Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 59 works by Filipp Malyavin in our catalogue
In short
Peasant Woman Dancing is the Filipp Malyavin painting that draws the most eyes. After it, the eye goes to Turks (1895) and Women's happiness (Women) (1900). Among the 59 works of Filipp Malyavin in our catalog, these 59 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
The canvas erupts in a sudden, frantic energy as a woman moves through a storm of pigment. She is enveloped in a chaotic explosion of fiery red, orange, and yellow hues that seem to pulse with a life of their own. Her voluminous drapery cascades downward, creating a sense of relentless movement that pulls the eye into the center of her dance. The background is not a place, but a…
In the artwork "Turks" by Filipp Malyavin, the composition is organized along a horizontal axis. The subject matter is ethnographic in nature, focusing on three figures identified as Turks. These individuals are depicted in traditional attire, likely representing people from the Ottoman Empire or the surrounding regions. The arrangement of the figures is side-by-side, with each person occupying roughly equal space within the frame. This placement creates a sense of…
In Women's happiness (Women), Filipp Malyavin captures a profound sense of communal connection. Painted about 1900, this work focuses on a group of women gathered in a moment of shared joy. The subject matter centers on maternal and communal happiness, presenting a scene of intimacy that feels both immediate and deeply felt. There is a quiet strength in how these figures occupy the space together.
In the vertical expanse of "Nude female" by Filipp Malyavin, a seated woman occupies the center of the frame. Her arms are raised behind her head, a gesture that creates a sense of movement and vulnerability within the composition. This classical nude subject is presented through a direct and intimate perspective, drawing the viewer into a private moment of stillness. The figure is framed by a background of deep reds…
In this 1924 oil painting, titled Portrait of Alexandra Balashova, the artist Filipp Malyavin captures a moment of quiet presence. The sitter, Alexandra Balashova, was a prominent Russian ballet dancer, a fact that informs the grace of her seated posture. At the time of this work's creation, both the artist and the subject were living in Paris.
A seated woman faces the viewer directly in this 1940 oil portrait. She is rendered with a centered, three-quarter length composition that emphasizes her presence against a dark, atmospheric background. Her golden-blonde hair falls in waves around a pale face, marked by rosy cheeks and deep red lips. A light blue, sleeveless gown provides the primary color block, its surface defined by thick impasto strokes that suggest heavy fabric. A…
Laughing Peasant Woman by Filipp Malyavin centers on a single, expressive subject: a woman’s face caught in a moment of genuine laughter. The composition focuses on the crinkling around her eyes and her open mouth, capturing a fleeting sense of joy and life. This focus on the individual's emotional state allows the viewer to engage directly with the character and vitality of the subject.
In this intimate scene, we find a woman caught in a private moment of reflection. She holds a book in her hands, her gaze drifting away from the pages as if lost in thought or perhaps reacting to a sudden, unspoken idea. The setting is an interior space, marked by the presence of a clock on the wall, which lends a sense of passing time to her stillness. There is…
Male Nude is a black and white drawing by the artist Filipp Malyavin. The work focuses on a male nude figure positioned in front of a wall. The drawing captures the man's body from the waist down, emphasizing the muscular physique of the subject. In his hand, the man holds a sword or a similar weapon.
A peasant woman
12
A Pair Of Drawings
13
Peasant Girl Knitting a Stocking
14
Elizaveta Martynova
15
Verka
16
The Swings
17
Seated Woman in an Interior
18
Learning the Alphabet
19
Portrait Of Leon Davidovich Trotsky
20
Peasant Girl
21
Baba Yaga The Witch
22
Laughing Girls
23
Peasants carding wool
24
Portrait Of The Ambassador Smirnoff
25
The Sketch of the Girl
26
Laughing Woman
27
A group of six portraits
28
Portrait Of A Woman
29
Jolly Peasant
30
WhirlwindTretyakov Gallery
31
Gossiping
32
Man with a Cigar
33
Peasant WomenThe State Russian Museum
34
Seated Nude
35
Three portraits of Peasant Women
36
The Milkmaid
37
A group of six female portraits
38
Two Laughing Women
39
A group of nine female portraits
40
A Secret
41
A group of seven peasant portraits, rural and mythological scenes
42
Girl in a Bright Headscarf
43
Two Portraits depicting Their Royal Highnesses Prince Paul of Yugoslavia (1893 1976) and Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark (1903 1997)
44
Russian Beauty
45
Laughing Baba
46
Life in the Country
47
Family Portrait
48
Dancing Peasant Woman in a Colourful Shawl
49
Children
50
Three Peasant Women
51
Two Peasant Women
52
Laughing Girl
53
Country Ablutions
54
The Dance
55
Russian Baba Carrying Water
56
The Three Graces under Bolshevism
57
Ploughing
58
Portrait of the Ballerina Alexandra Balashova
59
Portrait of a Lady
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Filipp Malyavin | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Tretyakov Gallery |
Moscow | 1 | Whirlwind |
 The State Russian Museum |
St. Petersburg | 1 | Peasant Women |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
In the artwork "Turks" by Filipp Malyavin, the composition is organized along a horizontal axis. The subject matter is ethnographic in nature, focusing on three figures identified as Turks. These individuals are depicted in traditional attire, likely representing people from the Ottoman Empire or the surrounding regions. The arrangement of the figures is side-by-side, with each person occupying roughly equal space within the frame. This placement creates a sense of…
In Women's happiness (Women), Filipp Malyavin captures a profound sense of communal connection. Painted about 1900, this work focuses on a group of women gathered in a moment of shared joy. The subject matter centers on maternal and communal happiness, presenting a scene of intimacy that feels both immediate and deeply felt. There is a quiet strength in how these figures occupy the space together.
In the vertical expanse of "Nude female" by Filipp Malyavin, a seated woman occupies the center of the frame. Her arms are raised behind her head, a gesture that creates a sense of movement and vulnerability within the composition. This classical nude subject is presented through a direct and intimate perspective, drawing the viewer into a private moment of stillness. The figure is framed by a background of deep reds…
In this 1924 oil painting, titled Portrait of Alexandra Balashova, the artist Filipp Malyavin captures a moment of quiet presence. The sitter, Alexandra Balashova, was a prominent Russian ballet dancer, a fact that informs the grace of her seated posture. At the time of this work's creation, both the artist and the subject were living in Paris.
A seated woman faces the viewer directly in this 1940 oil portrait. She is rendered with a centered, three-quarter length composition that emphasizes her presence against a dark, atmospheric background. Her golden-blonde hair falls in waves around a pale face, marked by rosy cheeks and deep red lips. A light blue, sleeveless gown provides the primary color block, its surface defined by thick impasto strokes that suggest heavy fabric. A…
Peasant Woman Dancing. Turks (1895) and Women's happiness (Women) (1900) come next.
Peasant Woman Dancing, Turks, Women's happiness (Women), Nude female, Portrait of Alexandra Balashova, Porträt der Else Prior Havemann., Laughing Peasant Woman, Girl with a Book, Male Nude and A Girl. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 59 works by Filipp Malyavin, dated from 1895 to 1940.
Mostly in Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow) and The State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1900s: 2 of the 59 works on this page were made then, Women's happiness (Women) among them.
On this page, the earliest is Turks (1895) and the latest Porträt der Else Prior Havemann. (1940).
Russian art (6), Women (5) and Woman (5), across the 59 works on this page.
Oil, for 5 of the 59 works on this page.
To understand the work of Filipp Andreevich Malyavin, one must first understand the raw, untamed spirit of the Russian countryside from which he emerged. Born in 1869 in the village of Kazanki to a humble peasant family, Malyavin’s early years were defined by the rhythms of rural life and an innate, almost primal connection to the earth. Even as a young child, his hands were never idle; he spent his days sculpting clay figurines of birds and animals, a practice that foreshadowed a lifetime of profound tactile expression. His journey from a penniless village boy to a celebrated figure in the Russian art world is nothing short of legendary, fueled by a spiritual fascination with the icons brought to his village by traveling monks.
This early exposure to the sacred art of icon painting would leave an indelible mark on his aesthetic DNA. Driven by a thirst for divine beauty, Malyavin traveled to Mount Athos in Greece at the age of sixteen, a pilgrimage funded by the very villagers who had witnessed his burgeoning talent. While he found himself disappointed to discover that the monks there primarily copied Russian icons rather than practicing a unique Athonite style, this period of monastic life served as a crucible for his development. As a novice, he mastered the art of murals and icons, learning how to use color not merely as decoration, but as a vessel for spiritual intensity and emotional weight.
The trajectory of Malyavin’s life shifted dramatically in 1891 through a chance encounter with Vladimir Beklemishev, a Russian sculptor and professor. Recognizing the raw genius within the young monk, Beklemishev facilitated Malyavin’s move to St. Petersburg, where he enrolled in the prestigious Academy of Arts. It was here that his peasant roots met the rigorous discipline of classical training. Studying under the legendary realist Ilya Repin, Malyavin began to synthesize his deep-seated knowledge of religious iconography with the burgeoning movements of modernism and realism.
Unlike many of his contemporaries who sought to escape their origins through academic refinement, Malyavin leaned into them. He utilized the technical prowess gained at the Academy to elevate the subject matter of the common folk. His work became a bridge between the sacred and the profane, applying the bold, emotive brushwork of a master to the vibrant, often chaotic energy of peasant life. This unique perspective allowed him to capture the essence of the Russian soul—a mixture of profound suffering and unbridled, ecstatic joy.
Malyavin’s mature style is characterized by an almost violent use of color and a sense of kinetic energy that seems to burst from the canvas. He is perhaps most renowned for his masterpiece, Whirlwind, a painting that serves as a breathtaking metaphor for the turbulent history and spirit of Russia. In this work, the swirling masses of peasant women dancing are rendered with such vigorous brushstrokes and saturated hues that the viewer can almost hear the music and feel the wind of the movement.
His artistic significance lies in his ability to transcend mere portraiture or genre painting. Through his use of:
