Sergei and Alexei Tkachyov finished ‘May of 1945’ in 1980. The painting depicts a young soldier returning home from war. The hero has lost his left arm in bottle and his empty sleeve is tucked into his belt. Military orders and medals hang on his chest. One of the orders is the Order of the Red Banner. This was awarded to those who demonstrated particular courage and total dedication.
The soldier’s family are reuniting in a flowering garden. After a long separation there is a palpable sense of awkwardness, but the daughter fondly embraces her long-awaited father. The artists render the fresh green colors of May and an apple tree strewn with flowers. The garden is awash with warm rays of the sun. The colorful spring backdrop helps to create the feeling that the soldier’s service was not in vain, and a long and joyful life lies ahead for the family.
The prototype behind the hero in ‘May of 1945’ was a real person - a friend of the Tkachyov brothers, Sergei Dragomir. The soldier served as a spy during the war.
The soldier’s family are reuniting in a flowering garden. After a long separation there is a palpable sense of awkwardness, but the daughter fondly embraces her long-awaited father. The artists render the fresh green colors of May and an apple tree strewn with flowers. The garden is awash with warm rays of the sun. The colorful spring backdrop helps to create the feeling that the soldier’s service was not in vain, and a long and joyful life lies ahead for the family.
The prototype behind the hero in ‘May of 1945’ was a real person - a friend of the Tkachyov brothers, Sergei Dragomir. The soldier served as a spy during the war.
The artists spoke about this aspect: ‘We wanted to fondly remember our friend Sergei Condratyevich Dragomirov. Despite being a simple peasant, by all accounts, he was a wonderful soldier, capturing a German general in the war. Despite losing his arm in the war, he later became a renowned stove maker. Just as the baths will always emit smoke on the banks of the Msta river, so too will Condratyevich’s work be remembered…’.
The original painting was finishing by the Tkachyov brothers in Ovstug, where they would often stay with their friend, Vladimir Gamolin, the founder of the Tyutchev museum. Studies, paints, canvases, boxes and everything the artists required for their work were all kept in the cupboards of his house. The brothers recall: “During our stays in Bryansk Oblast, Vladimir Danilovich would take us under his wing, aiding us in our work. He would often find us a great spot to work, and sometimes he would find interesting subjects for our work. “May of 1945” was, you could say, born in Gamolin’s garden.’ A great deal of preparation preceded the completion of the painting. The brothers worked on many studies and sketches for the final project.
The original painting was finishing by the Tkachyov brothers in Ovstug, where they would often stay with their friend, Vladimir Gamolin, the founder of the Tyutchev museum. Studies, paints, canvases, boxes and everything the artists required for their work were all kept in the cupboards of his house. The brothers recall: “During our stays in Bryansk Oblast, Vladimir Danilovich would take us under his wing, aiding us in our work. He would often find us a great spot to work, and sometimes he would find interesting subjects for our work. “May of 1945” was, you could say, born in Gamolin’s garden.’ A great deal of preparation preceded the completion of the painting. The brothers worked on many studies and sketches for the final project.
The artists dedicated the work to all of the soldiers who returned to their families on 9 May 1945. They used this work to not only emphasize the bravery demonstrated on the battlefield, but also that demonstrated after the war was over.
