During a career that spanned four decades, Russian artist Vasily Konovalenko (1929–1989) produced more than 70 sculptures carved from gems, minerals, and other raw materials. As unorthodox, compelling, and masterful as Konovalenko's sculptures are, they had been poorly published and poorly known. They are on permanent display at only two museums in the world: the small and obscure State Gems Museum (Samotsvety) in Moscow, Russia, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS), a major natural history museum in Colorado, the United States. This article examines Konovalenko's life and work, as well as the unusual circumstances that led to the two exhibitions, their role in Konovalenko's relative obscurity, and a recent resurgence of interest.
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