Prince Paul Troubetzkoy

Overall the marble is in excellent condition. There is some slight green dirt to the surface on the proper left side of the head.
"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.
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This delicate portrait is a rare example of Troubetzkoy's sensitive handling of marble. Best known for his glamorous bronze statuettes of aristocratic contemporaries, the present bust clearly demonstrates Troubetzkoy's ability to transpose his appealing modelling style into stone.

Troubetzkoy has employed his famous 'painterly' style in the carving, using different levels of finish to give the portrait a sense of spontaneity. The contrast between the softness of the girls face and the more roughly hewn shoulder heightens the vivid sense of the sitter's presence.

Troubetzkoy carved a few other busts in marble in a similar style, including the bust of Erminia Cairati Vogt at the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan and the bust of Marguerite Stewartt, sold at Sotheby's New York in 1995. The treatment to the hair and face in the present bust can be compared to that in Troubetzkoy's full-length marble portrait of Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, dating to 1898 and preserved at the State Russian Museum of St. Petersburg. 

RELATED LITERATURE
Piantoni & Venturoli, p.125; Shaposhnikova, p.151-2, cat. 1328