Arty. Danila Vassillieff, the father of Australian modernism

Danila Vassillieff is often called the “father of Australian modernism”. Born in the village of Kagalnitskaya in Russia, he was captured by the Red Army during the Civil War, fled from there on a motorcycle, came to China and then to Australia, where he began painting as an adult. While in Australia, he was friends with artists from the famous Heide Circle, and his work influenced Albert Tucker, Sydney Nolan, and other Australian artists.

The guests of this episode are art historians from Sydney Ksenia Radchenko, Ekaterina Heath and Slava Prakhiy.

A fragment of a fresco with Stenka Razin in Stonigrad. Credit: Supplied by Slava Prakhiy

Danila Vassillieff built his house in regional Victoria and named it Stonygrad.

Hear about this house, the artist's life, his passion for Stenka Razin, his manner and influence on Australian art in the player at the top of the page.

Listen to all episodes of the Arty podcast here.

READ MORE

Arty. Самый известный художник Австралии Сидней Нолан

Arty. "Изнанка мира" - Павел Филонов