Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky 1839-1915

Private Collection (acquired circa 1930s)
Thence by descent

Gouache, pen and ink on paper laid down on board. The surface is a little dirty and stained, and there are multiple pinholes to each corner. Some pigment has been lost about the outer edges and some paper has been lost to the lower left corner. On the reverse of the board is attached a dated photograph. Held in a modern wood frame with mat and under glass. 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1879 at the seventh Itinerants exhibition, Konstantin Makovsky exhibited Mermaids (now in the collection of the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg). It was executed at Kachanovka, the estate of Ukrainian landowner V.V. Tarnovskii, where the artist and his family spent every summer until 1888. The present study is among the artist's splendid variations of Mermaids, a popular subject which he depicted numerous times.