Never having a single art lesson, Sonya took up painting when she turned 41 years old. Hailed by art critics and friends in her native Russia and the United States as the “Russian Cezanne”, the “Van Gogh in a Dress” and “Natural Talent”, Madame Yankovskaya has created nearly a thousand works of art, mainly done with oil and oil pastel. Sonya Yankovskaya was born in Vitebsk, Belorussia – the hometown of Marc Chagall. Sonya’s father Anatoly Khasin, himself a painter and an actor, studied with Chagall’s teacher Yehudi Pen. Sonya’s eventful life led her from painting the Kremlin in Moscow to NYC parks. In 1997, she was recognized by the NYC Parks Commissioner Henry Stern who presented her with a special NYC parks pin on which the phonetic spelling of the Russian word “artist” – “hudozhnik” was etched. Just recently, 10 years later, Sonya was recognized by the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England and was given the title of International Professional of the Year 2007. To learn more about this extraordinary artist, please explore the site! Your comments and any help towards the artist is deeply appreciated.

Sonya Yankovskaya was given the title of International Professional of 2007" by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England.

In 1997, Sonya had an Exhibition in the Arsenal Gallery at the Department of Parks and Recreation on 5th Ave. NYC Park Comissioner Henry Stern gave her a special pin with the title "hudozhnik" (painter in English) etched on it.

SONYA YANKOVSKAYA'S EXHIBITION, 1993 Quotes by Mr. Zavalishin, a well-known Russian art critic, an author of books about Malevich and other painters, about Sonya Yankovskaya (1993).

Sonya Yankovskaya is well remembered and appreciated in modern Russia as a loyal cezannist, that is, a steadfast follower of the great French master Paul Cezanne. She infuses Cezanne's spirit with the spirit of Hellenic tradition.

Sometimes it seems that besides Cezanne, she is also devoted to the spirit of Pygmalion, the antique sculptor who, with the will of Gods, gave life to the statue of Galatea.

Many paintings by Sonya Yankovskaya depict, with the Cezannian spirit, Russian alleys, parks, former landed gentlemen's estates that had been turned into sanatoriums and museums. And here she is helped by historical reality: the creators of Moscow and St.Petersburg mansions and parks, tried to transfer French buildings and parks of the time of Cezanne to the land of Northern Palmira.

We should also mention that Sonya Yankovskaya is an experienced

landscape painter and master portraits in the style of psychological realism. The picture of Lilia Ushakova, the Bolshoi ballerina is one of her most memorable portraits.

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