Andrey Mylnikov painted ‘Portrait of a Woman’ in 1959. The artist used broad and swift brush strokes. He applied them to the canvas in an unreserved manner and filled the composition with soft light. This manner is strongly reminiscent of Impressionism, for these were the Impressionists who focused on rendering the presence of light and air in broken and visible brush strokes. Andrey Mylnikov was the favorite student of a famous painter Igor Grabar who was fond of Impressionism.

Most likely, this portrait depicts Mylnikov’s beloved wife Ariya Pestova who was a ballerina in the Mariinsky Ballet. The soft blush in her cheeks, the pointed nose, the full lips, the disheveled wavy hair, the perceptive look — Pestova’s features were portrayed with great attention and care.

The painter’s daughter Vera Mylnikova told the story of how her parents had met while she was giving an interview for the Russian “Svoy” magazine:

After the wedding, Ariya Pestova would continue to spend the days rehearsing for plays, and the nights — performing on stage. Throughout her career, she went on tours around the world. Vera Mylnikova said that, despite her parents’ busy schedules, they had strong family ties:

The daughter ceaselessly tried to help Mylnikov go back to art, and eventually the painter would pick up his brush again. He painted until his last days:

Andrey Mylnikov lived from 1919 to 2012. After the war, he became famous for his monumental mosaics and epic paintings that glorified fallen soldiers and celebrated the general welfare that comes with a peaceful life. But over time, his legacy was reassessed considerably. While Mylnikov was still considered an advocate of Soviet ideology, his portraits and landscapes, where he could truly express himself, became more popular. The female portraits of Mylnikov’s family — his wife, daughters and granddaughters — are deemed particularly important pieces of art.