Evolution of Kazakhstan’s still life based on examples from the collection of the Kasteyev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The article explores the phenomenon of Kazakhstan’s still life as exemplified by selected paintings from the collection of the Kasteyev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It reviews works by several generations of painters, from the inception of the professional school of painting in Kazakhstan to date. Without claiming to provide a comprehensive overview of the painters who consistently developed still life, the article attempts to identify key philosophical and stylistic tendencies in this specific genre from a historical perspective. Studying the evolution of still life in Kazakhstan’s art based on the nation’s largest art collection is an opportunity to outline the main milestones in the development of the national school of painting and discover its greatest painters. The article reviews works by Kazakhstan’s most prominent artists, including the founder of the national school of painting Abylkhan Kasteyev whose name was given to the museum in 1984; national artists from the 1950s Aisha Galimbayeva and Gulfairus Ismailova; the 1960s’ Togbolat Togysbayev, Ivan Bondarenko, and Aria Shkolny; the 1970s’ Kenzhebay Duisenbayev; and some contemporaries. It also touches upon the development of the museum’s collection based on the example of one of its largest sections. The number of works included in the collection and its high artistic value makes the Kasteyev State Museum of Arts the country’s largest and oldest collection, with a history of more than 85 years.