In Petrushka, Andrei Protsouk reimagines the legendary Russian puppet not merely as a tragic figure, but as a sensual, emotionally awakened being suspended between fantasy and reality. Petrushka’s body twists through clouds of ornament and rhythm, his painted face still bearing the marks of performance even as his human vulnerability is laid bare. Love, desire, and longing pulse through the composition, transforming the puppet’s traditional suffering into an ecstatic, almost celebratory surrender to feeling.

Protsouk’s interpretation also nods to the festive spirit of Petrushka celebrations, lively holiday gatherings rooted in Russian tradition where music, masquerade, and theatrical play blur the line between art and life. In this context, Petrushka becomes both performer and participant—caught between spectacle and soul, tragedy and joy. The painting vibrates with this duality, echoing the paradox of the holidays themselves: exuberant, intimate, nostalgic, and fleeting.

Ultimately, Protsouk’s Petrushka is a dance between sorrow and celebration, reminding us that even in revelry, the most profound truths of the human spirit often emerge.

• 19 × 20 inches - Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas Signed and Numbered by Andrei Protsouk - $350.00

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