Vladimir Tretchikoff (1913–2006) lived a life as colorful as his instantly recognizable paintings. Born to a deeply religious Siberian family, he fought poverty, tragedy, captivity and near death to become one of the most celebrated artists of his time. Loathed by the critics yet loved by the public, he enjoyed phenomenal success in Britain, Canada and the United States. At the height of his fame, reproductions of his work were hanging in millions of homes across the world--most famously, his painting popularly known as “The Green Lady,” one of the bestselling art prints ever. Though he subsequently fell out of favor, in recent years his pictures have been rediscovered by young, kitsch-hungry, retro-loving fans. Coinciding with the centenary of his birth, Incredible Tretchikoff tells the enthralling story of this flamboyant artist from his humble beginnings to the spectacular highs and lows of his later career.
Featured image is reproduced from Incredible Tretchikoff.
"'Popular images become a mask for people to pick and put on themselves,' says William Feaver. 'Greta Garbo made a career of making that expression. And the Green Lady is a kind of an oriental Greta Garbo. She’s like Marilyn Monroe, who wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world but happened to get to the top of the heap. She’s like royalty or supreme athletes. The human race throws up these people from time to time.' Finally, there is something inexplicable, intangible that makes the Green Lady special. Tretchikoff himself did not know what it was. Perhaps this is what makes a picture a mass-market masterpiece." - Excerpted from Incredible Tretchikoff
FORMAT: Pbk, 5.5 x 8.5 in. / 304 pgs / 53 color / 30 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $24.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $33.95 ISBN: 9781908970084 PUBLISHER: Art / Books AVAILABLE: 9/30/2013 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Out of print AVAILABILITY: Not available TERRITORY: NA ONLY
Incredible Tretchikoff Life of an Artist and Adventurer
Published by Art / Books. By Boris Gorelik.
Vladimir Tretchikoff (1913–2006) lived a life as colorful as his instantly recognizable paintings. Born to a deeply religious Siberian family, he fought poverty, tragedy, captivity and near death to become one of the most celebrated artists of his time. Loathed by the critics yet loved by the public, he enjoyed phenomenal success in Britain, Canada and the United States. At the height of his fame, reproductions of his work were hanging in millions of homes across the world--most famously, his painting popularly known as “The Green Lady,” one of the bestselling art prints ever. Though he subsequently fell out of favor, in recent years his pictures have been rediscovered by young, kitsch-hungry, retro-loving fans. Coinciding with the centenary of his birth, Incredible Tretchikoff tells the enthralling story of this flamboyant artist from his humble beginnings to the spectacular highs and lows of his later career.
