Signed Lithograph By Mikhail Chemiakin

Mihail Chemiakin was born in Moscow in 1943, grew up in occupied East Germany, and returned to Russia in 1957 where he was admitted to the Special High School of the Repin Academy of Art in Leningrad. Chemiakin was expelled from art school for failing to conform to Socialist Realist norms and from 1959–71 worked as a laborer in various capacities. Chemiakin was subjected to compulsory treatment at a mental institution, which was a standard way of dealing with ideological dissidents at that time. For five years, Chemiskin worked on the maintenance crew of the Hermitage Museum. In 1967, Chemiakin founded the St. Petersburg Group and developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. Chemiakin settled first in France, then moved to New York City in 1981. In 1989, the return of Chemiakin's work to post-Communist Russia began with the first exhibition of his work there since his exile. Subsequently, Chemiakin continued to show his work there and has installed three monuments in St. Petersburg, to Peter the Great, to the Victims of Political Repressions and the Architects and Builders of St. Petersburg. In Moscow, Chemiakin's 15 figure sculptural ensemble, Children - Victims of the Sins of Adults, was commissioned by Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov as a gift to the city and dedicated in 2001. In London, Chemiakin's sculpture commemorating Peter the Great's embassy to England in 1698, stands on the banks of the Thames River. In New York Chemiakin's Cybele, the Goddess of Fertility stands on Prince Street in SoHo. A sculpture from the Carnival at St. Petersburg series is on permanent display in Paris and a version of Peter the Great is in the collection of the Chateau de Vascoueil - Musée Michelet in Normandy, France. The research begun in the 1960s into the art of all ages and peoples has developed into a collection of millions of images organized into technical, historical and philosophical categories which has earned Chemiakin five Honorary Doctorates and are the basis for his Institute of the Philosophy and Psychology of Art. Chemiakin's life-long love of theatre resulted in his new staging of Tchaikovsky's ballet, The Nutcracker, which premiered at St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theater on February 12, 2001 to enthusiastic reviews by audience and critics alike. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical, creating series such as Carnival at St. Petersburg, Still Life, Metaphysical Heads, Angels of Death and most recently, Biospheres and a 50-figure sculptural composition, The Death of Kings. Chemiakin's work is in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum (New York), the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow), the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg), the Sao Paolo Museum of Art (Brazil), the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, Yad Vashem and the Tel Aviv Museum of Modern Art, as well as smaller museums throughout Russia and the United States.

An empty wall in your home is a blank canvas, and that’s good news. Whether you’ve chosen to arrange a collage of paintings in a hallway or carefully position a handful of wall-mounted sculptures in your dining room, there are a lot of options for beautifying your space with the antique and vintage wall decor and decorations available on 1stDibs.

If you’re seeking inspiration for your wall decor, we’ve got some ideas (and we can show you how to arrange wall art, too).

“I recommend leaving enough space above the piece of furniture to allow for usable workspace and to protect the art from other items damaging it,” says Susana Simonpietri, of Brooklyn home design studio Chango & Co.

Hanging a single attention-grabbing large-scale print or poster over your bar or bar cart can prove intoxicating, but the maximalist approach of a salon-style hang, a practice rooted in 17th-century France, can help showcase works of various shapes, styles and sizes on a single wall or part of a wall.

If you’re planning on creating an accent wall — or just aiming to bring a variety of colors and textures into a bedroom — there is more than one way to decorate with wallpaper. Otherwise, don’t overlook what textiles can introduce to a space. A vintage tapestry can work wonders and will be easy to move when you’ve found that dream apartment in another borough.

Express your taste and personality with the right ornamental touch for the walls of your home or office — find a range of contemporary art, vintage photography, paintings and other wall decor and decorations on 1stDibs now.