Izvestia: "Putin’s Painting Goes to Posh Neighbourhood Gallery"
Vladimir Putin's painting Hoar Frost was auctioned off for more than a million dollars. St Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko has greater experience in art, but her endeavour sold for three times less. The returns of the charity auction in St Petersburg, totalling 70 million roubles, will benefit hospitals and a church.
IRINA TUMAKOVA ST PETERSBURG
St Petersburg had its third Christmas fair with a VIP art auction last Saturday. The lots were painted by superstars, ballet dancer Diana Vishneva, opera singer Anna Netrebko, actor Boris Smolkin, orchestra conductor Maxim Shostakovich, and Olympic figure skating trainer Alexei Mishin among them.
Tycoons gathered at Grand Hotel Europe were determined to spend a million or two each-but even initial bids were at dozens of millions. Christmas fair manager Igor Gavryushkin took the gavel while a merry folk tune played for Ms Matviyenko's arrival-not so much as city governor, but as the leading painter of the event, sure to repeat her triumph of last year, when her Bear sold for 11 million roubles.
The starting prices were levelled out-20,000 roubles per lot. Diana Vishneva's Angel opened the auction, bringing in 800,000. Maxim Shostakovich's Palace sold next, for 380,000. "I suspect the buyer was tipsy," the conductor smirked. Actor Semyon Furman rose to advertise his Turkey Cock, and said that he would switch to painting if his work sold at a good price. The bids crossed the 500,000 barrier in no time, and he flung his arms up, saying, "Are they all crazy?" The Turkey Cock sold for 550,000. Movie star Liza Boyarskaya beat Furman's record with 850,000 for her Carriage.
The turn of No. 12, Valentina Matviyenko's Blizzard, came at last. "You are making rapid progress in art. Congratulations!" sensational nonconformist artist Dmitry Shagin cried at the sight of the painting. "One million!" an ecstatic bidder screamed. The bidding was feverish, but one by one, bidders dropped out until two frenzied bidders remained. A dramatic pause set in at ten and a half million. The auctioneer lifted his gavel when another bid came - Blizzard sold for a record-breaking 11.5 million. Young Maria Yevnevich bought it on her entrepreneur father's behalf.
Everyone waited with bated breath for No. 19. It came at last, announced enigmatically: "Beginner artist who was born in St Petersburg and visited the Christmas fair on December 26." The painting was carried out as the audience roared-blue twilight coming through a curtained window, and a modest signature on the top, "V. Putin".
Though professional artist Nadezhda Amfalova helped all amateurs, she said the Prime Minister did not need her assistance. "I merely advised what brush to choose and helped to mix paints," she told Izvestia. She also pasted beads on the curtains on his request when the job was over.
Hoar Frost bidders were frantic, adding million after million. The lot sold for 37 million to the Moscow gallery Our Painters. Proprietor Natalya Kurnikova told Izvestia that she would have made further bids if necessary, though the sum was more than she could afford. "The painting shows another gift of an outstanding personality. Who knows-it might be his first and last try at art," she added with a smile.
Ms Kurnikova is determined to exhibit the painting. The gallery is conveniently close to Mr Putin's office on the Rublyovo-Uspenskoye Highway. "He has never visited us, though it's only a few minutes' trip. I hope we will see him at the gallery now," she remarked. A place of honour has been reserved for Hoar Frost, with no other paintings around.
Mr Putin has many rival artists on the political top. View of Tinherir, Sir Winston Churchill's townscape, went for about the same price at Sotheby's on New Year's Eve, 2007.
The Saturday auction brought in 70 million roubles, to be donated to the Early Cancer Diagnostic Centre, St Mary Magdalene's Hospital in St Petersburg, and St Catherine's Cathedral at Tsarskoye Selo.
