Don’t stand too close

Mikhail Maksimovich Kukunov (24.01.1918—21.09.1998) is a Russian artist and educator. He graduated Moscow Academic Art College and studied at Moscow State Pedagogical University during the war. M.M. Kukunov worked for newspapers and magazines; he was excellent at drawing caricatures. Over the years of teaching, he educated over 1000 students.

M.M. Kukunov loved drawing in the Zoo and preferred animalistic genre among all others. Hundreds of sketches and a careful study of animals turned his artworks into the series of captivating masterpieces. In his works, the artist often applied reverse perspectives, characteristic for eastern art. The objects are located in the painting continuously increasing in the size towards the distance, approaching the line of horizon near the upper part of the painting; the size of distant objects remains almost the same. This creative approach is quite typical for paintings in India and Iran. Bright and clear colours reflect the artist’s cheerful spirit and a great admiration for diverse wildlife and nature.

M.M. Kukunov

M.M. Kukunov. Siberian tigers

M.M. Kukunov. An owl surrounded by crows 

M.M. Kukunov. Foxes

M.M. Kukunov. Bullfinches