Latgalian Girls belongs to a series of paintings depicting the children of the territory of eastern Latvia which provided great inspiration for the artist following his permanent move to Riga in 1921. These sun-suffused canvases which captured the local peasant children in their native countryside were exhibited to great acclaim at the Riga Art museum in 1925.

Here, the two young sitters are turned away from the viewer, as if listening intently to Bogdanov-Belsky, who would entertain his models as he worked with captivating tales of the artists whom he admired.

Source: Sotheby’s

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Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s, (detail)

Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky, (1868-1945), LATGALIAN GIRLS, signed in Latin l.l., oil on canvas, 67.7 by 78cm, 26 1/2 by 30 3/4 in., Source: Sotheby’s