Portrait of G. Shemyakin, Hero of the Soviet Union

Description

Author: Leontiyev, Leonid. 1913-1983
A vertical historical battle scene. In the center, in a close-up view, stands a soldier in winter gear holding an anti-tank grenade tightly in his lowered right hand, with a second grenade tucked into his belt. Depicted in a three-quarter turn as he charges forward to the right, his sharp, rugged features and focused gaze convey intense tension and resolve. To the left, in the depths, another combatant is visible mid-throw. The background features a snow-covered field under a leaden-grey sky, with burning tanks and the crimson glow of fires on the horizon. Executed in a realistic manner using broad, impasto brushwork, the figure of the hero is densely modeled, while the background is treated in a generalized manner.