This 1970s watercolor on paper Autumn foliage scene is by Alexander Nazarenko. Born in 1926 in the village of Vijtivtsy, Ukraine, Nazarenko exhibited in Vinnitsa in the 1960-70s.
This piece is part of a group of Soviet Impressionist works was originally brought to the U.S. by renowned Russian art historian, collector, and dealer, Dianna Lennon. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ms. Lennon frequently traveled to Russia visiting artists and acquiring works from their personal collections. Impressionism was considered a highly illegal act of resistance by the Soviet government because it did not adhere to the restricted forms of artistic expression; scenes of Soviet dominance and strength or propaganda. It was dangerous for artists to use their material rations for anything but government work, hence the small size of these pieces, which were often painted on scraps of cardboard or canvas using very little amounts of paint. These paintings were created for the artist's pleasure and were as revolutionary in their creation as they are beautiful in their content. Ms. Lennon brought each piece back to the West by hand, a true labor of love.