Alexander Lashenko, RAMESSEUM, 1936

67,3 x 50,5cm - oil, canvas glued on plywood signed l.d.: A. Laszenko | Luxor 36.

on the back 3 stickers (print, ink, crayon), partially illegible:

- ALEKSANDER LASZENKO | POLAND | Title "Ramesseum" | execution: oil | cm. size: 75 x 50 | Price 550 [crossed out twice] private owner | No. 131/291

- Author ... | Title ... | Price ... | No ... | cm dimension ...

- ... | No ...| Bild Ramesseum | Preis ... | Adresse Poland



The interest in the east is primarily an interest in light and color, so rich in eastern countries. Hence, these issues become the primary concern of the artist's works. The details of the drawing are simplified or the artist treats them in broad strokes, in drawing his attention is drawn to the contour, so that he can devote all the more interest to color. It goes without saying that this way of painting reality brings the artist closer to the Impressionists.

Stefan Truchim, Introductory word, [in:] Exhibition of paintings, studies and sketches in the blue room of the Apollo Hotel in Poznań, Piekary 17, 18 III - 1 IV 1928, Włocławek 1928, pp. 6-7.

Alexander Lashenko
initially intended to devote himself to a military career and was educated at - the cadet corps in Poltava and the artillery school in St. Petersburg, from which he graduated in 1904. He then served in the army for several years, and in 1916 attained the rank of colonel. At the same time, however, he took up painting and - in 1901-1904 - studied in St. Petersburg, studying under Vladimir Makovsky and Ilya Riepin, among others.
He traveled extensively - in 1897/98 he was once in Egypt, which truly fascinated him. Later he went there many more times, and also traveled to Algeria, Morocco, Tunis, Palestine and Jordan. In 1903-1909 he traveled around the world, and also visited countries in Europe. In 1918 he settled permanently in Poland - first in Wola Sosnowa and later in Wloclawek. By then he had already devoted himself entirely to painting.
He repeatedly went to Egypt for long stays, and fascinated by the exoticism of the Orient, he painted studies and portraits of Arabs, generic Arab scenes, views of old cities, bazaars, historic buildings, desert landscapes, oases, camels, caravans. He also processed these compositions into colorful woodcuts, linocuts and lithographs. He always attached great importance to the role of sunlight, trying to render as faithfully as possible the sharp play of glare and shadow characteristic of Eastern countries.

In Egypt he met Howard Carter, and thanks to this acquaintance he was able to make numerous sketches in Tutankhamun's tomb, which was discovered in 1922.
Since 1921, he participated in numerous exhibitions, including at the TZSP in Warsaw, Lodz, Gdansk, Katowice, Poznan, Krakow and Lvov, as well as in Berlin, Paris, Brussels and Egypt. He also had several solo exhibitions, and his works were quite popular. The artist's paintings, drawings and prints can be found, among others, in the District Museums in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, the Art Museum in Lodz, the Museum of Kujawy Land in Wloclawek and the Lviv Picture Gallery.