Seriously? Russian art is largely second-rate 'til the 20th century. And I'm not saying this out of any sense of nationalism. American art is also largely second-rate until the 20th century. Russian music and literature, on the other hand, comes into its own in the 19th century, but there is a reason that most art history books barely mention any Russian painter prior to the 20th century with the exception of Andrei Rublev and other icon painters. It would seem, however, from the number of times the 19th century Russian realists have popped up that they were major players along side the French.
By the way... the mystery painting is not by an American.:p He was an important figure among a movement that brought Modernism to his native land and part of a group that would have a major impact upon the Abstract Expressionists.
