Winter shopping
1984, 26"x34", tempera on heavy paper
$4900.00
The bite of a "provincial winter" is palpable in this 1984 tempera painting by V. Feoktistov, titled "Winter Shopping." Measuring 26"x34" on heavy paper, the piece perfectly captures the bleak, freezing grind of late-Soviet daily life, where even the simplest errand becomes a physical struggle against the elements and scarcity.
The Apple as a Luxury: A woman in a dark black headscarf, a green knit top, and a dusty rose cardigan stands in profile. Her expression is somber and weary as she holds out a single, prized red apple in her hand. In the dead of a Russian winter, fresh fruit is a rare commodity, making her hold on it feel deliberate, almost protective.
The Weathered Companion: Directly behind her stands a man wrapped in a heavy dark coat, wearing a striped, insulated flat cap. A lit cigarette dangles from his lips as he gazes off-frame with a stern, hardened squint, his face reddened by the biting cold.