Ivan Vasilievich Sorokin (1922-2004) was a People's Artist of Russia and a winner of the prestigious Repin State Prize, recognized as one of the most brilliant and expressive colorists of his generation. After attending the Moscow Art School, his artistic training culminated at the Surikov Art Institute (1945-1952), where he studied in the workshop of P.V. Malkov. A member of the USSR Union of Artists since 1952, Sorokin developed a powerful, individual style that pushed beyond the strict confines of Socialist Realism into a more personal and emotional territory.
Sorokin developed a unique and powerful style, a form of expressive realism celebrated for its bold color and emotional intensity. This is masterfully demonstrated in his painting from our collection, "Fire in the Steppe," where he uses energetic, dynamic brushwork and a vibrant, heated palette to capture the raw power of nature. In his portrait, "Gypsy with Pipe," he applies this same expressive force to a human subject. The work is not just a likeness but a study in character, rendered with a profound sense of vitality and spirit. Both works showcase his departure from strict academicism in favor of a more personal and deeply felt artistic vision.
The legacy of Ivan Sorokin is that of a major master of the Soviet school whose work was celebrated with the nation's highest honors, including a Silver Medal from the USSR Academy of Arts. His paintings were exhibited extensively around the world, including in France, Italy, Holland, and Japan, and are held today in the State Tretyakov Gallery and numerous other museums as well as here at Lazare Gallery. For the collector, Sorokin's work offers the opportunity to own a piece by a People's Artist whose style, while academically grounded, possesses a modern, expressive freedom that has universal and lasting appeal.
