Mikhail Chemiakin (Russian, b. 1943) “First Night in France” (Первая ночь во Франции), 1971

Medium: Gouache on paper

Image Size: 10.5 × 9.25 in. (26.7 × 23.5 cm)

Frame Size: 18 × 17 in. (45.7 × 43.2 cm)

Signed and dated: lower right, 1971

Inscribed: vertically along the right margin, "Первую ночь во Франции" ("First Night in France"), dated January 25, 1971

Executed on January 25, 1971, during his very first night in France following his forced emigration from the Soviet Union, “First Night in France” is an exceptionally rare and historically important work from the beginning of Mikhail Chemiakin’s Paris period. Arriving in France after years of artistic persecution and official condemnation in the USSR, Chemiakin entered a new chapter of creative freedom that would ultimately establish him as one of the most influential figures of Russian Nonconformist Art.

This intimate gouache reveals many of the visual and philosophical elements that would later become hallmarks of Chemiakin’s mature style: enigmatic mask-like imagery, surreal transformations of the human figure, symbolic organic forms, and a deeply psychological atmosphere. The haunting face, partially obscured by fluid abstract forms, together with the pomegranate motif, evokes themes of exile, spiritual rebirth, memory, and personal transformation—subjects that remained central throughout Chemiakin’s career.

Works created during the earliest days of Chemiakin’s emigration are exceedingly scarce and occupy a special place within his oeuvre. Beyond its artistic significance, this work serves as a remarkable historical document, capturing the precise moment when the artist began rebuilding his life and artistic identity in the West.

Adding to its exceptional provenance, the reverse is accompanied by a photograph of Mikhail Chemiakin standing beside this very work during an exhibition at C1760 Gallery, held on May 26, 2022, at 38 East 70th Street, New York. This important exhibition documentation further enhances the work’s authenticity, exhibition history, and collector appeal.

A rare museum-quality example from the formative beginning of Chemiakin’s Paris years, “First Night in France” represents both a deeply personal artistic statement and an important milestone in the history of Russian Nonconformist Art.

Condition: Very good original condition.