NEW PAINTING UNVEILED DEPICTS A "PURELY HUMAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION"

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06505850
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2020
• Case Number: F-2016-00691

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(U) New Painting Unveiled Depicts a "Purely Human Intelligence Operation"
S.J.WorThis is abof t espionage�really, the core business of the National Clandestine Service. Tne e ale no guns in this
painting. Tile re are no airplanes," Chief of the National Clandestine Se mice's (NCS) Cent, Eurasia (CE)
Division, said to attendees at the unveiling of the new Intelligence Art Gallery painting 'Tolkachev: Quiet Courage" on 11
Augustin the Awards and Events Suite.
(U) Adolf Tolkachev was a Soviet aviation electronics engineer who, from 1978 to 1985, was a key CIAasset, providing
the Agency with detailed information on highly classified -future military capabilities being developed by tne Soviet Union. In
1985, Tolkachev's identity was betrayed by two CIA officers working for the KGB Edward Lee Howard and HE du Ames
He was arrested, tried for high treason, and executed in 1986. The volumes of detailed intelligence he passed to the CIA
were of immense value to the United States for at least eight to 10 years.
he former Chief of CE Division, who spearheaded the
selection of Toltiacney as tne painting's subject, also spoke at tne unveiling. "I thought it was
important to have a painting depicting a purely human intelligence operation," he said. "After
all, the CIA is the government's premier human intelligence organization."
(U) He described the Tolkachev operation as one of the best cases ever run by the CIA one
that was uniquely conducted by the Agency and of great importance to the Cold War. He
wanted a painting depicting a Soviet operation because of the importance of those cases, but
felt that the case of Oleg Pe nkovsky was already well known. The Tolkachev case was
critically important but not widely known in open sources despite its key aspects having
already been declassified.
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hought it (b)(3)
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important to
have a
painting
depicting a
purely
human
intelligencE(b)(1)
operation.
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(C�ny officers involved in the operation collaborated with arst Kathy Fieramosca to (b)(6)
set he proper mood and tone in the painting and to get the details right This painting does
something that art is pe [naps uniquely suited to do," said, "it honors its
subject," a man acting alone against a totalitarian regime. The painting also includes a realistic depiction of the Pe ntax 35
that Tolkachev used to photograph thousands of pages of classified Soviet documents. 'Taken together,
the details of the painting show us what a state of the art CIA espionage operation looked like before tne digital age,"
said.
aforrner senior NCS officer who was involved in the operation, provided
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personal reflections on thApproved for Release: 2020/08/04 C065058501ficers involved. "In
understanding any espionage operation, one needs to know that it has an inherent danger
wherever it is," he said. "And I think that the men and women who worked
on this case�demonstrated the great ability of this Agency to run productive operations in
difficult areas."
(C//NF) ssaid, "The courage and character it took to carry out [Tolkachev's]
efforts against the Soviet regime are virtues worthy of our admiration. Fie ramosca's painting of
him, hanging prominently in the Agency's art gallery, will ensure that Adolph Tolkachev is
fitbngly honored for the immeasurable contribution he made to the security of the United States
of America, and for the ultimate sacrifice he made for doing so."
(UHAIU0) Tolkachev exemplifies the brave men and women�CIA agents�whose sacrifice is
honored by the Fallen Agent Memorial on the lobby wall in the Original Headquarters Building.
The marble sculpture serves as a reminder of the courage and commitment of those who
have silently served the Agency for the cause of freedom. To learn more about the Fallen
Agent Memorial, click here.
(U) "Tolkachev: Quiet Courage" is now hanging in the Intelligence Art Gallery in IOriginal Headquarters
Building. To read the official painting description, click here. To read the Studies in Intelligence article "Tolkachev, A
Worthy Successor to Penkovsky," click here.
The courage
and
character it
took to carry
out
[Tolkachey's]
efforts
against the
Soviet
regime are
virtues
worthy of our
admiration.
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