Boris Dmitrievich Grigoriev

Enid and Morton Goldsmith, New York (acquired directly from the artist)
Thence by descent

This charming portrait is on its original stretcher with no lining. The paint layer has probably been cleaned and varnished, however there is some milkiness to the paint layer, particularly in spots on the left side, which should be easily eliminated if the picture were to be properly cleaned. Under ultraviolet light there are a few tiny dots of retouch visible in the cheek on the right of the face, a dot or two of retouching in the right side of the boy's blue outfit and a few retouches in the wheel in the lower left. Nonetheless the condition is lovely. The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Grigoriev first arrived in America in the fall of 1923, shortly after Christian Brinton had exhibited his works at the Brooklyn Museum and the New Gallery. Grigoriev's oeuvre was well received by its American audience; collectors eagerly purchased works from his many cycles, finding particular appeal in his haunting portraits. He was also commissioned to paint several new portraits, the proceeds from which allowed him to travel across the country.

Soon after his arrival in New York, Grigoriev met the Goldsmiths, a pair of savvy collectors and well-regarded society figures. They became significant patrons and devoted friends of the artist, and they lent him their backroom as a place to stay. Grigoriev modeled the present lot after the Goldsmith's young son, John, dressed in a sailor suit and holding a toy donkey. As in his earlier canonical portraiture, and particularly his images of Breton peasants, Grigoriev conjures psychological tension in the boy's neutral expression. Particular focus is drawn to the boy's eyes, which appear at first innocent and emotionless, then increasingly and fiercely aware.