MacDougall's Russian Art Auctions 8-9 June 2011
8 June 2011
* 441. PETROV-VODKIN, KUZMA (1878-1939)
The Artist and His Model, signed with a monogram, further inscribed by the artist in Cyrillic, numbered "N29" and dated "Paris 1906-1907" on the reverse; also further inscribed in Cyrillic "Drawing at the Académie Colarossi/Sitting Model and Head with Pipe" by the artist's widow.
Charcoal and watercolour on laid paper, 46 by 31 cm.
50,000-70,000 GBP
Provenance: Collection of Ya.E. Rubinshtein, Moscow.
Authenticity certificate from the expert E. Zhukova
Exhibited: Russkaya grafika XVIII-XX vekov iz sobranii I.V. Kachurina i Ya.E. Rubinshteina, Leningrad, 1982.
Literature: Exhibition catalogue, Russkaya grafika XVIII-XX vekov iz sobranii I.V. Kachurina i Ya.E. Rubinshteina, Leningrad, 1982.
Yu. Rusakov, Kuz'ma Petrov-Vodkin. Zhivopis'. Grafika. Teatral'no-dekoratsionnoe iskusstvo, Leningrad, 1986, cat. no. 11; ill. 7.
The Artist and His Model is part of an important body of drawings from live models dating from Petrov-Vodkin's French period. Working in Paris, where he arrived in 1906, the artist perfected what he had learned in Valentin Serov's studio in Moscow. Petrov-Vodkin's stay in Paris was of particular significance not only for his development as an artist; it was also here that he met his future wife Maria, who would stay at his side until his death in 1939.
The present work shows a model and the head of another artist, possibly a fellow student at the Académie Colarossi, where the artist studied in 1906-1907, and where the drawing was executed. An important part of the many drawings Petrov-Vodkin made during this period are now in the collection of the State Russian Museum in St Petersburg.
The work was part of the collection of Yakov Rubinshtein, who, along with N. Blokhin, A. Abramyan, S. Shchuster and V. Dudakov, was one of the most significant Russian collectors of the 1960-1970s.
Notes on symbols:
* Indicates 5% Import Duty Charge applies.
Ω Indicates 20% Import Duty Charge applies.
§ Indicates Artist's Resale Right applies.
† Indicates Standard VAT scheme applies, and the rate of 20% VAT will be charged on both hammer price and premium.