Lot 106
  • 106

Pavel Varfolomeevich Kuznetsov

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Pavel Varfolomeevich Kuznetsov
  • Mount Beshtau, Essentuki
  • signed in Cyrillic l.r.; further bearing an inscription in another hand on the reverse
  • oil on canvas
  • 88.5 by 68cm, 34 3/4 by 26 3/4 in.

Provenance

The family of the artist
Sotheby's London, Russian Art, 26 November 2007, lot 51
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Literature

L.Budkova and D.Sarabianov, Pavel Kuznetsov, Moscow: Sovetskii khudozhnik, 1975, no.105 illustrated in b/w; p.354, no.464 listed as Beshtau

Condition

The canvas edges have been strip-lined. There is an inpainted scratch running diagonally across the lower left corner, another horizontal one in the top left and a vertical in the top right. There is small patch of paint loss above the centre of the bottom edge. A small patch of very fine craquelure which is lifting slightly is visible in the yellow pigment above the lower left corner. A pinhole is in the lower right corner. There is a layer of light surface dirt and some discolouration throughout. Examination under UV light reveals the inpainted scratches and a couple of other very minor areas of retouching. Held in a gold painted wooden frame. Unexamined out of frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

The present view of the Mount Beshtau, situated just outside Essentuki, belongs to a series of landscapes from the late 1920s, and it was most likely inspired by Kuznetsov's journey through the southern regions of Russia en route to the Black Sea coast of Sochi. Indeed, the dynamic composition and the palette of blazing ochres and pinks is characteristic of this period. Kuznetsov painted a comparable landscape of this region entitled Kislovodsk (sold at Sotheby's New York, 2 November 2009, lot 38).