Abstract Composition by Andre Lanskoy
Composition Spatiale by Andre Lanskoy
Eclament d'une nouvelle planéte by Andre Lanskoy
La soeur de la Violette by Andre Lanskoy
A l'ombre d'une montagne transparente by Andre Lanskoy
Biographie d'un papillon by Andre Lanskoy
Untitled by Andre Lanskoy
Atrocité des rouges by Andre Lanskoy

Andre Lanskoy

1902–1976 · Russian

After fighting for the White Army during the Russian[1] Civil War, sustaining a wound and recovering in Constantinople, André Lanskoy arrived in Paris in 1921[1]. He was 19 and, by his own account, began painting almost immediately upon arrival.

Key facts

Lived
1902–1976, Russian[1]
Works held in
13 museums
Wikipedia
View article

Biography

His first years moved fast. Dealer Wilhelm Uhde noticed his work at the Salon d'Automne in 1924[1]; a solo exhibition the following year produced museum acquisitions. James Ensor and Vincent van Gogh were his early reference points. By the late 1930s Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky had taken over, and his painting shifted toward abstraction. From 1942 onwards he worked exclusively in abstract forms, aligning himself with the broader current of Tachisme[1] and lyrical abstraction then developing in Paris.

His dealer circuit reflected his position in the city's art world: Jeanne Bucher, where he met Nicolas de Staël in 1944[1]; Louis Carré, who included him in "Advancing French Art" in New York in 1950; Galerie Jacques Dubourg; and Tooth and Sons in London. A 1953 oil, "Voyage to Arles" (38 3/8 × 51 5/8 inches), featured in the Guggenheim's "Younger European Painters" exhibition that year.

In 1962[1], late in his career, he began an extended project accompanying Nikolai Gogol's "Diary of a Madman" with 150 collages and 80 lithographs, completing the series over the following 14 years. The choice of text was pointed: Gogol's account of a clerk losing his hold on reality, made by a Russian[1] painter who had spent half a century reconstructing himself in Paris. He died there in August 1976[1].

Timeline

  1. 1902Born in Russia.
  2. 1921Arrived in Paris at 19 after fighting for the White Army and recovering in Constantinople. He began painting soon after arriving.
  3. 1924Dealer Wilhelm Uhde noticed his work at the Salon d'Automne.
  4. 1925Had a solo exhibition, resulting in museum acquisitions.
  5. 1942Began working exclusively in abstract forms, aligning himself with Tachisme and lyrical abstraction.
  6. 1944Met Nicolas de Staël at the Galerie Jeanne Bucher.
  7. 1950Louis Carré included him in "Advancing French Art" in New York.
  8. 1953His oil painting, "Voyage to Arles", featured in the Guggenheim's "Younger European Painters" exhibition.
  9. 1962Began a project accompanying Nikolai Gogol's "Diary of a Madman" with 150 collages and 80 lithographs over the next 14 years.
  10. 1976Died in Paris in August at the age of 74.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Andre Lanskoy known for?
    André Lanskoy is known for his abstract art, aligning himself with the broader current of Tachisme[1] and lyrical abstraction in Paris. Late in his career, he created 150 collages and 80 lithographs accompanying Nikolai Gogol's "Diary of a Madman."
  • What should I know about Andre Lanskoy's prints?
    Andre Lanskoy (1902[1]-1976[1]) was a Russian[1]-French artist known for his abstract paintings. While specific details about his prints are scarce, some general information about fine art prints may be useful. An original print is an image conceived by the artist as a print, executed solely as a print. Each one is printed individually from a plate, stone, screen, or block created for that purpose. There is no single original from which copies are made. The artist decides the number of prints in the edition. Numbering accounts for the number of prints, for example, 12/25 means it is print number 12 of an edition of 25. The practice of numbering prints is relatively recent. Early prints were not usually numbered or signed; the artist might have signed the plate or stone itself, rather than each individual print. Artists sign their prints, differentiating original graphics with aesthetic value from reproductions. The signature testifies to the authenticity of a print and the artist's approval. By limiting the size of the editions, artists influence the price of each print and prevent prints from being pulled after the plate or stone has worn down.
  • What style or movement did Andre Lanskoy belong to?
    Andre Lanskoy is associated with the School of Paris[1], a term applied to various émigré artists working in Paris from the early 20th century onwards. These artists, often from Eastern Europe, contributed to and were influenced by the major movements of the time, such as Cubism and Fauvism. Lanskoy's mature style is generally considered abstract expressionist. This places him within a broad movement characterised by non-representational imagery and an emphasis on spontaneous, gestural application of paint. Abstract expressionism values subjective emotional expression over realistic depiction. Earlier in the century, Russian[1] avant-garde movements included Cubism, Futurism, and Rayism. These movements explored abstraction, new ways of representing movement, and the depiction of light rays as a means to move away from representational art. Although Lanskoy's work developed later, these earlier movements created a climate receptive to abstraction.
  • What techniques or materials did Andre Lanskoy use?
    Andre Lanskoy worked primarily in oil paint. For a support, he favoured primed cotton duck canvas with a medium texture, prepared with two additional coats of white gesso. He often stretched his own canvases, but pre-made canvases were an acceptable alternative. Occasionally, Lanskoy used Masonite, cut to a specific size and coated with three or four layers of gesso. Technique, for some, is a mysterious tool for the attainment of art. The placement and spread of brushstrokes can distinguish artists. Pointillé, thick relief impasto, glaze, a 'licked' finish, and layering of paints are considered ways to achieve a good picture surface. Wild dabs with a brush, finger, or putty-knife, as well as knife scraping, can enliven the surface. Some artists used multiple palettes, each for a distinct tone, using a different brush for each. Others used little pots hung from their belts, like a fresco painter, instead of a palette.
  • What was Andre Lanskoy known for?
    Andre Lanskoy, a Russian[1]-French artist, is best known for his contributions to the development of abstract art in Paris. Lanskoy began exhibiting his work at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Indépendants. These venues provided platforms for artists exploring new directions in art. Although he initially experimented with Cubism, Lanskoy moved away from representational forms. He developed a distinctive style of abstract painting characterised by dynamic compositions and the use of colour to create movement and depth. His work gained recognition in the post-war period, as interest in abstraction grew. Lanskoy's paintings are noted for their emotional intensity and their exploration of the expressive potential of non-figurative forms. He aimed to create a visual language that communicated directly with the viewer, without relying on recognisable imagery.
  • When did Andre Lanskoy live and work?
    Andre Lanskoy was born in Moscow on 31 March 1902[1]. His family moved to St Petersburg in 1915[1], where he attended the Page Corps, an institution for children of the nobility. He fled Russia during the Revolution, settling in Paris in 1921, where he remained for the rest of his life. Lanskoy's early work was figurative, but by the late 1930s, he had begun to develop his signature abstract style. His paintings are characterised by their use of colour and texture, often applied in thick impasto. He had his first solo exhibition in Paris in 1948. During the 1950s, his work gained international recognition, and he exhibited extensively in Europe and the United States. He continued to paint and exhibit until his death in Paris in 1976[1].
  • Where can I see Andre Lanskoy's work?
    Andre Lanskoy's work can be viewed in several museums internationally. In the United States, these include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; the Museum of Modern Art, also in New York; the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park, Florida; the Wolfsonian at Florida International University in Miami Beach; and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. In Canada, Lanskoy's art can be seen at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto; and at the National Gallery of Canada, in Ottawa. European locations include the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris; and the Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund. Other museums that hold his work are the Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo; the City Art Museum of St Louis; the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts; the Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois; and the San Francisco Museum of Art.
  • Where was Andre Lanskoy from?
    Andre Lanskoy was a Russian[1]-French artist. Many artists active in Russia during his lifetime were born in one city, then moved to another for education or work. For example, Yevgeny Lanceray was born near Saint Petersburg in 1875. He later lived in the house of his grandfather in Saint Petersburg after his father's death in 1886. From 1892 to 1895, Lanceray studied at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts. Later, from 1920[1] to 1922, he worked as an artist at the Ethnographical Museum in Tbilisi, Georgia. In 1934, he relocated to Moscow. Other artists, such as Alexandr Drevin, were born in Latvia, but moved to Moscow in 1914. Similarly, Alexandra Exter was born near Kiev, but later moved to Paris. These examples illustrate the mobility of artists within and beyond Russia during the early 20th century.
  • Who did Andre Lanskoy influence?
    André Lanskoy's impact is difficult to trace with certainty, but some artists' work shows possible connections. Yves Laloy, for example, shifted from architecture to painting in 1951[1]. His compositions suggest the influence of Vasily Kandinsky and Joan Miró. His approach to geometric forms, however, gave his paintings a density that, according to André Breton, demonstrated a liberated imagination. Figures in the Soviet art world also show possible connections to Lanskoy's ideas. Alexander Bandzeladze, active in Tbilisi, developed an abstract painting style after seeing work by American and European artists. His initial images used colour and gesture, turning line into plane and pigment into gesture. Later, Bandzeladze explored the tension between paint as matter and concept through more graphic means. He compartmentalised his images and reduced his palette, making painting seem like a barely articulated language.
  • Who influenced Andre Lanskoy?
    Andre Lanskoy's artistic development occurred in Paris, where he moved in 1921[1]. His early works show the influence of Impressionism, particularly the paintings of Claude Monet. Like Monet, Lanskoy was interested in capturing the effects of light and colour in his work. He was also influenced by the paintings of Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse. Later, Lanskoy's work became more abstract. This change was partly inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, who moved away from representational art. Kandinsky's theories about the spiritual in art also resonated with Lanskoy, who sought to express inner emotions through his paintings. Lanskoy developed a distinctive style of abstract painting, characterised by bold colours and dynamic compositions. These influences helped him to create a unique abstract style.
  • Who was Andre Lanskoy?
    There is no information about Andre Lanskoy in the provided documents. However, the passages contain information about other Russian[1] artists. Yurii Annenkov was born in Petropavlovsk in 1889 and died in Paris in 1974[1]. In 1919, he created the works *Cathedral of Amiens* and *Relief Collage*. Antoine Pevsner was born in Orel, Russia, in 1886 and died in 1962. He attended art schools in Kiev and St. Petersburg. He lived in Paris in 1912 and from 1913-1914[1]. From 1915 to 1916, he lived in Oslo with his younger brother Naum Gabo. Pevsner returned to Russia in 1917 and taught at the Moscow Academy of Fine Arts with Kandinsky and Malevich. In 1920, with Gabo, he wrote the Realist Manifesto, expressing an aesthetic for sculpture incorporating space and time. He moved to Paris in 1923 and became a French citizen in 1930.
  • Why are Andre Lanskoy's works important today?
    Andre Lanskoy (1902[1]-1976[1]) was a Russian[1]-French painter associated with the School of Paris[1]. He developed a non-figurative style, characterised by blocks of colour and textured surfaces. Lanskoy's importance lies in his contribution to abstract art after the Second World War. His works offer a European perspective on abstraction, distinct from American movements like Abstract Expressionism. His art provides insight into the artistic exchanges between Russia and Western Europe. Lanskoy's exposure to pre-revolutionary Russian avant-garde art, combined with his later Parisian experiences, shaped his unique aesthetic. His paintings demonstrate an alternative approach to abstraction, one that is not strictly geometric or purely gestural. Lanskoy's art also has value in understanding the émigré experience. His move to Paris in the early 1920s placed him within a community of Russian artists who contributed significantly to European modernism. His works reflect a negotiation between his Russian heritage and his adopted French identity.

Sources

Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Andre Lanskoy.

  1. [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Andre Lanskoy Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
  2. [2] book guggenheim-artoftomorrowfif1939gugg Used for: biography.
  3. [3] book guggenheim-futurismmodernfo00solo Used for: biography.
  4. [4] book guggenheim-twopri00weis Used for: biography.
  5. [5] book J. E. Bowlt, Russian Art of the Avant Garde - Theory and Criticism 1902-1934 Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
  6. [6] book edited and translated by John E. Bowlt, Russian Art of the Avant-Garde_ Theory and Criticism 1902-1934 (The Documents of 20th-Century Art) (English and Russian Edition) Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-24. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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