The portrait belongs to the Kemerovo period – the longest one, from 1956 to 1984, – in Jurgis Preiss’ work. Before that, his paintings had an air of melancholy and featured a dull colour palette as the 1940s in the life of Preiss, who was a military intelligence officer, were marred by a series of woes. During the Khrushchev thaw, the artist returned to minor genres, stirring motifs, light colours and airy brushwork. The core of his work of those years was formed by portraits. His circle of models was immensely varied at that time: relatives, friends and people he hardly knew. Yet, it included only those individuals who were of intense interest to the painter and for whom he had a genuine feeling of liking.
One of them was Yakov Buymov, an artist from Kemerovo, a war veteran, a hard worker and a person of an open disposition. He was born in Kemerovo in 1918. The artist worked in various genres – he did landscape, portrait and still-life paintings. Yet, Yakov Buymov did not have professional artistic education. He learnt the basics of painting and drawing by himself. Before the Winter War and World War II, he worked in art studios in Novosibirsk. Yakov Buymov was called up in 1939. He took part in the Battle of Moscow, was gravely wounded in the battles for liberation of Belarus and was awarded the medal For the Victory over Germany. Buymov became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR in 1975.
The portrait shows Buymov at work in his studio, with a cigarette in his mouth. Jurgis Preiss painted him from life, in one session, in a generalised and sweeping way.
One of them was Yakov Buymov, an artist from Kemerovo, a war veteran, a hard worker and a person of an open disposition. He was born in Kemerovo in 1918. The artist worked in various genres – he did landscape, portrait and still-life paintings. Yet, Yakov Buymov did not have professional artistic education. He learnt the basics of painting and drawing by himself. Before the Winter War and World War II, he worked in art studios in Novosibirsk. Yakov Buymov was called up in 1939. He took part in the Battle of Moscow, was gravely wounded in the battles for liberation of Belarus and was awarded the medal For the Victory over Germany. Buymov became a member of the Union of Artists of the USSR in 1975.
The portrait shows Buymov at work in his studio, with a cigarette in his mouth. Jurgis Preiss painted him from life, in one session, in a generalised and sweeping way.
