Lot 19: MIKHAIL KUNI

1897-1972 SYNAGOGUE IN VITEBSK signed in Cyrillic and dated 1920 l.r. oil on wood 43 by 66cm, 17 by 26in.

M.Kunin, Fenomen Mikhaila Kuni, Moscow: Russkaya kniga, 2003, illustrated

In September 1918, Lunacharsky appointed Chagall as Commissioner for Art in the Vitebsk region, and in January the following year the Vitebsk Public Art School was established. Chagall took charge of the painting workshop for the most talented pupils, appointing Dobuzhinsky as director for the first year and appointing Lissitsky, Malevich, Puni and Ermolaeva among others to teaching posts. Mikhail Kuni was among the most promising students, and devoted to Chagall. After an unknown but unpleasant incident took place in September 1919, which precipitated Chagall’s decision to quit the school, Kuni was one of two pupils who presented a report in defence of their great teacher, subsequently published in Izvestiya, emphasising his moral and artistic influence as ‘one of the first trailblazers’ and urging him not to leave (Comrade Chagall’s resignation: Resolution by the general assembly of students of the Public Art School). Kuni was also taught by Malevich, published serious treatises on art in Izvestiya, and in May 1920, participated in The Group of Three exhibition in Sorabis with fellow students Lev Zevin and Afroim Volkhonsky. Together they would leave for Moscow the following year to study under Robert Falk. Vitebsk was a primarily Jewish city in the early 20th century and its name is synonymous with Chagall. The houses, synagogues and alleys, people and festivals left an indelible mark on his art, and those of his pupils. The present work is an exceptional vision of the city seen through the sophisticated filter of Kuni’s teacher and inspiration.