APOLLINARI MIKHAILOVICH VASNETSOV, 1856-1933

Sotheby's London, Icons, Russian Pictures and Works of Art, 16th June 1994, lot 33

"While designing sets for the opera Sadko, Apollinari Vasnetsov spent some time in the historic Russian city of Novgorod. In 1901 the artist depicted this Russian city in two works, The Past of Great Novgorod, 15^th Century and Harbour in Great Novgorod in the 15^th Century, the whereabouts of neither being known. […] The bright and striking colours of the latter were artistic devices to communicate the magical rise and increasing prosperity of Novgorod in 15^th century as a centre of international trade"

L.A.Bespalova, Apollinary Mikhailovich Vasnetsov, Moscow, Iskusstvo, 1983. p.103

It is likely that the offered lot, dated 1902, is Harbour in Great Novgorod in the 15^th Century. According to Bespalova’s catalogue of the artist’s works, this painting was shown in the 36 Artists’ exhibition in Moscow in 1902.