Victoria Lashkareff: Discovering a Russian Émigré Artist
What if a remarkable collection of 20th-century paintings had been quietly waiting for its next chapter?
At the Russian Center of San Francisco, the collection belonged to Victoria Lashkareff (née Manernov,) a Russian émigré artist whose paintings spanned portraits, figures, still lifes, landscapes and expressive studies of color and form.
Victoria Manernov was born in 1920, to a family living in exile in Yugoslavia. Her father, Grigory Manernov, a Russian cadet and officer in Kornilov’s First Expeditionary Corps, supported his young family of three children by teaching mathematics in the town of Zaječar (now Serbia.) Victoria attended the Serbian-Russian Gymnasium and the Don Mariinsky Institute in Bela Crkva.
In March of 1937 in Belgrade, a young Victoria married Alexander Lashkareff, a young Russian who had graduated from the Cadet Corps of Yugoslavia. Together, they shared a passion for art and music and chose to attend the Serbian Imperial Academy of Sciences in Belgrade. They both graduated from the “Fine and Musical Arts” department: she in piano, and he in voice. They continued their education at conservatories in Vienna, Geneva, and Buenos Aires. After April 1941 and the German occupation of Yugoslavia, the Lashkareffs could not return home. They traveled through Switzerland, Africa, and South America to reach the United States, where they settled in San Francisco.
After the war, Alexander performed opera in Austria and Switzerland, receiving a series of awards. He toured with symphony orchestras in Europe and South America, and made his 1951 debut in the San Francisco Opera as Mephistopheles in Faust. Victoria accompanied her husband on tour and performed with him as a pianist. She explored the painting schools of many countries and experimented with various genres (portraits, landscapes, still lifes, nudes) and technical styles.
For reasons unknown, Alexander's singing career ends and the Lashkareffs move to Redwood City. It is during the 1960s and 1970s that Victoria builds a career as a professional artist and exhibits widely throughout the greater Bay Area.
An Artist with a Distinctive Style
Lashkareff was best known for her portraits, but her body of work goes well beyond traditional portraiture. Her paintings combine recognizable subjects with loose, expressive brushwork and a vibrant approach to color.
In 1966, she was featured in a one-person exhibition at the de Saisset Art Museum at Santa Clara University, where fifty of her oil paintings, pastels, and charcoal drawings were displayed. She also exhibited at the Villa Montalvo Art Center in Saratoga and in commercial galleries throughout San Francisco and Carmel.
Her paintings reveal an artist who was comfortable moving between traditional representation and a more expressive, almost abstract approach. Among her works are portraits, colorful still lifes, and expressive studies of the human figure.
Portraits of Notable Figures
Lashkareff was particularly well known for her portraits and many of her works found their way into private collections across the United States.
A beautiful portrait of Pearl S. Buck, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner of Literature for The Good Earth in the 1930's, is part of the author's collection at her Foundation in Philadelphia.
A painting of Theodore Dehone Judah, the pioneering engineer associated with the development of the transcontinental railroad, was first housed in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and was acquired by the City of Santa Clara in the 1970s.
Color, Movement & Expression
Some of Lashkareff's most intriguing paintings are those in which she allowed herself greater artistic freedom.
In Arabian Prince, a detailed face emerges from a swirl of expressive color. Girl in Blue takes a softer approach, capturing a young girl with loose, spontaneous brushwork. Two Young Nudes explores the human figure through open, freely painted forms.
Her still lifes are equally distinctive. Flowers and everyday objects become opportunities to experiment with color and composition, with vivid lemons, blues, and red-orange tones appearing throughout her work.
Contemporary art reviews praised her classical mastery, especially in portraiture, her skillful brushwork, and her knowledge of the principles of color harmony.
A Collection with a Story
When she died in 2011, Lashkareff left behind a remarkable collection of over 200 oil paintings, which she bequeathed to the Museum of Russian Culture at the Russian Center of San Francisco. For more than a decade, the collection has been carefully stored at the Russian Center. Now, some of these paintings are ready to begin a new chapter.
On Saturday, November 14, 2026, the Russian Center will present a Silent Art Auction featuring a curated selection of Victoria Lashkareff's original paintings.
It is a rare chance to see these works together and to have the opportunity to bring an original Lashkareff painting into your home.
Own an Original Work of Fine Art
Approximately 100 paintings will be offered during the silent auction, with starting prices ranging from $50 - $750. View an online gallery of her art.
The collection was professionally appraised in 2011 by Allrich Fine Art Services, with each work evaluated in relation to comparable 20th-century artists and considering factors such as subject matter, medium, size, and artistic characteristics.
The auction starting prices will be based on the 2011 appraisal values, keeping the works accessible to collectors and art lovers.
Whether you collect art or simply appreciate discovering something beautiful and unexpected, this is an opportunity to experience the work of a fascinating Russian émigré artist whose career became part of Northern California's artistic history.
Silent Art Auction
Let’s celebrate the work of Victoria Lashkareff at an afternoon of art and discovery at a hosted wine & cheese reception.
Curated Selection of Victoria Lashkareff Paintings
Saturday, November 14, 2026
1:00–4:00 PM
The Russian Center of San Francisco
2450 Sutter Street, San Francisco
Preview the Art Collection
Visit the Online Gallery to see a selection of Victoria Lashkareff's paintings, with dimensions, starting bids, and other pertinent details.
Bibliography (in Russian)
Russian Life Newspaper article, June 15, 2013, Tatyana Savina.
Russian Life Newspaper article, October 12, 2013, Valeria Kustova.
