Born : 1900Died : 1969Documented citizenships : France
Serge Poliakoff’s painting is characterised by compositions in which areas of different colours are juxtaposed. His shift from a hitherto academic style to abstract painting is associated with his discovery of ancient Egyptian art and his encounters with Wassily Kandinsky, Sonia and Robert Delaunay, and Otto Freundlich.
Born in Moscow, he is described as the thirteenth child of a horse breeder. The October Revolution interrupted his studies at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1917. He settled in Paris in 1923. During a study stay in London from 1935 to 1937, he discovered ancient Egyptian art. The notice links this discovery, together with the artistic encounters mentioned, to his turn towards abstraction.
Poliakoff took part in the Venice Biennale in 1962. The Art Institute of Chicago lists a Composition dated 1954. A painting from 1957 is in the Jesi Collection of the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan.
This profile brings together identity references for Serge Poliakoff and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.
23 references are documented at Dobiaschofsky, Koller, Sotheby’s, Germann, Piguet, Lempertz. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.
Works recorded at auction
Sotheby’s · Lot 5
Composition, 1966
Serge Poliakoff (1900–1969), Composition, 1966, oil on canvas, initialled lower right, signed and dated on the reverse, 27 × 22 cm (unframed), 28.3 × 23.6 cm (framed)
Original catalogue wording
Composition, 1966 Serge Poliakoff 1900 - 1969 Composition, 1966 Oil on canvas Signed with the artist's initials lower right; signed and dated on the reverse 27 x 22 cm (unframed); 28.3 x 23.6 cm (framed)
SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record. Documentation updated : 2026-10-19
