Art historical references, the knowledge of old masters, the perfect mastery and application of the techniques of painting, and Christian iconography have all had a special role in Dmitry Zhilinsky’s oeuvre. With his artworks of personal tone yet classical inspiration, he was positioned far from both the overly ornamented world of Social Realism and from underground artists. His painting Adam and Eve can be traced back to Renaissance predecessors in terms of form, but the idea for the painting came from Zhilinsky’s two dancer friends, Tatiana and Viktor Lisitsky. In a similar spirit, he painted a crucifixion enti¬tled Dios Con Nosotros [God Be With Us], while 1937 is a tribute to the victims of the Great Purge of 1937 in the Soviet Union, both paintings dedicated to his father. These pieces demonstrate Zhilinsky’s increasing tendency from the second half of the sixties to make artworks with family and religion in the focus. According to the inscriptions on its frame, Under the Old Apple Tree is dedicated to his parents and brother, while the dates refer to the tragic deaths of both his father and brother.
