Night Violinist – the spirit of Marc Chagall

Sleeping houses and fences — simple and eternal structures, covered in night snow, and beyond them, no one, only the moon gliding over the horizon.
Chagall might have understood what this violinist is thinking — just by listening to his playing. Does it matter whether it’s good or bad!
You can only touch the violin with the bow and listen to what hasn’t been played. The violinist plays… I smile, touching his violin with a brush, poking his hat or even his nose with a palette knife.
The violinist plays…
The moon freezes in the night sky, and the coolness of the night flows into my slightly open mouth.

- Anatoli Gostev (1946-2022)

Impression of the Painting

The painting “Night Violinist” is an inspiration drawn from the work of Marc Chagall, and in a way, it is Marc Chagall himself — his yearning spirit walking upon this fleeting earth. One of Anatoli Gostev’s unique traits was his thoughtfulness. Reflecting on the complex composition of a deserted night — where only the Violinist and the dog stay awake — fascinated the artist as much as the portrayal of the violinist. In Gostev’s painting, the Violinist plays softly so as not to wake those sleeping in their homes. Succumbing to the allure of an unplayed melody, the Violinist listens to the sound of his own thoughts, which the violin quietly interprets.

The moment of a sad and quiet melody, filled with thoughts in a moonlit, deserted night, is deeply felt in the painting. The structured composition does not remain frozen in the night. Everything hears the melody of the violin in Marc Chagall’s hands, everything is subject to the music of thought.

History of the Painting

The painting was completed by the artist in 2011. The “Night Violinist”, created in pastel, was never exhibited — it was gifted to his son one year after its creation.

In a video dedicated to the artist’s work, you can see an oil painting interpretation of the same composition.

Authenticity — Signature and Certificate

The work is signed by the artist on both the front and back. The painting “Night Violinist” is certified on the blockchain. Using timestamp technology, the painting’s unique digital signature (root certificate) is permanently recorded on the blockchain, ensuring the immutability of data about its origin, authorship, and current ownership.

The COA certificate contains root certificate data from the proof file (.ots). The painting’s root certificate, registered in a Bitcoin blockchain block, can only be transferred to a new owner by signing a property transfer agreement, ensuring transparency and trust in future sales or transfers of the artwork. This makes the authenticity of the painting verifiable and valid throughout its entire existence.