Paintings of Old Russian masters are now becoming regular lots at the bids organized by the SOVCOM Art Gallery, and each Gallery’s auction starts with more and more ancient dates. This time it will begin with 1845. It is clear, that the earlier the dating – the more zeroes are in the estimates. The picture “A beauty in front of the mirror” by Nickolay Maykov has been estimated at $220-230.000.
Paintings of Old Russian masters are now becoming regular lots at the bids organized by the SOVCOM Art Gallery, and each Gallery’s auction starts with more and more ancient dates. This time it will begin with 1845. It is clear, that the earlier the dating – the more zeroes are in the estimates. The picture “A beauty in front of the mirror” by Nickolay Maykov has been estimated at $220-230.000. Nickolay Maykov, the poet’s father, was a self-taught person, who imitated pictures of great masters. Then he obtained an arts academician’s degree for his icons created for St. Trinity Cathedral of Izmaylovskiy Regiment. However, for his friends and for himself he painted Nu and heads, which have art value due to the absence of dried academic manner. The full scope of academism is “At the mountains. Foggy distant slopes” by Andrey Shilder (1880th, $245-250.000 – the most expensive picture of the auction). The canvas by Andrey Shilder, Ivan Shishkin’ apprentice, are highly popular now due to their absence in our market.
It may be that, the pictures of Repin’s apprentice, Andrey Egorov, will have the same destiny. He is a quite good painter, and there are not so many works created by him in Russia; the painter lived in Estonia, and all his heritage was succeeded to us – to the extent, that “Suomi. Port”, now exposed on sale for $12-15.000, arrived in Moscow from the last year’s London Sotheby’s.
The “SOVCOM” would not be the “SOVCOM”, if it didn’t sell social realism. This time one of the auction’s tops is a largest picture named “Lenin proclaims the Soviet power” by Vladimir Serov. Its first version was made in 1947; where behind Lenin’s back there were depicted Stalin, Dzerzhinsky and Sverdlov standing on the tribune; the artist was awarded the Stalin’s prize, and the picture itself was presented to Mao Tszedun. But, after the XXth Congress of CPSU and denunciation of the personality cult, the painter created the second version, where behind Lenin there were depicted workers and soldiers (this very version is on sale). The Comrade was right – soon the painter received an order to make a large “parade-style” version without Stalin. And this very version is exposed in the State Tretyakov Gallery. This fragment of the Soviet history, 155 cm x 200 cm in size, was estimated at $160-170.000.
During the last season the SOVCOM has introduced a new trend fashion for “drastic style” and now it is exposing its clear example – Igor Obrosov (at a moderate price). Petr Ossovsky, promoted since the last year – is more expensive. Among graphical works the pictures by Philip Malyavin (which have unexceptionable provenance) and selection of 10 works by Boris Iordansky – the sketches of furniture for “Moskva” hotel” 1944, deserve a special look. These closets, tables and chairs – is the answer to those, who still deny to recognize art deco in “the Stalin’s empire” ($5-6.000).
The Sovcom Art Gallery, March 11th (15:00)
ENG
Рус
SOVCOM in social networks: