Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky

Baron Anton Alftan, St. Petersburg (acquired circa 1910)
Sale: Christie's, London, June 26, 1987, lot 96, illustrated
Sale: Sotheby's, London, November 27, 1991, lot 116, illustrated
Acquired from the above sale by the present owner

Yelena V. Nesterova, Konstantin Makovsky, St. Petersburg, 2003, pp. 68, 281, illustrated
G.B. Romanov and A.M. Muratov, Zhivopis Russkogo Salona, 1850-1917, Encyclopedia, St. Petersburg, 2004, p. 393, illustrated

The Toilet of Venus was originally commissioned, along with other similarly themed works, by Baron von Dervis as a decorative panel for the ceiling of his mansion in St. Petersburg on the English Embankment. The mansion would go on to play an important role in art history. It housed the only Fabergé exhibition in Russia, held in 1902 under the patronage of Tsar Nicholas II’s wife, Alexandra. A few years later, shortly before the first World War, the palace was bought by Baron Anton Alftan who requested Makovsky add his signature to The Toilet of Venus. Makovsky demanded 100 rubles to fulfill the request, which the owner refused to pay.

This exuberant, large-scale painting was part of a series of genre works produced by the artist in the 1880s and 1890s, which portrayed allegorical landscapes, sculptures, mythological figures—a flourishing of rococo revival made popular by the Paris Salon. Indeed, Makovsky made numerous trips to Paris, constantly acquainting himself with changing artistic trends in Europe. While he began as a history painter, he did not shy away from tackling different styles and subject matter throughout his productive career.

Makovsky executed the present painting when at the absolute height of his fame. In 1878, he was awarded the Order of St. Anne, 3^rd Grade; in 1885, one of his paintings won the highest prize at the World Exhibition in Antwerp and he received the Great Gold Medal for three of his paintings, including The Last Judgment of Paris (see fig. 1) at the World Fair in Paris. His 1879 work Mermaids was purchased by Tsar Alexander II for the Hermitage museum. Thanks to the Tsar’s patronage, Makovsky was graced with early recognition and popularity; he painted the Tsar while still a student at the Academy and was the artist appointed to paint his death mask. In 1910, the artist was promoted to the rank of actual councilor of state.

Makovsky was a collector of antiques, some of which he incorporated into his work, and in the present painting, we see his astounding skill with rendering fabrics and objects, the lush brocaded bedspread, the intricate, gold latticework. His mastery of color is particularly striking, underscored by a correspondent for the Russian newspaper Evening Times, who said Makovsky’s “colors sing like those of Rubens.” During his lifetime, Makovsky inspired the admiration of critics, members of high society and the general public.

H. Backmansspn's letter is as follows: ``The canvas, 250 x 350 cm, depicting Venus or Juno (an allegorical female figure) with cupids and a peacock, is painted by Konstantin Makowsky.  I have seen it as a plafond painting in the palace of V. Dervis on the English quai in St. Petersburg at the end of the 1890s. The palace was bought by Baron Anton Alftan shortly before the World War.  As the canvases (plural??) were lacking signature, Baron Alftan turned to Konstantin Makowsky with the request of signatures, what the painter declared himslef willing to do at a price of Roubles 100 per signature, but the Baron did not accept the offer as per Makovsky's own words. Helsinki 15 February 1930.'' ---H Backmansson

A copy of this letter accompanies this lot.