8 June 2016 Russian Art and Photography Auctions
8 June 2016
* 40. ZEMLYANITSYNA, ELENA (1889-1941)
Autumn Bouquet, signed and dated 1916, further inscribed in Cyrilllic "Iz Kartin/Mir Iskusstva" on the reverse.
Pencil and tempera on paper, laid on cardboard, 69 by 101 cm (cardboard size).
15,000-20,000 GBP
Provenance: Private collection, Europe.
Authenticity of the work has been confirmed by the expert V. Petrov.
Authenticity certificate from the expert O. Glebova.
Exhibited: Possibly, Vystavka kartin “Mir iskusstva”, Petrograd, 1916; Moscow, 26 December 1916 – 2 February 1917.
Literature: Possibly, exhibition catalogue, Katalog vystavki kartin “Mir iskusstva”, Petrograd, 1916, p. 6, No. 48, listed as Osennii buket.
Possibly, exhibition catalogue, Katalog vystavki kartin “Mir iskusstva”, Moscow, 1916, p. 5, Nos. 45, 46 or 47, listed as Buket.
Possibly, G. Romanov, Mir iskusstva. 1898–1927, Moscow, Global Vyu, 2010, p. 37, Nos. 45, 46 or 47, listed as Buketin in a copy of the 1916–1917 Moscow exhibition catalogue.
Ekaterina Zemlyanitsyna (1889–1940) received her artistic education at the Drawing School in the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts in St. Petersburg, where she was taught by the leading masters at the time, such as Nikolai Roerich and Ivan Bilibin. After Zemlyanitsyna finished her studies in 1916, Roerich included her in a group of artists he had worked with to paint the murals at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Talashkino. From the mid-1910s, Zemlyanitsyna’s works were on display at the most prestigious exhibitions in St. Petersburg, including at the influential art association Mir iskusstva. Indeed, on the back of the artwork on offer for auction is an inscription “From the paintings of Mir iskusstva”, permitting us to identify this piece as Autumn Bouquet, which was on display in 1916 at the association’s exhibitions in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
However, the revolutionary events of 1917 would bring Zemlyanitsyna’s career as an artist to a halt. In 1918, after her father was executed over accusations of counter-revolutionary activities, Zemlyanitsina fled St Petersburg and took the veil under the name Elena. During the Soviet persecution of Christians in the 1930s, the artist-turned-nun was arrested on several occasions. Zemlyanitsina died in 1941 while interned at a labour camp.
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.