The Velimir Khlebnikov House-Museum is happy to announce the exhibition “Astrakhan of Vera Khlebnikova” (graphic art and poetry ) opening 31th March 2016. 

Russian painter Vera Vladimirovna Khlebnikova (1891-1941) had been for many years known only within a narrow circle of art-critics. After Astrakhan exhibition of 1977 re-shown in 1978 in Moscow she became nationwide famous.      

Some of her paintings and drawings are in the Tretyakov State Gallery (Miscow), State Russian Museum (Saint-Petersburg), The Pushkin State Museum Of Fine Arts (Moscow), State Art Gallery (Astrakhan) and in the part of it – The Velimir Khlebnikov House-Museum. We may remark that it was Astrakhan that gave a second birth to Khlebnikova and unveiled the work of “a deep charming painter” to the world of art.  

100 years ago a young beautiful woman walked into the entry to the house in Bolshaya Demidovskaya street of Astrakhan. She was so beautiful that on seeing her one amazed artist cried: “She is…from Leonardo’s canvas”. That was Vera Khlebnikova.  

In 1916 Vera Vladimirovna came to her parents’ home in Astrakhan. There in the time of post-war devastation “a brilliant painter lacked for colors and canvas” (P.V.Miturich). Perhaps that’s why Vera’s works she made in Astrakhan are mostly pencil sketches. 

The exhibition “Astrakhan of Vera Khlebnikova” (graphic art and poetry) for the first time ever in Astrakhan presents 14 original graphic works by Vera Khlebnikova namely, a series of first drafts, the drawings titled “A man with a pipe”, “Bourgeois”, “A ghost on the horseback”, “Apocalypse”, “A portrait of a young fellow” and some other.  

Besides that “Astrakhan of Vera Khlebnikova” introduces literary works by Vera Khlebnikova, her verses, short stories, “Astrakhan book” etc. It is another a little known side of this established painter’s talent. 

In Astrakhan she wrote short stories namely, “King Typhus”, “In prison”, verses namely “Osiyan”, “I will cast in tunes and songs” etc, the play “A doctor has fallen ill”, her “diary books” presents a response to revolutionary events in Astrakhan. 

Both citizens and visitors of Astrakhan will see a unique exhibition dated for 100-th anniversary of Vera Khlebnikova’s returning to Astrakhan, her ancestors’ town.