Deyneka Aleksandr Aleksandrovich

This work is a rare remaining example that clearly demonstrates one of the aspects of Deyneka’s creative process. The artist was extraordinarily productive and hard-working; his command of fine-arts and technical methods was manifold. It is especially these qualities of his talent that he managed to fully embody in his labour-intensive monumental works: that is to say either murals or mosaic.

One of the first scientists doing research on A. A. Deyneka’s work, professor V. P. Sysoyev, a full member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, says in his book, that “at the end of the fifties Deyneka had in front of him a particularly rich perspective for creating mosaics when he was appointed head artist of the Kremlin Palace of Congress then under construction. Finding the magnificent mosaic workshop in Leningrad at his disposal, together with experienced mosaicists, he set out to realise a comprehensive conception, i.e. a whole set of panel-paintings under the general slogan “People of the Land of the Soviets” (1959-1962.) /........../ This was planned as the thematic interior decor of the building /..../ and was conceived by the artist as a complex of representations, visually unveiling the great history of the country in chronological order, (quoted according to the above mentioned book by V. P. Sysoyev “Aleksandr Deyneka”) Publishing house “Izobrazitelnoye isskustvo”, Moscow 1989, vol. 1, p. 274 ff., detailing the effort of decorating the interior of the Kremlin Palace of Congress on pp. 278-282.)

The final version of the confirmed project only includes the coats of arms of the Republics forming the Union (in the main foyer and the banquet hall). A. A. Deyneka completed a colossal work. Of the series of compositions that he undertook there remained sketches, drafts, works on cardboard and also a series of big-format compositions, executed in tempera and oil on canvas with the intention of them being turned into works on smalt or mosaics. 

Taking into account the circumstances of the “Kremlin project”, the Academy of Fine Arts named A. A. Deyneka as a candidate for the Lenin award in 1961. He received the award later – in 1964 - for the complex of mosaic works “Red Guard”, “Milkmaid”, “Good morning”, “Hockeyplayers”, which were devised for the interior decor of the Kremlin Palace of Congress. In those years (from 1962 to 1966) the works of A. A. Deyneka belonging to the so-called “Kremlin-project” arrived separately at a number of museums: at the Russian State museum, the State Tretyakov Gallery, the museums in Novgorod and Lugansk, at the Kursk Picture Gallery, and also at various organisations etc.

The mosaic panel picture “Good morning”, measuring 200 x 300 cm, consisting of three parts, arrived at the GTG in 1961. (The mosaic panel picture was assembled by master Frolov.).