Graphics by Zinaida Serebryakova and Elizaveta Kruglikova in the collection of the Belgorod State Art Museum

Abstract

The article focuses on eight graphic works by Zinaida Serebryakova and a print by Elizaveta Kruglikova from the collection of the Belgorod State Art Museum. These works are being introduced into academic discourse for the first time, filling a significant gap in art history. Previous studies have not systematically examined the graphics of the first half of the 20th century in the Belgorod Museum, and these works have not been mentioned in any scientific publications or catalogues. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the creative processes of both artists during the 1900s–1920s. By comparing the graphics from the Belgorod collection with other sources, the author was able to identify similarities and clarify catalogue information for some of Z.E. Serebryakova's works. The historical and biographical analysis reveals that these graphic works were created as preparatory studies for the paintings “Whitening the Canvas” and “Bathhouse”, and are part of Serebryakova's early work associated with Neskuchnoye. These drawings and sketches are rare survivors of the October Revolution and Civil War. The graphic sheet by E.S. Kruglikova is also an early example of the artist's work, and one of the few pieces from her Paris period that have been preserved in Russia. The data gathered from this study can be used to create catalogues and provide methodological recommendations for working with graphic works, as well as for developing exhibitions.