2026.07.23Mravinsky I
2025./ pencil, ink and pastel on craft paper, 170x170mm (mat inner dimensions 140x140mm).
Private Collection, Japan.
This artwork is a drawing by Japanese painter Toshiaki Shibata depicting Yevgeny Mravinsky (1903-1988), a legendary Russian conductor who represented the 20th century.
The person depicted, Evgeny Mravinsky, was a master of classical music who served as the principal conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra for many years and conducted numerous premieres of Shostakovich’s symphonies.
By utilizing the unique texture of colored paper, which resembles kraft paper, the artist creates a stunning contrast between the light areas created with white pastels and inks and the dark areas created with intricate pencil and ink hatching.
The painting captures Mravinsky’s unique “uncompromising and austere presence” and tension as he grips his baton and stares intently at the orchestra with a sharp gaze, all with a dynamic yet delicate touch. On his chest, there appears to be a medal representing the Lenin Prize, the Soviet Union’s highest state award for science and art, which he received in 1961.
Mr. Shibata is also known as an unparalleled classical music lover, and he has expressed his deep admiration for Mravinsky’s performances and recordings on his social media and blog. This work is a culmination of that deep insight and respect for music.