February Silent Auction!

Krokholev, Piotr Serapionovich
"Winter Landscape"
27½'' x 19¾'', 1963, Oil on Board
Estimate $2,000 to $2,500- Current Bid $1,000 by W. Lincoln, Unframed

We have been on a short break from our monthly No Reserve Silent Auctions, but will return with new and even more exciting works in April as we debut a new website with many new paintings so stay tuned! As and appetizer, for our February silent auction selection, we are pleased to present this serene winter city landscape, "Blue February", by Piotr Serapionovich Krokholev, estimated at $2,000- $2,500. The current bid is $1,000! For this months auction we are accepting bids in increments of just $100.Which provides an even better opportunity to add a beautiful work to your collection.

P. Krokholev, who survived the Great Patriotic war and graduated from the renowned Repin Institute, is a true master. In Krokholev's work you can see that he was greatly influenced by the traditions of Russian art and by it's famed painters such as V. Surkilov, Valendtin Serov, Mikhail Vrubel, Ilja Repin, Isaak Levitan, Ivan Shishkin and others.

He primarily painted portraits and landscapes which vividly depicted his native land in all its beauty, history and present-day life.

In 1970 Krokholev was bestowed the title of "Honored Artist of Belarus and was a constant participant in All-Union, Republic and Regional exhibitions. He participated in several international exhibitions as well (China, Romania, England, Poland and Japan). His works are in the collections of the Byelorussian State Museum Mink, regional Russian Museums and the Springville Museum, USA.

In this painting, "Painting", Piotr Serapionovich celebrates and captures a simple serene moment of this beautiful village in the cold, blue month of February.

We invite you to participate in this month's auction. Estimated at $2,000 to $2,500, the current high bid is just $1,000! The next bid is $1,100, followed by minimum bidding increments of $100. Remember, there is no reserve, at the end of the auction the high bid wins!

Bids will be taken via telephone, or e-mail until 7:00 pm MST, Tuesday March 2nd. Follow all the bidding updates on the Gallery's website.

Note that you may place a maximum bid and the Gallery will bid on your behalf up to your maximum. By placing a maximum bid, you will be assured you are not out bid at the last minute.

Piotr Serapionovich Krokholev, 1919- 1997

Piotr Krokholev, a Minsk painter, Merited Art Worker of the Byelorussian Republic, was born on October 5, 1919 in the District of Shadrinsk of the Kurgan Region (Russia).

In 1933-1937 Krokholev studied at the Pedagogical College in the city of Sverdlovsk where the family moved to. In 1937 he entered the Sverdlovsk Art College and studied there only three years. In 1939 Krokholev was called to serve in the army. Krokholev was a participant of the Great Patriotic War.

On demobilizing, in 1945, Krokholev became a student of the Repin Institute (Leningrad). His teachers at the Institute were V. Oreshnikov, A. Mylnikov, I. Serebrjanny, Y. Neprintsev, B. Fogel. In 1952 he graduated from the Leningrad Repin Institute. "The Arrest of T.G. Shevchenko in 1859" was his graduation work.

Krokholev's creative activity is greatly influenced by the traditions of Russian art and such painters as V. Surkilov, Valendtin Serov, Mikhail Vrubel, Ilja Repin, Isaak Levitan, Ivan Shishkin, Titian, El Greco, Van Deik and others.

Read More on Vladimir P. Krantz.....

Russian & Soviet Impressionism
Russia's Rich Cultural Heritage

Russia's rich cultural heritage represents the best of human creativity. Its literature, music, visual and performing arts and architecture are among the most profound, compelling and beautiful expressions of the human spirit.

Much of this rich heritage is well known in the United States, such as the writing of Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, the music of Peter Tchaikovsky, Serge Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky, the painting of Ilya Repin and Vassily Kadinsky, the architecture of the Kremlin and State Hermitage Museum and the dance of the Bolshoi Ballet.

Less well known in this tradition of creativity is the painting of the Russian Impressionist period, lasting from approximately 1930 to 1980. Russian Impressionism made an important contribution to the cultural heritage of Russia, but until recently, little has been known of its beauty and quality and its leading artists because of Soviet isolationism. During this period much of the cultural life in the Communist Soviet Union was denied Western exposure. The demise of Communism, the lifting of the Iron Curtain and the movement towards freedom and democracy of the newly formed Commonwealth of Independent States has allowed the world the opportunity to experience a unique and important historical past through the art work.

It is now being collected and recognized by art historians, museum directors, curators and collectors as some of the best art produced in the twentieth century. 

"Soviet Impressionism"- Vern G. Swanson

From a unique set of circumstances that would be impossible to duplicate, Soviet Art from 1930 to 1980 was the 20th century's major realist school of painting. It powerfully expresses itself with a simple clarity of pictorial language, consummate adeptness and truthful portrayal of life. The Soviet artist acted as a willing collaborator with and portrayer of the aspirations of society. This contrasted with Western models where artists were typically alienated from their community. Acceptance will come, using the Soviet phrase, because it is "historically inevitable". It is already to a certain extent here with the pictures from the period increasingly passing through the sale rooms of Europe and North America. This book should give wider understanding of this underrated but artistically exciting movement in Soviet art.

Read more about Russian Impressionism...