Was it a surprise to you to find your works in Giuseppe Arzilli’s collection?
Some months ago Signor Arzilli wrote to me informing me that six of my works were now part of his collection and that they needed some restoration work which we subsequently discussed.

Could you tell us what it is that links you to Italy?
My first contact with Italian art connoisseurs and experts dates back to the 1960s. They had some acquaintances in common with Giuseppe Arzilli. The world is a small place, especially the art world.

Have you any plans for visiting Italy and San Marino in the near future?
I have visited Italy on numerous occasions. The landscapes and the distinctive features of Italian faces are never-ending source of inspiration for a painter.

On the Angara river (1960)

Who are the subjects of your paintings: models, acquaintances, friends?

Yes, there are some models but the others are friends and acquaintances. Over the years I have made friends with famous ballerinas like Ekaterina Maksimova, Vladimir Vasilijev and other artists. The sketch in Arzilli’s collection “In front of the mirror” is a portrait of the ballerina Ekaterina Sergeevna Maksimova. I have travelled a lot in Russia. The young girl seen fishing in the painting “on the Angara river” is the daughter of an acquaintance of mine. She was fishing while I was sketching and I told her “do anything you want but don’t go away” and she posed all the time I needed her.

Valerij Kosorukov is a brilliant painter who has dedicated more than half a century of his creative life to the world of Russian ballet. In the west he has been called the “Russian Degas” because of his interest in the world of the stage and his masterly command of color and line. Kosorukov is a frequent visitor behind the stage at the Bolshoi during rehearsals and performances and his brush has provided us with portraits of the stars of Russian ballet such as Galina Ulanova, Maja Plisezkaja, Natalia Bessmertnova and the exceptional couple of Ekaterina Maksimova and Vladimir Vasilijev. In 1966 when the artist was still very young, an art album dedicated to Russian ballet was published which included prints of his splendid works in gouache and pastel . Already in the 1960s he became famous in Italy thanks to his talent, his exquisite artistic techniques and the subjects of his works. Russian ballet has conquered the whole world; images of the gracious dancers as they perform, rest and meditate during rehearsals attracted the attention of a wide audience. Kosorukov also paints other subjects: landscapes, still life, portraits and scenes from everyday life. Every image depicts an entire universe, full of colors, noble sentiments, grace and warmth.

Three swans (1963)

During his long career he has held many exhibitions throughout the world and his works are to be found in the collections of many arts lovers.Recently six paintings found their way into the collection of art connoisseur Giuseppe Arzilli, the owner of the Arzilli the jewelers in San Marino, who acquired the paintings not only because of his love of art but also due to his love of Russia itself. Every image by the painter includes an image of his country: the sunsets in Siberia while a young girl fishes in the canvas “ On the river Angara” (1960), while richly ornate Muscovite architecture is depicted against the snow in blue tones in “ the Kremlin”, painted in the late 1950s. Four other works in gouache, pastel, or a combination of the two, are dedicated to the world of ballet.The subtle geometric shapes of the ballerinas can be seen in “Before Coming on Stage” (1963) and “Three Swans” (1963), while a mysterious darkness dominates in “Behind the Curtains” (1963) enriched by the reflection of light on the faces and purple, blue and golden costumes of the dancers. The lilac light of the sunset infuses the rehearsal studio in “Ballerina in front of the mirror” (1963). While speaking of his interests in these works which are displayed in the art gallery housed in the jeweller’s store, Giuseppe Arzilli speaks of an exchange: “Russians come to me in order to take home beautiful jewels which they like and which highlight the Made in Italy, while I acquired these paintings and will take care of their restoration so I can admire the Russian art from within the walls of my gallery”.

Photo gallery

Photo gallery