5 June 2019 Important Russian Art Auctions, at Asia House
5 June 2019
20. POLENOV, VASILY (1844–1927)
Study of Christ, signed and dated 1886.
Oil on canvas, laid on cardboard, 38.5 by 31 cm.
40,000–60,000 GBP
Provenance: Collection of A. Koshelev, c. 1950.
Private collection, USA.
Private collection, UK.
Authenticity of the work has been confirmed by the expert V. Petrov.
Authenticity has also been confirmed by the expert E. Paston.
Exhibited: V. D. Polenov, Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists of the USSR, Moscow, 1950 (label on the reverse).
Russkaya zhivopis vtoroi poloviny XIX veka i nachala XX veka, Central House of Workers of the Arts of the USSR, Moscow, 1951–1952 (label on the reverse).
Literature: Exhibition catalogue, V. D. Polenov, Moscow, 1950, p. 37.
The presented for auction shoulder-length study of Christ in a head-dress by Vasily Polenov is part of the artist’s preparatory work for one of the greatest canvasses of his famous Biblical series — Christ and the Sinner, 1888, now in the collection of the State Russian Museum. The series constitutes not only an exceptional part of the artist’s oeuvre, but equally of the 19th century Russian realist school as a whole.
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.