Vladimir Egorovich Makovsky

Sale: Sotheby's New York, May 23, 1990, lot 271, illustrated

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 painting has been lined and the surface is stable yet well-textured. The paint layer is most likely clean but may well brighten slightly if cleaned further. Under ultraviolet light there are some small retouches visible in the upper left corner. Other than this, the painting is in beautiful state and could be hung as is.
"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."

Vladimir Makovsky was a brilliant painter and one of the leading figures of the Itinerant artists. In the 1880s his creativity blossomed, setting the stage for the development of Russian art in the forthcoming decades. In the early 1880s he spent many summers in Poltava (Ukraine), and the theme of Ukrainian pastoral life became one of his favorite subjects. In exhibitions he displayed richly colored sketches of Ukrainians and lively scenes of the countryside, conveying his personal fascination and dazzling impressions of what he had observed. Radiant folk costumes, expressive drawings, sunny landscapes with traditional white peasant huts, wattle fences and lush vegetation enthralled the artist for years to come. Owing to impressions of Ukraine, his palette became brighter and more elated. His inherent sense of humor is apparent in the plots he casts, which are influenced by his understanding of provincial life and customs. Undertones of Gogol's "Evenings on the Farmstead near Dikan'ki" (near Poltava) at times surface in these paintings.

In A Rude Awakening, Makovsky convincingly illustrates a Ukrainian provincial village and its luminous traditions. This masterwork wonderfully illustrates his unique artistic rationality and creative signature, while his subject matter readily anticipates later well-known paintings by such artists as Konstantin Somov.