Cry from the Heart: Savitsky's Paintings Remind Descendants of Bitter Events of 20th Century

He is more than an artist—he is a chronicler of the most bitter and heroic events of the 20th century. The subjects of his paintings are not fiction, but part of his own life, the tragedy and heroism of an entire nation that survived World War II.

It is no coincidence that Mikhail Savitsky's works opened the "Legacy of an Era" exhibition cycle at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. Which paintings by this renowned artist are being presented for the first time by the National Art Museum of Belarus?

The dim lighting and clay-colored walls of the Mikhail Savitsky exhibition hall at the New Tretyakov Gallery offer a complete emotional immersion into his work. It is this Belarusian artist who opens the large "Legacy of an Era" exhibition cycle, which brings together renowned artists from the former Soviet republics. Ivan Lykoshin, General Director of the State Museum and Exhibition Center "ROSIZO"

Ivan Lykoshin, General Director of the State Museum and Exhibition Center "ROSIZO":

"Unfortunately, Moscow has not seen these great artists for the past three decades. Without a doubt, Mikhail Savitsky is the greatest artist of the USSR and Belarus. It is very important for us to show Moscow and Russia that such an artist exists alongside us. I wouldn't like to say he's undeservedly forgotten, but we haven't remembered him for a long time. Thank you to our colleagues from Belarusian museums who accommodated our initiative, provided works, and gave Moscow the chance to recapture the impressions of this remarkable work."

The National Art Museum of Belarus has loaned six works by Savitsky to the Tretyakov Gallery. Three of them are being exhibited in Moscow for the first time: "Christina," "Evening," and "41st Day of Victory," which, in the artist's characteristic style, openly and without embellishment, show how difficult this Victory was to achieve. Mikhail Savitsky witnessed the horrors and losses of war with his own eyes. Therefore, each of his works about World War II is a personal reflection of his tragedy and pain.

Mikhail Savitsky took part in the defense of Sevastopol, and after the city's surrender, he was captured. He was then sent to the concentration camps of Düsseldorf, Buchenwald, and Dachau. His prisoner number was 32815, which he immortalized in his famous series of paintings, "Numbers on the Heart."

The painting "Execution" is the artist's philosophical reflection on war. The canvas depicts not fear, but human dignity. The human capacity for resistance and inner light, even in the face of death.

Lyubov Podlesnova, curator of the exhibition "Legacy of an Era. Mikhail Savitsky":

"He depicts each person in a distinct psychological state, each experiencing that moment in their own way. Many scholars of his work, and in his memoirs, he mentions the image of the elderly man in the painting as being inspired by the image of his father. And indeed, if you compare them, you can find similarities."

But the viewer will also see a different Savitsky: in love, surrounded by his family, full of hope and memories of childhood. Where a grandmother carries a loaf of fresh bread, a rosy-cheeked girl gathers cabbage, and the peasants, with the first dew, go out singing to mow the hay.

Irina Matyas, General Director of the National Art Museum of Belarus:

"The painting 'Song from the Hayfield' is Savitsky's graduation work from the Surikov Moscow Art Institute. It is recognized by his teachers as one of his best works. The painting evokes childhood memories; it is bright and kind."

The image of a woman is present in almost all of Savitsky's works. For him, she represents selfless love, inner strength, and, most importantly, hope. It's no coincidence that he elevates her to a pedestal, practically iconizing her as the "Partisan Madonna." One is an example of socialist realist painting, the other resembles a painting by the great Raphael. One is held in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, the other in the National Art Museum in Minsk. Both are so unique that only their digital counterparts are on display at the exhibition. But perhaps soon these two paintings will be reunited in one exhibition.