68 portraits out of 97 have been sold.
The painting “Session of the Federal Assembly” has not been sold at the auction as the picture turned out to be on the slab-heap. In Saturday, two restaurant halls in “Metropole” hotel were used as premises for the auction. The painting by Sergey Kalinin and Farid Bogdalov “Session of the Federal Assembly” plus 97 more lots – i.e. certain portraits of those depicted on the main picture, sketches, photos of working process and materials on how the picture was made” – all these was meant to be auctioned off.
More than 300 visitors came to the auction. The LDPR junto of State Duma, headed by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, came in full muster and started a loud discussion on the painting, like whether the characters resemble themselves or not. No more remarkable political figures, which were depicted on the canvas, came in “Metropole”.
No one has bought Repin’s “big” remake, 4 x 9 in size, for a million. There is nothing to be surprised at – million of dollars, the price assigned by the artists for their masterpiece – is overestimated and inappropriate. It would hardly be truth, if we assume, that the painters ask for such an extravagant price due to the fact, that it contains the image of the President. Portraits of the President can be purchased in any stationer’s at the price less than 100 roubles. And everyone, who likes decorating his own work place, can buy such a portrait without material damage to his family budget. And hang it above his desk. There’s hardly any sense in hanging a picture of the President, surrounded by some kind of 88 confederates, and buying it for one million dollars, isn’t it?.
Nevertheless two small-size portraits of Putin turned out to be the most expensive among those exposed. One of them was sold for $25.000, another one – for 23. Who bought them – is unknown fact. A person of unrememberable appearance, who does not resemble any celebrities depicted on the painting, clad in nondescript clothes, in a wink outbargained all the bids for the paintings of Putin, and made a bee-line for cash desk to pay $48.000 in cash. Such kind of things do not usually happen at auctions. Then, the said man got in a nondescript car and disappeared. The question “Who was that man?” remained unanswered. And, as usually happens, no one found out for what purpose he bought it.
Though it’s not hard to guess for what purpose he did it. The price of 48 thousand dollars for these two, even the small ones, pictures of the President – is not so hot. After some time the prices will be forced up (including those for the President), and such small portraits will become much expensive.
From the very beginning, the organizers of the auction considered the painting of “Session of the Federal Assembly” as unsaleable picture, and the fact of its sale was some kind of unbelievable from the very beginning of the auction. Hope was made for small portraits. So, the portrait of Gryzlov was sold for 28 000, Matvienko’s – a bit cheaper. They were not present themselves, but it’s hard to assume that someone will buy a portrait of Gryzlov, apart from Gryzlov himself. Though, in Gryzlov’s place, it would be better to take jolly good care not to buy the portrait of himself, which would be more expensive than a portrait of his boss.
68 portraits out of 97 have been sold. Organizers of the auction by some undefined reason made hopes for the portrait of Abramovich, though “the Head of Chukotka” has not been sold yet. On the other hand, the portraits of disgraced oligarchs – Berezovsky and Khodorkovsky – were sold at rather good prices.
Three “negative” letters were left unclaimed: the official rejection of the RF Government Staff relating to exposition of the picture in the Government House ($300, unsold), the letter of the Committee on culture under the Moscow government regarding the explanations why Luzhkov is not be able to pose for a portrait (“owing to pressing engagements during the period of the election campaign, $300) and the letter from the Press Service under the RF President with a note, that “the president has a negative attitude towards usage of his images in similar projects” ($300, unsold). As we can observe, their own courage – the decision to paint Putin regardless of his wish/unwillingness – was not highly appraised by the artists.
It seems, that the artists’ decision to reveal the fact, that the President was against participation of his face image in the portrait, was wrong. Now, at least, it became clear, why the main character, or his “angels” did not purchase the canvas. It is also clear why the picture was on sale at such overestimated price – no one just intended to sell it. And it is true – no one would be surprised at such courage. Good PR is better! Just imagine how one could play up the fact, that the picture was unsold, if the details were concealed! For example: “The President of Russia don’t go for sale!” Or: “The price for the RF President was obviously overestimated” And now one may say that Abramovich did not go for sale to anyone. Well now, who will get pleasure from such a replica, if not Abramovich?
ENG
Рус
SOVCOM in social networks: