Dimensions: support: 1019 x 768 mm frame: 1097 x 842 x 61 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Oscar Kokoschka | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Oskar Kokoschka’s portrait of Ambassador Ivan Maisky feels quite turbulent, almost a visual storm. The ghostly figure behind him and the globe suggest a world in flux. What do you make of these recurring symbols? Curator: Kokoschka often uses these symbolic props, like the globe and historical figures, to represent the weight of history and political destiny. Maisky, caught in this vortex, appears to be writing, perhaps shaping events himself. The painting feels like a commentary on the individual's role within larger historical forces, doesn’t it? Editor: Yes, I see that now. It's less about a single man and more about the grand stage upon which he acts. Curator: Precisely! Kokoschka masterfully conveys the psychological drama inherent in wielding influence, the constant negotiation between agency and fate. Editor: That reframes how I see the portrait completely. I appreciate you drawing out the tension between the personal and the political.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/kokoschka-ambassador-ivan-maisky-n05432
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Like most of the paintings completed during Kokoschka’s stay in London, this portrait of Soviet Ambassador Ivan Mikhailovich Maisky has strong political significance. Maisky was closely involved in drawing up the Anglo-Soviet Alliance, after the breakdown of the Nazi-Soviet pact in 1941. Behind him is a statue of Lenin, and a globe turned to display the USSR. Kokoschka later recalled that the Ambassador was reluctant to talk, and hid his face in The Times during many of the 30 sittings. Gallery label, July 2008
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